Commercial Plumbing is a specialised subset of plumbing. They’re not there to fix a leaky toilet; they’re there to tend to a complex system that runs through commercial establishments. Therefore, commercial plumbers need to understand the entire plumbing system and the blueprints of the building in general. This understanding will help commercial plumbers with their approach and decision-making and make sure they don’t compromise another part of the building during their repair or maintenance tasks.
These can include knowing beyond just the plumbing system but where the commercial water systems and boilers are, as well as the entire fire safety sprinkler system that’s also connected to the plumbing system and waterways. This blueprint understanding needs to be known by commercial plumbers as they’ll need to deal with several stories versus a two-story home.
There’s also a greater risk involved with the greater size and complexity that comes with commercial plumbers in Australia. A pipe bursting in a residential home only affects that home or even parts of that home. For example, a burst pipe in commercial buildings could affect several floors, disrupt work and files, lead to multiple business insurance claims, and cause irreparable damage. It’s something no commercial plumber wants to experience, hence the additional specialisation in understanding the complete level of complexity involved.
Besides the inherent risk management involved in commercial plumbing, several health and safety codes extend beyond residential plumbing codes. Commercial plumbing codes tend to be complex due to the number of parties involved; hence, it’s important to only work with licensed and accredited plumbers in a commercial setting. Otherwise, the work will ‘not count’ and will need to be redone by such a plumber.
Using a commercial plumber without these types of licenses means insurance won’t come when damage occurs due to the repairs or maintenance of the commercial plumber. There also won’t be any guarantees on the work, and worst-case scenario, unnecessary fines can occur to the commercial establishment simply for not using a proper commercial plumber.
Why is Commercial Plumbing Important?
Commercial Plumbing doesn’t need to be scary. The best part about working with a professional commercial plumber is that they aren’t solo operations. They are used to working with various other building technicians and engineers to keep up and maintain the overall buildings. That means they’re big on preventative measures and not waiting for the catastrophe to happen. When you work with a commercial plumber, they work with you to build out a routine maintenance schedule. This is dependent on the size of the commercial building, the complexity of the overall plumbing system, and the overall age of that system.
Commercial plumbers tend to have seen it all; thus, having this routine system in place that the internal building management can adhere to helps prevent these issues from happening. Also, having this regularly scheduled servicing helps with building safety and security, as there’s less of a chance for unauthorised access through the plumbing systems since it’s not part of the routine scheduling system.
Working with a commercial plumber is not just about prevention but expansion and upgrading your system. The longer you work with such a professional, who understands the commercial building system, the better your facilities will not only run but be upgraded in a timely fashion.
It’s commonly known that commercial buildings use up a lot of resources, and having more efficient plumbing systems, either through high-efficiency boilers or toilets that are able to utilise less water per flush, can help bring down the overall utility cost. This can be significant in savings, and it all starts with having the right commercial plumber on board to help plan these refurbishments or complete and total upgrades.
How to Pick The Right Commercial Plumber for You
Here it’s about working with commercial plumbing contractors with the right accreditation type and specialisation. They also understand how to work with the necessary specialised tools with commercial plumbing and already have the right experience beforehand. They should have, at the minimum, a Certificate of Compliance and follow the Plumbing Codes of Australia at the minimum.
Other than that, it all comes down to the experience and service level you’re looking for. You don’t just want to have a commercial plumber that comes whenever an emergency arises. You want one that comes to you ready to build out a plan with you and the team to help prevent those emergencies before they happen.
