When it comes to plumbing, there are lots of people that question the difference between a commercial service and a residential service. The truth is that to an extent, both services are the same. The same materials are used for residential and commercial repairs. Both services perform the same basic functions.
Generally, companies that provide commercial services will also provide residential, and vice versa. Even though the company may be one in the same, there are different obstacles that a DC commercial plumber may face. Three of the obstacles they may encounter are the size of the plumbing system, working on multiple floors, and a variety of issues.
Size Of The Plumbing System
The size of the plumbing system is the obvious difference between a residential service and a commercial service. Commercial plumbing will require more pipes and drainage systems to be employed, in comparison to residential systems. Businesses not only have to provide sinks and toilets for their employees to use, they also must provide a bathroom facility for their customers.
Even small businesses will have two separate bathrooms for customers and guests. With the added bathrooms, additional piping is required to bring water into the area. Commercial buildings demands are increased and residential systems cannot suffice.
Working On Multiple Floors
Commercial buildings are usually bigger than residential homes. Most residential plumbing jobs entail performing work on one to two floors. Office buildings may have multiple stories. Each story will require access to a sink or toilet for employees and customers.
Gravity can adversely affect the way that pipes function. Water pressure can become an issue in buildings that possess multiple stories. Plumbers that regularly work on commercial piping systems understand how much work can go into fixing a plumbing issue in an office building.
Variety Of Other Issues
Most residential plumbing issues are variations of the same basic problems. The pipes are clogged, a pipe has busted, or a foreign object has been flushed down the drain, are the most common issues. Commercial plumbing issues may not be as simple. Due to the size of commercial piping systems, it is vital that you hire a plumber that understands how these systems work.
Commercial plumbers must be trained on how to work on the piping systems of businesses. They need to know city codes for removing or replacing pipes. They also need to be prepared for any other problems that may occur as they are rectifying the present issue.
Residential plumbers have the required skills and mindset to handle most plumbing problems that occur in homes. If there is plumbing issue at an office or business, you will require the skillset of an expert that can handle a job of that magnitude. The professional should be aware of other issues that may occur while fixing the current problem.
A commercial plumbing service will perform various tasks to identify the problem, if the business has not informed them of the issue. The size of the business, along with the number of stories within the building can complicate the job. A professional commercial plumber will know how to handle things, if something does not go as planned.