There aren’t many “do-it-yourself” options for commercial plumbing repair in Atlanta, aside from plunging a clogged toilet or sink drain. Commercial plumbing issues can be challenging to repair, and even more difficult to find leaks and broken pipes than residential settings. Commercial establishments, especially those in the food preparation industry, need specialized plumbing fixtures like floor drains and slop sinks that require regular maintenance.

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What is Commercial Plumbing?

Commercial plumbing is the act of performing plumbing tasks in a commercial environment such as a high-rise office building, shopping complex, multi-use building, medical facility, warehouse, restaurant, and any other non-residential building or structure. 

Unlike residential plumbing, commercial plumbing may involve dealing with larger pipes, more complex plumbing systems, more stringent regulations, and specified work hours in some cases. All commercial properties require plumbers to have adequate insurance coverage.

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What is Residential Plumbing?

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Residential plumbing refers to any plumbing work done in residential properties such as houses, apartment units, and condominium units. Sometimes, residential plumbers also take care of plumbing tasks throughout a small apartment or condominium complex.

Typically, residential plumbing isn’t as complex as commercial plumbing, but it can be challenging if a home has a complicated plumbing system or layout. Most homeowners don’t require the plumbers they hire to have special documents in order to work on their properties. 

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YES, size does matter.

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One of the main reasons why commercial plumbing is often more complicated than residential plumbing is because it’s usually carried out in a larger building. Since they typically have more occupants and visitors, larger buildings need to have more sinks, toilets, outlets, and pipes, resulting in a more complex plumbing system. Additionally, the more extensive use of water in commercial buildings may lead to a higher number of emergencies and more frequent routine maintenance. Such buildings also have larger fixtures and pipes, which may require special tools and techniques to fix.

The larger size of commercial buildings makes it harder for plumbers to identify and fix plumbing issues and perform maintenance tasks. Therefore, commercial plumbing generally requires more knowledge, expertise, and professional equipment than residential plumbing.

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Plumbing leaks in a large commercial building are harder to detect because they can come from anywhere. If the leak originates from a higher floor, the plumbers need to search each floor above until they find the source. In addition, they may have to coordinate with multiple occupants to find the leak, which can create a stressful situation. Sometimes, the process may involve cutting into walls and ceilings.

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When the pressure is on

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In a residential space, plumbers can easily identify the cause of a water pressure issue by determining whether it occurs at a single fixture or throughout the home. Then, they can solve the problem by repairing the fixture or turning or fixing the water shutoff valve or main water supply valve.

Things are more complicated in a high-rise commercial building. Water pressure must be strong enough to push water up to the highest floor, but too much pressure at the bottom may lead to damage to pipes and fixtures. Therefore, it’s necessary to maintain the right balance at all times. When a water pressure problem occurs, it can be because of a wide array of reasons, from a clogged faucet to a faulty pressure-reducing valve. It takes a skilled commercial plumber and a substantial amount of time to fix the issue.