Commercial Plumbing

Commercial property owners, even more than homeowners, have to stay on top of plumbing issues. Leaks that are ignored tend to get worse over time and wind up costing thousands in structural damage. Backed-up drains could lead to sewage problems that make a structure become odorous and uninhabitable. Failed drains and burst pipes could bring business to a halt, and turn away potential clients, or lead to litigation from fleeing tenants.

Installation of more efficient toilets and water heaters could also lead to long-term cost savings reflected in future profits. For a commercial facility, this is often a large job, best left to professionals who can ensure it's done as efficiently as possible.

Commercial building codes may require backflow preventers that a professional is best qualified to install and maintain. Failure to comply with local, state, and federal regulations regarding septic systems, drains, and handicapped-accessible facilities could lead to fines and lawsuits. The best option is always to call a professional who can see that repairs and installations are done right and according to the latest building codes.

For retailers a common problem is backed up toilets when paper towels or other trash gets flushed. Keeping bathrooms clean and pleasant, drains clear, and toilets operational is important to customer satisfaction and business reputation.

In commercial kitchens, one important but all-too-often-overlooked component is grease traps. These are installed to prevent grease and oil from running into drains and clogging public sewer lines. In most localities, these are required by law and can involve fines running into thousands of dollars if they are not kept clean and in good working order. If you run a big restaurant with an appreciable amount of oil and grease coming in - and down the drain - it may be worthwhile to contract a local plumbing professional to inspect and maintain grease traps. This will ensure they are in proper working order the next time an inspector drops by.

Often a plumbing problem is one you don't see until its too late. Building shift, deteriorating sewer lines, freezing, and other external issues could result in sewage problems causing major disruption to organization. Often municipalities won't fix even public sewer lines if they lie within your property boundaries. A professional can use equipment such as water pressure testing and video cameras to check out plumbing and sewer pipes, and let you know of potential problems and viable solutions to prevent a worst-case scenario.

If you live in or manage a condo association, your community may operate on shared water lines. That means pipes run from unit to unit off of main valves, instead of each unit being serviced independently from public lines. While that may seem simpler, it also means that a major plumbing issue becomes a disaster for the entire community. Shutting off the water for repairs or modifications to a single unit could mean shutting off everyone's water, and thus approval and scheduling may have to go through the community HOA. In this case it's best to hire a reputable professional so that the job is done on time and completed quickly.

Commercial interests especially need to maintain plumbing in good working order. Shut-downs due to major plumbing issues could mean fines, litigation, loss of customers, and loss of revenue on top of repair bills.