The plumbing system in any building is there to serve a single purpose. All plumbing systems deliver clean water to a building, while also removing wastewater, without the two ever meeting. But just because a residential building’s plumbing system and the plumbing in a commercial building have the same function, it does not mean they are the same.
The plumbing needs of commercial buildings are vastly different from those of a residential property. The patterns of use for residential building and commercial building plumbing do not correspond at all. Understanding the differences between these two types of plumbing systems will help you find the best way to manage each one.
What are the differences between the plumbing in a residential building and the plumbing in a commercial building?
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Residential building plumbing
The following types of buildings are classified as residential: single-family homes, duplexes, small apartments, and condo complexes. These are places where people live; they are not business premises. The plumbing in these types of buildings is fairly simple, says SCUDO Real Estate. In order to work on the plumbing, a plumber usually doesn’t require special documents.
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Commercial building plumbing
Commercial buildings include a wide range of building types. The list of buildings in this category includes offices, warehouses, hospitals, strip malls, high-rise office complexes, mixed-use buildings, and any building that is not residential (though some large apartment or condo complexes may be considered commercial). Commercial building plumbing systems are more extensive than residential building plumbing systems.
Differences between residential and commercial plumbing
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Intensity of usage
Apart from the occasional visitor, the plumbing systems in residential properties are used mostly by the people who live in the building. In a commercial building, on the other hand, there is often a steady flow of people going in and out of the building, resulting in the plumbing seeing more intense usage.
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Differences in the level of complexity
Due to the size and complex structure of commercial buildings, their plumbing system is very sophisticated. It often spans multiple floors and comprises a large number of sinks, urinals, and toilets. Residential buildings have plumbing systems that are relatively easy to navigate.
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Resilience of the plumbing system
Since they are subject to more use, commercial plumbing systems are also exposed to a greater risk of damage. To forestall this, the components of these systems have to be larger, of higher grade, and more durable. The lower-grade pipes used in residential buildings will not work in a commercial building.
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Plumbing system efficiency
Problems in commercial plumbing systems are more devastating. They not only affect the comfort of the people in the premises but they pose a threat to the operations of the business inside the building. Commercial plumbing systems have to be more efficient than the plumbing system in a home.
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Scope of problems with the plumbing
If a residential plumbing system is damaged, the problem is easily contained. This is not the case with commercial plumbing systems; problems spread very quickly across the entire system. For instance, a burst pipe in the upper floors of a commercial building will affect all the levels below.
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Difference in system components
Due to the size and complexity of the system, commercial plumbing systems use more water than residential systems. In order to be able to handle the volume of water flowing through the plumbing, water heater tanks must be larger than the standard 100 gallons found in residential buildings.
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Dissimilarity in sanitary requirements
Because of the number of people who visit them, commercial buildings may facilitate the spread of diseases. They are therefore subject to stiffer health regulations. The plumbing fixtures in the building must be easy to clean or drain, and professional cleaners are often required to maintain hygiene on the premises.
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Job knowledge prerequisites for plumbers
Residential buildings can get by with an improvised approach to plumbing maintenance. Such a strategy would be disastrous in a commercial building. Plumbing maintenance in a commercial building must be done on a schedule. The scope of work for commercial plumbers is wider than for plumbers in a residential building.
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Drainage services
Dealing with a clogged or blocked drain in a residential building is fairly easy. The worst that could happen in that residential plumbing is a broken line or tree root intrusion. But when snaking drains in a commercial building, every unit below the affected unit must be snaked, all the way down to the main sewer line.
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Differences in leak detection
Detecting leaks in a modern plumbing system is never easy. This is true for residential, as well as commercial buildings. But the difficulty of detecting leaks in a residential building is nothing compared to leak detection in a commercial building. To find the leak in one unit, the plumber must coordinate with the occupants in the other units. Sometimes, fixing a leak in one unit will require cutting the walls or ceiling of another unit.