The Intricacies of Commercial Plumbing: Why Trenchless Solutions are the Most Effective
The modern plumbing installed in our homes and businesses is truly a marvel of model engineering. And while most of us encounter this every day, we don’t often take the time to appreciate the intricacies of making plumbing for large-scale buildings function properly and effectively. Here are a few things to know about commercial plumbing and some of the common problems and solutions property owners run into.
Let’s take a look.
The Complex Nature of Piping a Large Building or Structure
Setting up a large office building, mall, hospital, gymnasium, or school, to ensure efficient plumbing takes a lot of knowledge and understanding of materials and plumbing principles. The work should be done during the building stage to properly engineer the piping. Yet, many buildings today were built a long time ago and must adapt as they go. Here are a couple of things that professionals consider when working on commercial plumbing jobs:
Materials
Plumbing materials vary from plastic, galvanized steel, or copper. Each one has its unique characteristics and capabilities. Knowing what material is best for certain applications will ensure the longevity of the plumbing system. For example, each material might undergo certain types of corrosion. Steel pipes develop corrosion between the metal threads. This can cause corrosion of water systems and lead to the pollution of the water supply.
Signs of deterioration
Plumbing problems don’t usually happen from one day to the other. That is unless there is a major freeze or natural disaster. For the most part, however, plumbing issues evolve over time and will usually give the property owner signs that things are beginning to deteriorate. Some of the common signs include:
- Stains: Similar to residential plumbing issues, commercial plumbing will give you warning signs through recognizable water stains in walls or underneath plumbing pipes which might indicate the sign of a problem.
- Leaks: These are the most easy-to-spot and recognizable signs that there is something happening behind the scenes in the plumbing. If there are identifiable leaks, you likely have a problem.
- Piping and tubing damage: When pipes begin to shift in color or appear damaged, it may be a sign of deterioration.
- Low water pressure: When there’s low water pressure, it might indicate that the system’s supply lines have been compromised.
- Damaged sewer lines: This infrastructure sees a lot of wear and tear and can become damaged over time. When the problem is ignored for a long time, the solution can be even costlier.
Commercial properties can help mitigate plumbing problems by implementing regular maintenance and updating to modern and more efficient plumbing fixtures.
Signs of Bad Sewer Lines
Sewer lines often get clogged in commercial settings because of their high and frequent use. Signs that trouble is brewing include:
- A foul odor coming from drains
- Slow-to-clear drains
- Water flowing through one drain causes gurgling in another drain
- Water flowing back up
Solutions for Common Commercial Plumbing Problems
A lot of things can go wrong. Getting proper plumbing installed in the first place is the first step to avoiding costly repairs and maintenance. Even then, however, high trafficked areas or frequently used piping systems might encounter a problem.
Trenchless Solutions
When old sewer lines and drains get completely clogged, it used to be that digging up property, unearthing, and digging trenches to get to the culprit was the only way. The good news is that technology has developed new methods for dealing with these kinds of plumbing issues without having to tear everything out of the ground.
New equipment and materials are used in a new method called trenchless sewer repair. This means a state-of-the-art machine that allows for the repair of piping that will be far more resistant against corrosion, rust, cracks, and more. The idea is that trenchless repair uses the existing pipe structures to minimize the need for any further excavation.
What are the benefits of trenchless pipe repairs?
- Time-efficient: Digging out bad piping is costly but also very time-consuming. The trenchless solution method helps streamline the process. An expert commercial plumber can use this pipe lining method and repair the piping in a few hours.
- Less expensive: Digging out the entire floor or breaking up drywall or other parts of your building just to get to a pipe will get pricey. The trenchless solution offers a cost-effective way to repair pipes.
- Versatile: Regardless of the kind of piping you’re dealing with, a trenchless solution offers a versatile solution that works for older piping materials.
Keep Your Pipes Happy with Proactive Plumbing Maintenance and Service
For property owners or managers that want to be one step ahead of potential plumbing problems, proactively engaging in maintenance and system checks is the best way to monitor any growing problems.
Ready to learn more about trenchless solutions for your commercial plumbing woes? Call El Paso Trenchless Solutions today!
