Many plumbing issues can create significant problems for your business. When your enterprise is plagued by these problems, it can experience a significant loss. Becoming aware and informed about the plumbing issues that are frequent problems for new businesses will help you to avoid these disruptions when your enterprise is in the early stages of becoming established.

Limited Hot Water

Depending on the nature of your business, it may require vast amounts of hot water to be able to function. Unfortunately, the existing water heater may be ill-suited to your demands. Prior to formally launching your business, you should test the water heater under expected conditions to ensure that it can keep up with your demand. In situations where the water heater starts to struggle to meet your expected needs, you should consider having it upgraded prior to launch.

Odors

Strange or unpleasant odors can come from the plumbing system. A common cause of these odors will be sewer gas escaping through the pipes. This can be mitigated by installing traps that can prevent this gas from seeping through the drains. Unfortunately, this is not the only potential cause for these smells. Bacteria can also start to grow in the plumbing pipes. Regularly having the pipes sanitized and cleaned can eliminate this source of these odors.

Frozen Pipes

Commercial buildings are often much larger than residential properties, and they may have worse insulation. This can expose the pipes to a greater risk of freezing during instances of extreme cold. If your building has pipes along exterior walls, this is a risk that may be particularly likely. Adding insulation or pipe warms can minimize this risk. If you find that your pipes have frozen, a professional plumber should be contacted immediately. They may be able to help thaw the pipes in a way that can prevent them from being damaged. Also, they may be able to inspect the pipes for signs of warping, rupturing, or other types of stress damage.

Grease Management

Restaurants, bakeries and other businesses that serve food may need to wash greasy plates, pots, and pans throughout the course of the day. Allowing substantial amounts of grease into the plumbing system can be very damaging to both your building's plumbing and the local sewer system. Using grease traps is the most effective way of managing this byproduct. Some general contractors may offer to install this for you as part of the renovations, but you should avoid accepting this offer. A grease trap that is not correctly installed and balanced will be far less effective and more prone to suffering problems. Only experienced and licensed plumbers should be allowed to make this upgrade to your system.

For more information, contact your local commercial plumbing company.