Maintaining your commercial plumbing is key to preventing costly water damage and loss of operations. Dripping faucets in sinks, toilets that need repair, and leaking pipes that are hidden behind walls or under floors can begin as a nuisance and end in major property damage.
These simple commercial plumbing maintenance will not only reduce the chance of a piping failure; they can also save your business money in the long run.
3 Ways to Maintain Commercial Plumbing
Don’t Ignore Clogs
If you have a slow running drain or a toilet that is not flushing completely, it could be due to grease, paper, and other materials that have not fully passed through pipes.
Hang signs in employee and customer bathrooms reminding everyone not to flush anything other than toilet paper. Commercial plumbing should be regularly inspected and drains flushed to keep pipes flowing easily.
Protect Pipes in Winter
Burst pipes can happen suddenly or overnight when your commercial property is vacated. Floor and wall damage, and possibly shutting down operations can be costly side effects of frozen pipes that burst. Make sure pipes that travel along exterior walls and within unheated areas are insulated by a professional plumber before temperatures dip below freezing.
Replace Old Pipes
Old pipe and piping connections are the first to be stressed in the winter. If your business is within an older building, have the pipes upgraded to newer materials that are less prone to damage and can handle the heavy flow of water and waste in a commercial business.
Also, if the water pressure in your building is high, it can cause old pipes to easily fail and start leaking. Have your building facility manager check the water pressure for a flow that is not to strong or forceful.
Repairing slow drains and faulty toilets and fixtures, protecting your pipes from freezing temperature, and making sure old and/or corroded pipes are replaced can prevent costly water damage to your commercial property.