Installing a Commercial Plumbing System: Key Factors to Consider – The opinions expressed by the author in this and all guest blogs are not necessarily those of Gainesville Restoration and Remodeling.
Installing a Commercial Plumbing System: Key Factors to Consider
The plumbing system plays a critical role in the day-to-day operations of any commercial establishment. As a business owner, you want to provide the best services to the people who work and visit your establishment.
Whether you’re building a new commercial facility or renovating an older one, put a lot of thought into planning your plumbing system. Commercial plumbing issues can cause major inconveniences to employees and guests, and ruin productivity. Foresight and proper planning, plus regular plumbing maintenance, can help ensure reliability and longevity of your plumbing system.
Here are seven important factors to consider when installing a commercial plumbing system:
1. Hiring a Professional Plumbing Company
Whether its plumbing installation, or repair; finding a reliable plumbing contractor should be your first priority. Many business owners try to save money by using inexperienced or unqualified plumbers. However, such attempts at cutting costs may backfire; causing premature leakages and an array of unanticipated issues.
Certified plumbing professionals, on the other hand, will conduct a thorough investigation of the building and evaluate the specifications of the project to come up with the best possible plumbing system for your commercial establishment. Moreover, they have the knowledge, experience, and tools to get the job done and deliver excellent results.
2. Size and Occupancy of the Building
The size and occupancy of your commercial facility is an important factor to consider because it will influence how much plumbing you need; how many restrooms, sinks, showers, water fountains, and even decorative water features are going to be in the entire building.
This information will also help the plumbing company determine the complexity and scale of the project; the workforce needed; and how long the entire installation process is going to take.
3. Plumbing Codes in Your Area
You may have to adhere to specific plumbing codes, depending on where your commercial building is located. If you are not familiar with the plumbing codes in your area (or not sure if there’s any), do some research and share this information with your plumber.
Before giving the project the green light, make sure that everything you’re doing is up to code – plumbing or otherwise. You don’t want to spend money on something and later on find out that it’s not allowed.
If you’re working with a local plumbing company, however, they’re probably already well-versed with the plumbing codes in your location.
4. Pipe Design and Layout
How do you want your pipes? Do you want them concealed in the walls? Visible and mounted on the surface? Or a combination of both? This is something you need to ponder on as well when designing the building.
If you’re going for a clean, sleek, and more streamlined look, hiding the pipes should be the way to go. However, if you want the space to have a modern and industrial feel to it, leaving the pipes exposed will contribute to the overall aesthetics.
5. Water Needs and Frequency of Use
Commercial buildings often house dozens – sometimes, hundreds – of people. And these people will have to use the toilets, wash their hands, and even take a shower, putting a lot of strain on the plumbing system.
How will the building be used? Is it going to be an office space or rented out to tenants? How many people, on average, will be using the system on any given day?
These are the information your plumbing contractor needs to be aware of, so they can accurately assess the situation and install a plumbing system that can handle the possible increase in demand.
6. Public Restrooms
Public restrooms are an entirely different matter. Some commercial facilities have one or two public restrooms, while others have more. The thing is; public restrooms, especially in establishments that see a lot of guests daily, put a huge strain on commercial plumbing systems. People using the toilets non-stop; washing their hands non-stops; sometimes flushing stuff down the toilet.
If your building has public restrooms, consider how often they’re going to be used when upgrading or installing plumbing systems.
7. Schedule of the Installation or Upgrade
If you’re upgrading or installing a new plumbing system on a building that’s currently in use, you’ll have to pick the best days to implement the changes.
Schedule the work on the least busy days of the week. If it’s an office building, do it on the weekends when there are no employees around. This way, you’ll cause as little disruption as possible.
Investing in your establishment’s plumbing system is one of the wisest business decisions you can make. Plumbing issues are some of the worst problems in both residential and commercial properties. They can cost a lot of money to fix, too!
Attention to detail and working with the right commercial plumbing company will save you from the stress and future unexpected expenses caused by faulty plumbing.
Installing a Commercial Plumbing System
About the author
Rachel Watson is the Senior Content Editor of Precision Air & Plumbing, a full-service HVAC, plumbing, and home performance contractor operating in Chandler, Arizona. Rachel enjoys yoga and writing articles about how to make home living more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.
