Homeowners or building landlords tend to pay no mind to the type of plumbing their properties have. But it is one of the most crucial pieces of information a property owner should be aware of. While most would immediately look for others to deal with their plumbing problems, it is important that you know the difference between residential plumbing and commercial plumbing.

Different Kinds of Plumbing

There are usually two kinds of plumbing: residential plumbing and commercial plumbing. While the two share related plumbing problems like clogged drains, broken pipes, or leaking toilets, they differ on the scope of its problems. For example, a residential plumber usually caters to different plumbing problems in different homes.

A commercial 24-hour plumber, however, has a larger scope of responsibility and usually involves more complex problems. Instead of hopping from one house to another, they deal with plumbing problems in an office building, an apartment complex, or a hotel.

They would also have to be mindful of and comply with the plumbing code of standards within that city or state. Commercial plumbers would also have to deal with higher water pressures, more complex pipe systems, and various installation processes as well as documents and requirements to comply with.

Here are the different points to take note of that separate commercial plumbing from residential plumbing.

Scope of the plumbing system

Residential plumbing systems are easier to figure out and navigate compared to commercial plumbing systems. Since the piping in a home is relatively simple, it takes little time for your residential plumber to spot the problem and solve it immediately.

A commercial plumber on the other hand would deal with a more complex and extensive piping system and multiple floors of plumbing work. Inspecting every nook and cranny of a building just to ensure everything is safe and secure is much more time-consuming and rigorous compared to a single house.

Daily usage of the fixtures and pipes

At home, we use our toilets and sinks from time to time during certain parts of the day. Commercial buildings, however, usually deal with higher demand than in a single home since there are multiple floors with multiple toilets and sinks installed.

Employees, tenants, and clients alike use these a lot during different parts of the day. This is why commercial plumbers are incredibly keen on evaluating the grading and quality of the pipes and fixtures used in commercial properties.

Observance of health protocols

In commercial buildings where businesses are usually found, these establishments are required by the city or state to comply with strict health regulations in order to operate. Businesses are required to keep their plumbing systems in great condition and have periodic maintenance routines to keep their employees and clients safe.

Scale of problems

A pipe burst in a household can be easily solved by a residential plumber since the piping system in a home is much simpler to navigate. But this scale of the problem changes in a commercial building where the piping system is much more complex. A burst pipe affecting multiple floors in a building is definitely much more disastrous than in a single household.