When it comes to commercial versus residential plumbing, the layman may see little to no difference. It’s important to know that there are actually some pretty big differences.
Unique elements completely change the way the systems are set up, repaired and maintained. Understanding the differences between the two can help determine what kind of Cedar Hill plumbing services you need.
Continue reading to learn more about commercial and residential plumbing services.
1. Residential v. Commercial Plumbing: Different Sized Systems
In the majority of cases, commercial buildings are much bigger than residential spaces. Office spaces, stores and restaurants contain more square footage than the average home. Because of this, the size of the plumbing system will differ.
Consider the size of your home and the piping that runs through it. Now, consider how much larger a commercial building is and what that kind of plumbing system might look like.
That’s more pipes, more appliances and lengthier routes for water to travel. Bottom line? The size of the plumbing system will be a large factor in what kind of plumbing maintenance is required.
2. Plumbing in Your Home v. Business: Maintenance Needs
The second biggest difference between residential and commercial buildings is the amount of maintenance that is required. A maintenance appointment for a residential space should only take a couple of hours. You get a few bolts tightened, do some leak detection, boom: you’re good for another six months.
However, in a commercial building there are many more plumbing fixtures and equipment to inspect and maintain. A maintenance appointment in a commercial building may take hours and hours to complete.
Commercial buildings will also use different kinds of plumbing equipment that have the capacity to heat or manage higher volumes of water. All of this should be regularly checked. After all, when your bathroom at home goes down you can just use another one. If a bathroom in your office, restaurant or store is bust, you lose business.
3. Residential v. Commercial Plumbing: Building Size and Levels
Most residential buildings contain only one to three floors. This means that residential plumbing systems don’t have to work as hard as commercial plumbing systems do.
Because there are so many floors in a commercial building, the plumbing system uses higher pressurized water than is normal in a residential space. This helps to move the water up to all of the floors.
With such high water pressure, wear and tear is more likely to occur on commercial plumbing systems. This is why plumbing maintenance and regular service is so important for both commercial and residential buildings.
4. Plumbing Hardware and Regulations
It can be expected that a commercial building would use different kinds of hardware and equipment than residential buildings may use. For example, commercial buildings require much wider main water lines to supply more water to the larger space.
There are also strict regulations in place to ensure that commercial plumbing systems can get the job done. Commercial plumbing systems are required to use materials such as stainless steel to ensure that they are more resilient against corrosion.
Residential plumbing does not have to withstand as much use, which means that regulations are typically not as stringent. All of this adds up to needing a specialized plumbing professional.
Water systems are one of the most intricate (and high risk) aspects of a business. It’s important that commercial building owners and operates understand and care for plumbing systems adequately. After all, water damage yields untold disaster.
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Hiring the Best Plumber for the Job
Whether you are scheduling plumbing service for a residential or commercial building, always be sure to hire the best plumber for the job. Searching “plumbers near me” doesn’t always produce the best results. That’s why it’s always a good idea to stick with a Cedar Hill plumbing company you know and trust. Be sure to find a company that specializes in the commercial plumbing or residential plumbing services you need.
