What businesses call about most
Commercial buildings run on the same pipes as homes, only with more use and fewer people who know where anything is. These are common after-hours calls.
- Restaurant grease lines and floor drains that back up.
- Rental units with a leak that is soaking the unit below.
- Water heaters that cannot keep up with a busy kitchen or salon.
- Restroom fixtures that run, leak or clog all day.
- Backflow devices that need testing. See backflow prevention.
- Main lines clogging with paper, wipes and grease. See drain cleaning.
Landlord, tenant and who calls
| Situation | Who usually calls |
|---|---|
| Leak from the roof or a main pipe | The owner or property manager |
| A fixture inside a leased space | Depends on the lease. Read it, or ask the owner |
| Water damage reaching another tenant | Owner or manager, and often an insurer |
| Test and repair of required devices | The owner or the business, per the lease and the local supplier |
A plumber needs to know who can approve the work. That avoids delays when water is running.
Keeping a restaurant open
Grease is the most common restaurant problem, and it often starts in the line, not the fixture. A grease trap or interceptor needs regular cleaning, and skipping it means the grease moves into the building's drains.
Floor drains in a kitchen are a warning. If one backs up when the dish machine drains, the branch line is struggling. A camera and hydro jetting can clean it before a busy weekend, not during one.
Planning ahead
Write down the location of every shutoff valve, label them and keep a copy at the front desk. Test the emergency valves once a year. A plumber arriving at midnight to an unmarked basement loses time that costs the business money.
After-hours calls and the paper trail
An after-hours call is easier when someone with authority can approve work. Give the plumber the owner's name or the manager's number. If you rent, tell them so before any repair starts.
Keep a record of the call, the work and the invoice. Insurers and landlords usually ask for it, and it settles who paid for what.