The plumber who works on your commercial property is going to be a lot different from the one who goes to your home to fix a clogged drain or broken toilet. Each type of plumber brings a different set of skills, tools, and experiences to the job. That’s why it’s important to hire the right type of contractor for your property.
In this post, we explore the differences between residential and commercial plumbing services, what kind of work commercial plumbers do, and tips to help you find one for your business.
What Is a Commercial Plumber?
Commercial plumbing is a specialized type of plumbing that deals with the water supply and waste removal systems of industrial and commercial properties. Commercial plumbers install, diagnose, repair, and perform preventative maintenance on these systems.
Residential plumbers service plumbing-related fixtures as well. However, their focus is strictly on the home. As a result, there are major differences between what they encounter from commercial plumbing contractors.
For example, home plumbing systems tend to be less complex than those that commercial plumbers deal with. Commercial facilities often have extensive networks of piping within the property as well as underground.
What’s more, commercial properties have much higher water usage, which requires more maintenance than a home’s plumbing system.
Another key difference is the regulatory component. Depending on the industry, some facilities are subject to strict regulations. So a commercial plumber needs to work within the framework outlined by the regulating body.
Regardless of what kind of property they work on, a plumber’s job is to create a comfortable, safe, and sanitary environment for the people who live or work there.
What Are the Typical Duties of a Commercial Plumber?
Here are some of the duties of a commercial plumbing contractor:
- Help with the design and layout of new water or waste systems.
- Construct new plumbing systems to service high-demand facilities.
- Replace and install fixtures like faucets and garbage disposals.
- Investigate leaks.
- Install water-saving fixtures for improved efficiency.
- Perform commercial drain cleaning.
- Install and repair underground drainage systems.
- Complete water and sewer line repairs and replacements.
- Replace commercial water heaters.
- Bring plumbing into compliance with local, state, and federal codes.
- Perform preventative maintenance several times a year.
- Offer 24/7 emergency plumbing services.
Commercial plumbers also coordinate closely with property owners, architects, and other construction contractors to ensure the work is done to spec and with minimal disruption to the facility.
Choosing a Commercial Plumbing Contractor for Your Property
When you’re ready to hire a commercial plumbing company, here are 6 factors to consider before selecting one:
Experience
Whether you’re hiring an individual plumbing contractor or a commercial plumbing company, look into their experience, starting with their training and education.
For instance, if you look at our Careers page, we list the educational and certification requirements for our plumbing service technicians as follows:
- A high school diploma or GED equivalent
- Trade school certification and mechanical journeyman license
- Masters license (preferred)
We have other requirements and qualifications we look for, but this is the absolute baseline experience you should be looking for when hiring a plumber.
Credentials
Your plumber should be fully licensed and insured. Not only does this demonstrate their proficiency in commercial plumbing, it suggests that they’re familiar with and capable of meeting all local standards and regulations without issue.
Reputation
See what other customers have to say about the company before you contact them yourself.
Google Reviews is a good resource for customer testimonials, though you may find more residential plumbing reviews there than commercial ones.
You can also check the company’s website for testimonials. Just make sure they’re accompanied by a real person’s name as well as their business so you verify the legitimacy of the review. You can call some of their existing and past customers to gain knowledge about their reputation and experience. Seeing their business name will also give you a good sense for the kinds of businesses the contractor has experience with.
Industry Expertise
Just as plumbers can specialize in commercial or residential plumbing, they can also specialize by industry. For example, we have deep industry experience in the following areas:
- Industrial & Manufacturing
- Education
- Faith-focused facilities
- Healthcare
- Offices and retail properties
- Wastewater treatment plants
A commercial plumber who specializes brings deep industry experience and expertise with them to each job. If you want someone who understands your industry’s unique needs and requirements, seek out a specialist.
Availability
Commercial plumbing companies may advertise standard working hours, like 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. However, commercial plumbing disasters can’t wait to be dealt with when the plumber gets to work in the morning.
When selecting a plumber, make sure they’re available 24/7 for emergencies in order to minimize disruption and damage to your facility.
Safety
In construction, safety is paramount. If a plumbing company’s EMR score isn’t readily available on their website, ask them for it.
EMR stands for Experience Modification Rate and it’s a metric that rates the safety profile of a contractor. Insurance companies use this metric to decide how much construction companies have to pay for workers’ compensation. The higher the risk, the higher their rate (which often means you get stuck paying higher rates for service as well).
The standard EMR score is 1.0. It’s the equivalent to getting a “C” in school. Ideally, you’ll want to find a plumber with an EMR lower than one which means they’re low-risk and lower cost.
Wichita’s Trusted Commercial Plumbing Partner
While you can always do a search for “plumbers near me” when you’re experiencing an emergency, it’s better to have someone to call who knows your facility inside and out.
If you’re looking to establish a relationship with a commercial plumber you can trust, Dean E. Norris has more than 50 years of experience serving Wichita and South Central Kansas. We offer end-to-end commercial plumbing solutions, including swift installation, prompt emergency repairs, and ongoing maintenance.