A toilet is a toilet, and a sink is a sink, no matter where you’re using them, right? Not quite. While plumbing systems may seem the same to the average person, there are some big differences between commercial and residential plumbing.
Understanding these differences can help you determine which services your home or business requires and how an experienced team can help you to achieve a safe and efficient plumbing system.
What is Residential Plumbing?
Residential plumbing includes plumbing services for the home, whether that be existing houses or new construction projects. Services include:
- Tankless water heaters
- Water heater replacement
- Sump pumps
- Water softeners and filtration
- Leak repair
- Bathroom conversions
- And more!
What is Commercial Plumbing?
Commercial plumbing services include all plumbing, water supply, and drainage systems for businesses, schools, apartments, condominiums, and other public spaces.
In comparison to residential plumbing, commercial plumbing is much more demanding. Because multiple fixtures are involved, commercial plumbing systems are often large and more complex than at a single-family residence.
The plumber must also know about commercial permits, regulations, and budgeting to organize safe installations and efficient plumbing services.
The commercial plumbers at Watters Plumbing service large and small projects around the Fox Cities. Whether you need to plan recirculation pumps or require a fixture repair or replacement, we can help!
The Top 5 Differences Between Residential and Commercial Plumbing Services
Below are five common differences between residential and commercial plumbing services.
1. How Often the Plumbing System is Used
Commercial plumbing systems receive daily use from large groups of people — employees, customers, etc. This consistent, heavy use takes a toll and requires extra planning and equipment.
In a residential property, the plumbing system sees much less use. Only the family and occasional visitors use the system, requiring less pipe fitting and outlets at the site.
To ensure your plumbing system is running smoothly and to prevent costly repairs or replacements, we recommend annual plumbing inspections for residential properties.
For commercial plumbing, we recommend quarterly drain cleaning to prevent clogs and other major issues throughout the system’s daily use.
2. Plumbing System Efficiency
We’ve all been in bathrooms with clogged toilets and poorly maintained plumbing fixtures. These plumbing issues are a major annoyance and risk to owners and visitors alike.
Whether you own a home or business, repairs and replacements occur and need to be addressed immediately. Especially in a commercial setting, leaks, clogs, and other plumbing issues can pose a health and safety issue for many people in a short time.
A small leak can lead to a much larger issue if not properly fixed by a plumbing professional. If your plumbing system isn’t running as efficiently as it should, contact the team at Watters Plumbing today!
3. Different Water Heater Sizes
Water heaters are one of the most-used plumbing systems in homes and businesses.
Commercial buildings require more hot water as customers and clients use much more than the typical residential home. Larger water heaters are required for a commercial plumbing system to function at its highest level.
Commercial-use water heaters hold up to 250 gallons, whereas residential water heaters hold no more than 100 gallons.
You can work with our professionals to determine your home or business’s correct water heater size, quickly replace broken water heaters, or learn more about tankless water heaters that can save you money.
4. Different Draining System
Residential drainage systems are much simpler than commercial plumbing. In larger commercial buildings, everything is more complex. Plumbers must snake drain lines and plan to confirm that drains are cleared to the main sewer line.
Any issues in a commercial drainage system require a full review to ensure the problem is solved from the fixture to the end drain.
Our commercial plumbing planners both have more than 30 years of experience to provide you with peace of mind as you plan and examine your commercial plumbing system.
Residential plumbing is much simpler, and our service plumbers can accommodate all your plumbing needs around northeast Wisconsin.
5. Scope of Work for the Plumber
Commercial plumbing services involve standard work to create a safe and efficient building experience. Our team works closely with local business owners and contractors around the Fox Cities to provide top-of-the-line plumbing services out of the gate. Larger equipment is used on-site, and a large team will work together to create a fully functioning plumbing system quickly.
Residential services require work on an assortment of plumbing fixtures within a standard eight-hour workday – with the exception of emergency plumbing services. Most appointments are regularly scheduled at convenient times for both you and the service plumber.
Contact the Professionals at Watters Plumbing Today!
Since 1960, the Watters Plumbing team has serviced the Fox Cities and Northeast Wisconsin communities, including Green Bay, Lawrence, DePere, Omro, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac, and other surrounding areas. Our team can assist you with design consulting, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, and more for your home or business. Contact us today to get started!