The Most Common Commercial Plumbing Problems
If you're an entrepreneurs, business owner, or facilities manager, you want to ensure that your office or commercial property is a successful one. There are many factors that go into making an office a productive one, but often times the most overlooked aspect of commercial buildings is it's plumbing system.
Commercial plumbing systems are under tremendous pressure every day, which makes them significantly more prone to problems than residential systems. Commercial plumbing issues can also be significantly more costly since the expense of the repairs is exacerbated by the cost of the lost business.
One of the best ways to keep your commercial facilities plumbing in good condition is to get regular maintenance from an experienced commercial plumber. In this blog post we'll be taking a closer look at some of the most common reasons business owners call their commercial plumber and precautions you can take to protect your business.
Toilet Clogs
The toilet is often one of the first places to experience a plumbing issue in a business setting. Clogged toilets can be due to many reasons such as flushing items down the toilet that shouldn't be flushed, or simply because the toilet is used more frequently than other areas of the plumbing system.
There are a few things you can do yourself to try and fix a clogged toilet. The first is to try using a plunger. If the plunger doesn't work, then you can try using a wire hanger or coat hanger to try and dislodge whatever is causing the clog. If neither of those methods work, then it's time to call a professional commercial plumbing company.
Drain Clogs
Unlike a toilet clog, clogged drains can be caused by many different things. There are many items that should not be flushed down the drain, such as paper towels, diapers, feminine hygiene products or plastic bags. When these items are disposed of incorrectly they can cause clogged drains in your building's plumbing system which requires professional cleaning to get rid of.
Another common reason for a drain clog is hair. Hair accumulates in drains very quickly and if it's not removed occasionally it will form a massive blockage which needs to be cleared out by professional commercial service provider to prevent water damage due to flooding.
Faucet Leaks
With a leaky faucet, whether it's from worn gaskets or bad washers it can lead to a tremendous amount of wasted water and an increase in your monthly water bill. If you're experiencing a faucet leak, the first thing you should do is replace the washer. This is a relatively simple fix that most people can do themselves with just a few common tools.
If the washer doesn't fix the leak, then it could be a sign that the gaskets need to be replaced as well. Gaskets are a little more difficult to replace than washers, but it's still something that most people can do with some instruction. If you're uncomfortable doing either of these repairs, or if they don't work, then it's time to call a professional plumber.
Running Toilets
If you have a running toilet, the first thing you should do is check to see if the water level in the tank has dropped. If it has, then the ball float needs to be adjusted accordingly. Sometimes all that's needed is for someone to simply reach into the tank and reset or adjust the ball float. If doing this doesn't work, then it could be time to replace parts of your fill valve assembly, such as the flapper or chain.
Water Temperature Issues
Commercial properties rely heavily on commercial water heaters. When there's an issue with the hot water supply, what usually happens is either only hot water will come out of one specific faucet or no hot water at all comes out of any taps in the building. The reason for this is typically because someone turned down the water heater thermostat to save energy, or the hot water heaters have had a failure. This is a problem that can easily be confirmed by commercial plumbing experts and simply turning up the hot water thermostat.
Silent Leaks
One of the most common commercial plumbing problems is a silent leak. Water leaking, like from silent toilet leaks, can go undetected for an extended period of time. This type of leak can cause serious structural damage to commercial properties if it is not addressed quickly.
Some of the most common signs of a silent plumbing leak include:
- Water stains on the ceiling or walls
- The sound of running water when no faucets are turned on
- Higher utility bills due to more water usage
If you suspect that you have a silent plumbing leak, it is critical that you address the issue as soon as possible. Silent leaks can lead to serious water damage and a higher than normal water bill.
Sewer Smells
If your office or commercial building has unpleasant odors such as a sewage smell, it's usually because there's something wrong with the plumbing vent stack. The vent stack is responsible for getting rid of sewer gas and when it's clogged, it causes the gas to build up and eventually escape into the building. This can be a dangerous situation because the sewer gas is toxic. The best way to prevent this from happening is to have the vent stack cleaned on a regular basis.
Broken Toilet Handles
Toilet handles are often one of the first things to break in a business setting, especially in an office or commercial building where toilets are used frequently. This can be a frustrating problem because it's often necessary to replace the entire toilet tank assembly, which usually includes buying a new seat cover and lid as well.
Luckily, replacing the whole thing is usually not very expensive, but it is something that should be done by professionals because of the high pressure involved with flushing a toilet.
Water Flooding
When water floods in your business or commercial building, there are typically two reasons why this happens. The first reason is because you have burst pipes somewhere in your plumbing system, either on the exterior of your property or inside one of the walls in your building. If this happens, then you need to call professionals immediately to avoid serious water damage.
The second reason for water flooding is when the sewer line backs up. This can be a very serious problem and should be dealt with as soon as possible to prevent any further damage.
Water Main Breaks
Many times, a break in the main line that feeds into a commercial building can also affect the building's internal piping system as well. This is especially true if there's not enough pressure in the line to push throughout the system once it enters the building. Regardless of whether this occurs upstream or downstream from your property, it can extremely disruptive to your business operations by increasing the risk of fire and flooding.
Low Water Pressure
If you have low water pressure in your business or commercial building, it could be because of a number of different reasons, such as a clogged filter or damaged pipes in the system. The best way to determine the cause of the low water pressure is to call a professional plumber who will be able to diagnose the issue and fix it quickly and efficiently.
Until then, you can try turning on all the faucets in your building at the same time to see if that increases the water pressure. If it does, then you know the problem is with one specific faucet.
Solve Commercial Plumbing Issues with Professional Commercial Plumbing Services
These are some of the most common commercial plumbing problems that business and office buildings experience. By being aware of these issues, you can take steps to prevent them from happening or at least be prepared when they do.
When a plumbing problem does happen, call one of our trained commercial plumbers to solve your issue and get you back into business fast. At ARS/Rescue Rooter, not only are we experts and residential plumbing but we can tackle many commercial property plumbing issues too.
Find your nearest ARS/Rescue Rooter location and schedule immediate commercial plumbing services today!
