If you’ve ever looked into hiring a plumber, then you’ve probably come across the terms “residential plumber” and “commercial plumber.”

Obviously, those terms are to differ the needs between a residential client (client with a house) and a commercial client (client with a commercial property). However, what does that look like? Are the differences really that significant?

If so, then your situation might benefit more from the care of a commercial plumber than a residential one.

Here are some of the duties of a commercial plumber and what they specialize in. Be sure to consider these factors as you determine whether you need one.

1. Regular Building Maintenance

The plumbing needs of a commercial building are vast. You have several different water lines and drains going in every which direction.

That’s why it’s important to schedule a proper maintenance check every eight months to a year. It allows you to ensure that everything is up to the standard of a licensed commercial plumber.

Commercial plumbers are used for maintenance by performing tasks such as checking up on potential (and previous) water leaks, drain issues, drain lines, plumbing attachments, and so on.

They are vitally important in ensuring that your commercial property never goes through a dramatic plumbing emergency. Such emergencies can result in major repairs, and in severe cases, remodeling the commercial space due to significant damage.

2. Fix Drain Issues

Have you ever sat down to consider all of the people that use the restrooms at your building facility each day? The answer might astound you.

Because of that, your drains are bound to become clogged at one point or another. As the owner of that building, it’s up to you to ensure as clean of drains as possible.

Enter the trusted commercial plumber, who has all of the experience and essential tools to perform an extensive drain cleaning service.

You can avoid significant damage by knowing the tell-tale signs of a clogged drain. For example, such signs include a foul stench, gurgling sounds from a drain, or even water on your property.

As soon as you start to hear a bubbling noise in your drain, be sure to call a commercial plumber to perform a check-up.

3. Service to Multiple Floors

The biggest difference between residential plumbing and commercial plumbing is the size of the job at hand.

Generally speaking, a residential plumbing job requires the plumber to service two floors or fewer. A commercial plumber, on the other hand, can be as many floors as a skyscraper holds.

Many people don’t realize it, but when a building is that high, then plumbers have to factor in the role that gravity plays into the pipes. The higher up water has to go in certain pipes, the more water pressure that’s required to do so.

That means the commercial plumber needs to be educated in the amount of water pressure it takes to reach certain levels and make sure the pipes meet that need.

This goes for any sinks, toilets, showers, or anything else that you might have in a commercial building that requires water.

4. Identify Water Line Issues

Typically, finding an issue with a water line (such as a water leak) on a residential property isn’t difficult. The homeowner will typically have several signs something is off and reach out to a residential plumber right away.

However, in a corporate building, the signs are few and far between. In fact, because so many buildings take exhaustive efforts to hide their water lines, there might be almost zero visible or audible signs.

Because of that, by the time a water line leak is noticed commercially, it’s already done a horrific amount of damage.

The best way to stop that is by supplying preventative maintenance to your entire establishment. Commercial plumbers can indicate if a water line is at risk of a leak in the near future.

5. Heavy Workload

Because there are so many moving parts to the plumbing in a commercial building, the commercial plumber will have quite the project in fixing an issue. That’s due to both the size of the building and the number of stories they need to potentially service.

Not only that, but there could be a number of different things that need to be fixed.

While one story might have drain issue, the few stories below it might be dealing with repercussions of a water leak.

There’s also the fact that commercial plumbers encounter issues that a residential plumber might never come across.

Some of the most common commercial repairs include sewer smells, running toilets, leaks from the toilet, and pipe leaks.

However, they also encounter their fair share of water temperature issues, clogged drains, failed toilet fixtures, running toilets, faucet leaks, and everything in-between.

6. Water Heater Expertise

As previously mentioned, the fluctuating temperature of the water is a common issue among commercial properties.

Commercial plumbers have the experience and know-how to make sure your water heater is running up to its standards.

Different commercial businesses have different needs for the water heater. For example, an office building only needs it for their sinks. Meanwhile, a hotel needs water heating for their sinks, showers, pools, or bathtubs.

Hire the Right Commercial Plumber Today!

Now that you understand the need for a commercial plumber, it’s time to hire one for your annual checkup.

Be sure to read this article for more information on the differences between residential and commercial plumbing.

For more inquiries, please feel free to contact us today, and we’ll be happy to assist you further!