Commercial Plumbing: Why It’s Different, Why It Matters & Best Practices
Few realize it, but commercial plumbing is a specialized field that is far more complex than residential plumbing. This is because commercial plumbers encounter, repair, install, and maintain more intricate plumbing systems that handle millions of gallons of water daily. For example, statistics show commercial buildings larger than 200,000 square feet use about 980 million gallons of water daily. As you can imagine, with that much water traveling through a system routinely, even the smallest plumbing problem could lead to significant consequences and expensive costs.
Fortunately, commercial plumbers from companies like Art Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electric have the skills and experience needed to navigate any commercial plumbing situation. In this blog, our team will discuss everything you need to know about commercial plumbing, including why it’s different, why it matters, and the best practices. Armed with this information, you’ll better understand why your company needs to place its plumbing needs with experienced commercial plumbers.
What Is Commercial Plumbing And How Is It Different From Residential Plumbing?
Before we talk about why commercial plumbing is different, let’s briefly touch on what this type of plumbing is and who it serves.
Commercial plumbing is different from residential plumbing in that it’s a specialized branch of plumbing that focuses on servicing commercial buildings and businesses. Residential plumbing specializes in small-scale plumbing needs of homes and commercial plumbing focuses on providing plumbing services to large-scale buildings like schools, restaurants, office spaces, malls, hospitals, hotels, and public facilities.
Commercial plumbers who service these businesses are specialized plumbers and have varying job duties from installing new plumbing networks and maintaining existing systems to repairing any plumbing issues that have occurred. Without commercial plumbing, companies would not have reliable water systems with fully operating components, thus putting people’s lives at risk and costing companies excessive amounts of money needlessly.
Now that you know why commercial plumbing is different from residential, you might be interested in reading below to learn how it’s different.
Materials And Equipment
Commercial plumbing typically uses more advanced and durable materials than residential plumbing.
For example, a commercial plumber will use industrial-grade pipes instead of PVC piping when fitting a building with a new water system. Additionally, plumbing fixtures used by a commercial plumber will be stronger and more resilient to wear and tear than a residential plumber supplies in some cases.
Commercial plumbers are also more likely to accommodate customized fixture requests and large-scale water heaters. In addition, unlike residential plumbing, commercial plumbing uses large-scale specialized equipment that is capable of handling any plumbing situation a company might have, from burst pipes and frustrating clogged drains to leaking faucets and root damage.
Size And Scope Of Work
Commercial plumbing systems are usually significantly larger because they have to cater to more people, making high water demands a commonality. These high water demands mean that the water system is far more complex, making a commercial plumber’s job more challenging and time-consuming, especially if there are large-scale issues.
In addition, buildings often have multiple levels, requiring advanced and customized plumbing solutions to ensure effective sewage disposal and water pressure. Commercial plumbers are trained in these areas of concern and know how to ensure companies have their plumbing needs met.
Service And Maintenance
Unlike residential plumbing, commercial plumbing cannot be addressed on an as-needed basis and requires regular and proactive maintenance and servicing to meet regulations and standards and ensure the safety of the building’s occupants.
If a commercial plumbing system is neglected, it has an increased chance of encountering malfunctions and downtime, which could result in significant financial implications. That’s why ensuring you have a commercial plumber who completes routine maintenance on your building’s plumbing system is best.
Why Is Commercial Plumbing Important?
Commercial plumbing is essential because, without it, businesses would have no one to turn to for installations, maintenance, and repairs, meaning no state regulations would be met, and buildings would be unusable. After all, commercial plumbing systems facilitate essential functions like waste disposal, water supply, and sanitation, so even the smallest issue could cause problems and potentially escalate into a serious matter costing thousands of dollars to fix.
What Are Commercial Plumbing Best Practices?
Most companies like Art Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electric try to uphold best practices within the commercial plumbing industry. Below, we have briefly discussed these best practices to give you a better understanding of what you should expect from a commercial plumbing company you hire.
They Always Send A Qualified Professional
A commercial plumbing company worth your time will send the right plumbing professional to take care of your specific commercial plumbing needs. They will know which qualified plumber to send to you by evaluating your problem. For example, if your business is experiencing an expansion and you need a new plumbing system installed, a reputable commercial plumbing company would know to send plumbers who specialize in pipe laying and installation.
Ultimately, few people realize how important it is to send the right plumber with the right tools because the last thing you want is to make your plumbing issue worse. When the appropriate person or team is sent, a more efficient job will be completed with fewer risks involving wasted materials, money, and time.
They Always Offer Preventative Maintenance
Another best practice in the commercial plumbing industry is always to offer preventative maintenance. A credible commercial plumbing company will be proactive about a building’s plumbing systems and ensure its maintenance and repairs are kept up to date. They may even take it a step further by suggesting new installations for outdated plumbing that could be costing a company money.
They Always Conduct Routine Checks And Tests
One of the biggest industry best practices is always conducting routine checks and tests according to state regulation standards. This means that when you hire a commercial plumbing company, they must check all plumbing components in your building, including the piping and fixtures. A failure to do this could result in catastrophic and expensive damages and costs.
In addition to routine maintenance checks, part of the best practice is conducting all necessary plumbing tests. For example, the plumbers you hire should conduct routine toxicity and hydraulic tests to ensure the safety of your employees and the efficiency and durability of your plumbing system.
Speak With The Plumbing Professionals At Art Today To Discuss Your Commercial Plumbing Needs
Ultimately, commercial plumbing significantly differs from residential plumbing, so you must consider hiring a professional team like the plumbers at Art Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electric.
Our commercial plumbers have worked on countless water systems and know how to ensure your system runs optimally. We can complete routine maintenance and repairs to ensure you meet state regulations and standards while maintaining the safety of your building’s occupants.
Contact us here, and we will speak with you to discuss your commercial plumbing needs.
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