Being a commercial plumber, one is frequently invited by the clients in emergency times. In case some kind of commercial property is facing a sudden burst of water leak or any other water damages, the business property owners will immediately call you.
You will have to fix the leaks and damages, but are you ready to do it now?
Most plumbing customers tend to draw an insufficient amount of attention to the pipe system in general, consequently ignoring the problems that might arise in the future. And sometimes these very issues might turn out to be severe, and it would be really hard to fix them. In case you fix all of the issues quickly and efficiently, it will help you to retain customers in a long-term perspective. That’s why it is extremely important to check if you have done everything correctly.
We advise you to take a look at the tips and hints for all commercial plumbers that will help one to maintain client plumbing even when there are no obvious problems at a glance.
When you first step into the building, you should check the building in general. You will need to walk through all of the areas where plumbing facilities can be found. One should inspect and evaluate the plumbing system, the condition of water equipment and search for signs of water leaks and harm. Make sure to acknowledge that even a small water spill might indicate water damage. Each small spill worsens with time, causing water system issues. So, you will have to pay attention to details.
As a professional plumber who wants to thrive, you would need a regular routine for maintaining the technical equipment and pipes in commercial property and enterprises. At first, when you first start talking with your customer, make sure to offer the basic maintenance routine to reveal all of the possible underlying damages regarding the plumbing system. Not only will it show the basic diagnostics, but it will show a general picture of the current plumbing system condition. This step is essential.
The maintenance should be scheduled once in a certain amount of months, but it surely depends on the plumbing facility and the property itself. In case the commercial property has hundreds of visitors each day, then, as evident, it will require more frequent evaluations from a professional than a small business office. Plumbing facilities are prone to damages, and the more utilization they are subject to, the more frequent maintenance they need.
As for the maintenance process itself, the services you are going to provide will depend solely on the plumbing and facility. General steps for maintenance include:
The next step of yours is to check the condition of the water, to be more precise, its temperature. When you turn on the water, what do you feel? Is the water too hot or too cold? In case you, a professional, reveal that there is something wrong with the temperature of the water, you should check the water heater. Most probably, it has to be adjusted. In case it is not leaking — it is failing. Nonetheless, you have to remember that not all of the leaks are of the same type: some might be fixed easily, while others will require extra tools for the repair. So, try not to miss a single leaking water heater, nor block off valves or leaves.
Eventually, a faucet that leaks is worth money with each drip. The leaks are dangerous as they not only harm the building but lead to wasting almost three thousand gallons of water each year! The leaks, in general, are the direct causes of drained O-rings and gaskets and other sealing equipment. So, you will have to check the above-mentioned technical water facilities first.
When you are working with pipes in an old building, you might reveal that they are drained, old, swelled, and corroded. It will bring many difficulties while working with pipes: it will be hard to open them. Sometimes, even two opposing wrenches would not resolve the issue. We offer another solution: for pipes, just use a handheld blowtorch. The only thing you will have to do is to heat the hardened connection, and within minutes it will loosen the bonds.
The leaks that occur silently are mainly from the toilets, that leak constantly. Almost no one can see that at first sight, until it is obvious, it is very much alike to pipes and fixtures. Once again, silent leaks result in a waste of more than a thousand gallons of water, which is a lot of money. This implies that the water bill of your client will increase drastically, and no one would need that. A professional plumber, therefore, will have to examine each toilet and make repairs.
High-quality plumbing implies great equipment, such as thread tape and dope. Such tools guarantee that there will be no leaks or pipe detachments. Tapes are easy to use, and do not cause much mess, and are perfect for work with carpets. But they suit only for threaded connections. For the best results, it is suggested to wrap the tape in a clockwise form so that it would unwrap once you start screwing the joints together.
Dope is another crucial tool. Dopes help in the process of sealing and settling fittings. With the help of dope that is non-hardening and safe for plastic, one can easily harden the rubber seals, which will help to prevent damages in the next few years.
Hammered toilets and drains are of high importance for plumbers, as you surely know. The problem of slow draining is the first one to indicate the issue with the draining of the system in general. You will have to go through and evaluate each restroom and examine whether it requires requirements. Backups are not desirable, and you would not love to deal with them, but you will have to. The overflowing that you may find is a result of clogged drains. And if there is an overflowing, there is water damage.
The bathroom trap repairment is a basic task for each plumber. A trap has a somewhat unusual shape and always causes some mess whenever it is pulled. A plunger will help to resolve the issue in moments if you are an experienced plumber.
In the areas where it is cold, the pipes that go underneath the building tend to get cold and warm and soon start creaking. Some contractual workers tend to think that creaking is produced due to the bad conditions of the old building, but the true reasons for creaking are the conditions and quality of the plumbing system.
Moreover, the creaking is often produced due to constant contraction and expansion of pipes, which, as a result, scrap the hanger brackets and walls. This situation occurs when the hanger brackets are metal. The solution to this problem is to cover the pipes or line the brackets where they are bound.
When you have done all of your work, checked for all possible plumbing issues, and inspected the property (the building) for any potential problems, it is time to talk with your customer. This tip would not probably sound like a tip for a commercial plumber, but pay some attention. It is important to tell about all of the issues you have found, to describe them in detail to your customer, and tell how did you manage to resolve them. You can also advise the client on their next step in enhancing the plumbing system in general and schedule the next visit.
I bring over 9 years of dedicated plumbing experience to the table. As a seasoned professional in the plumbing industry, I've tackled a wide range of projects, from residential repairs to large-scale commercial installations.