Category: Plumbing

Hiring a Handyman vs. a Contractor For Minor Repairs

Small businesses are always looking for ways to cut costs on operations. A more efficient piece of equipment, a simpler closing process, or a cheaper repair can all help toward keeping a burgeoning business afloat. However, there are some places where cost-cutting simply isn’t the best solution.

Hiring a handyman may be tempting if your facility needs a minor repair and they’re cheaper than calling in a specialist. A friend or your home handyman may be able to cut you a deal, but will that deal cost you in the long run when the repair doesn’t last?

There are some times when cheap maintenance service is the right decision and other times when it can lead to ongoing problems at your facility. Here’s how to tell which situation you’re in:

Does the service technically require licensing?

Some services – such as roofing repair, electrical maintenance, and plumbing renovation – require licensing to be legally provided by a company. If your service typically requires some sort of license to perform, you need to hire a contractor. This is especially important for commercial facilities as not hiring the right person may lead to troubles with your own permits and licensing.

Does it require special equipment?

Contractors invest in high-quality equipment to provide service that a handyman may not have on their truck. Even if the handyman is able to complete the repair, they may put themselves at risk or not be able to complete the service properly without this needed equipment.

Does the handyman list this service on their website or brochure?

Typically, a handyman will have a list of provided services that you can select from. If the service you’re looking for is not explicitly listed, you should look for a contractor to make sure the job is done right.

Was previous work done by a licensed contractor?

If you’re having trouble with your HVAC system and a previous contractor has already done work on the unit before, you should call a licensed contractor to finish the work, especially if you think something was done wrong. A handyman may not be able to accurately diagnose problems or work on a piece of equipment that has had previous faulty service. Prevent the problem from getting worse by hiring the right help.

MaintenX helps small businesses find affordable and quality work for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing repair across the U.S. If you need work done by a specialist, contact us to connect with the best subcontractor network in the U.S.

Understanding Commercial Restroom Maintenance

Contrary to what you may believe, your restroom is likely the most visited place within your entire facility. While your floor plan or office rooms may seem like the most important spaces because they are where work gets done, the restroom is a safe place for people to retreat, relieve themselves, and find solace after a long day of work.

Restrooms aren’t solely a place for relief and handwashing. They’re a place for people to find a quiet moment during a busy day. They offer privacy to change clothes or take a phone call, and mirrors for one to reapply makeup or wash their face after a long workday. Restrooms also make a very clear impression to customers about how you handle your facility. If the restroom is dirty, they will likely assume you don’t take pride in your business or your work.

To understand your restroom maintenance plan, you need to think about all of these elements of restroom use. Ask yourself these questions to determine if your restroom maintenance plan is up to par:

  • Is there bright lighting for people to feel safe and be able to check themselves in the mirror?
  • Are the stalls spacious enough for comfortable use?
  • Are the floors clean enough for someone who needs to take off their shoes to change?
  • Are the mirrors clean when someone checks themselves in one?
  • Are the faucets leaking and causing a mess?
  • Are the paint colors and decor calming and inviting, or are they cold and harsh?
  • Are there enough stalls to prevent a line (except during especially busy times)?

If your restroom does not meet all of these standards, you may think about remodeling to ensure it provides a comforting experience for both guests and employees.

MaintenX offers restroom remodeling, maintenance, and repair services to businesses across the U.S. If you’re interested in learning more about ways you can improve your restroom experience, contact us or visit our Resource Center.

Top Three Maintenance Issues That Drive Customers Away

For most small businesses, appearances are everything. The way your building is presented makes just as much of an impression on the customer as the quality of products and services. This is true for any business, whether you’re a retail or restaurant space, medical facility, or industrial complex. To make a great impression on clients, it’s important that your building is clean and in peak working condition every day. However, maintenance issues can easily get in the way of this goal.

Below are the top three maintenance issues that customers will automatically notice, and how you can prevent them from ruining your reputation.

Leaks in the restroom.

Restrooms are a critical part of your building’s operation. They often serve as a representation of how you operate your facility – if it is clean and tidy, your clients will know you take pride in your building. However, if the restroom is dirty, low stocked, or has leaking faucets, they will know you aren’t interested in maintaining a clean appearance. Don’t let something as simple as a faucet leak ruin your reputation with a customer. Call your MaintenX plumber instead to fix the leak the same day.

An overworked HVAC system.

In Tampa, Florida, where MaintenX is headquartered, many of our clients struggle to keep up with the A/C in the summertime. If they have an older or outdated system, they may have to run the A/C to keep the building cool at all, and it is typically still noticeably warm to customers. On a hot day, the last thing your customers want is to walk into a hot building. Make sure you schedule regular HVAC preventative care services to maximize your HVAC system’s performance.

Dirty flooring.

You may think that floor cleaning can be put on the back burner because it’s not at eye level to your customers, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. It doesn’t matter what type of flooring you have – carpet, hardwood, marble, or basic tile – customers will notice if it is scuffed or stained in any way. Investing in daily cleaning as well as a high-quality floor installation can ensure your building looks presentable to customers.

MaintenX offers preventative maintenance, repair, and installation services for businesses across the U.S. If you are looking for ways to improve the customer experience, talk to your MaintenX team about a preventative maintenance program that can improve efficiency and performance across the board.

Ask A Plumber: Five Most Frequently Asked Questions

When managing a commercial site, plumbing maintenance is one service you don’t want to skip. The plumbing system at a commercial site is not only responsible for sanitation but can be essential for services in medicine, hospitality, and the food service industry. Finding the right commercial plumber for your facility should be first on the list for creating your maintenance team. 

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions we receive about commercial maintenance service, and what you need to know to get it right for your building: 

Is commercial and residential plumbing similar?

Residential and commercial plumbers go through similar training, but their qualifications are not the same. Both go through a technical school or apprenticeship program but commercial plumbers must complete additional training and become certified specifically for commercial systems. All work done at your commercial site should be done by a commercial plumber as opposed to your favorite local technician. 

How often should I schedule plumbing inspections?

Before remodeling or new construction work is done. You should also schedule a preventative maintenance check approximately every two years to catch maintenance issues early and to adjust your preventative care plan as equipment changes over time. 

Where can I find a commercial plumber? 

Many commercial plumbers work with a facility maintenance company that handles the dispatch and communications with the client. This gives you access not only to the best plumbers, but electricians, HVAC technicians, roofers, and other service specialists who can keep your facility in tip-top shape. 

What should I expect from my commercial plumbing contractor?

Most commercial plumbing contractors provide plumbing and pipework repairs, installations, remodeling, hot and cold water service, hydro jetting, backflow testing, and many other services for your commercial facility. Most top-rated contractors will also provide preventative maintenance services to prevent damage and emergency repairs on your plumbing system. 

Can I do basic cleaning and maintenance without a plumber?

Some on-site managers would prefer to do basic tasks like drain cleaning and the replacement of fixtures by themselves, but there are several reasons why you shouldn’t. Some plumbing cleaners, like caustic cleaning solutions, will do more harm than good if repeatedly used over time. Other seemingly simple tasks like replacing faucets and fixing leaks can not only go poorly if done the DIY method but can cause troubles with your permits and licensing come inspection time. 

MaintenX works with top plumbing contractors across the country to provide you with the best service in your area. If you’d like to learn more about your plumbing options with MaintenX, contact us today!

Three Things Your Plumber Wants You To Stop Doing at Your Business

Plumbing is one of the most essential systems for any commercial facility. Whether you’re operating a commercial kitchen or medical center, proper plumbing care ensures your employees and guests are in a healthy and clean environment. However, there are still plenty of mistakes we see clients make when it comes to their plumbing care. 

 

Below are three common plumbing mistakes we often see, and what you can do to avoid making them: 

 

Washing anything and everything down the drain.

We see this most often in commercial kitchens, but it can happen in restrooms or industrial facilities as well. Commercial plumbing is not bullet-proof and will corrode or clog over time if the wrong things go down it. Avoid flushing or washing large pieces of waste like food, grease, non-flushable paper products, or any other solid object down your drain as often as possible. This will prevent clogs and backups later down the time, which are much more burdensome than fishing food out of your sink. 

 

Using DIY drain cleaners. 

Drain cleaning chemicals are incredibly harsh and corrosive and will lead to plumbing problems down the line. While they will work, it is much safer for you to call your plumber for a snaking or hydro-jetting service when a severe clog is found. For smaller clogs, use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar rather than chemical cleaners.

 

Skipping preventative care. 

Commercial facilities put a lot more pressure on the plumbing system than you do at your home. This is especially true for foodservice, healthcare, and industrial facilities where water is used all day long. Sit down with your MaintenX plumber to discuss a preventative care schedule that works for you. Simple maintenance steps like drain cleaning can help you prevent plumbing disasters and keep our system in good shape for decades. 

 

MaintenX is happy to answer all of your plumbing questions or provide service for your local business. To learn more about our plumbing preventative maintenance, contact your local MaintenX today!

Five Tips for Designing a More Elegant Commercial Bathroom

As a customer in any other business, you know how much of an impression restroom facilities can make. A spacious, well-designed bathroom can make your entire experience feel more relaxed and comfortable, while a dull, crowded, and messy bathroom can make a facility feel cheaper. However, this real-world experience often doesn’t translate when property owners design their own restrooms. 

 

If you want your facility to provide comfort and impress guests, follow these five bathroom design tips for your remodel or new construction: 

 

Make it low maintenance. 

Bathroom cleanliness is the most important element for visitors. If your bathrooms are spacious and easy to clean, they will make a better impression and keep janitorial costs to a minimum. Wider stalls make cleaning in crevices much easier, and simplistic fixtures can ensure your nightly cleaning is fast and simple. 

 

Prioritize privacy. 

Privacy for guests is a top concern as well, so be sure to design your stalls to minimize visibility. Choose doors with very little space at the hinges, and install durable locks that won’t break or cause problems when shutting. 

 

Choose soft lighting and colors. 

Most commercial bathrooms use blue fluorescent lighting and white walls, which can make your bathroom feel harsh and uninviting. Instead, choose soft grays and beige tones and pair them with warmer lighting to make your bathroom feel relaxed and inviting. Pair these colors with warm-toned stalls to amplify the style and create a modern, sleek style. 

 

Don’t sacrifice space for occupancy. 

A high-occupancy bathroom is important for larger facilities, but you shouldn’t sacrifice space for more stalls. A crowded line can make patrons frustrated and may even prompt them to leave early, so make sure your bathroom has plenty of space for hand washing and waiting in line. 

 

Add color and texture. 

While walls aren’t the only turn-off for commercial bathroom styles. Wall-to-wall color can make a bathroom feel claustrophobic, especially if space is limited. Add variation in color and texture, and don’t be afraid to add simple designs or novel materials such as tile and wood-like vinyl to your bathrooms to give them an appealing style. 

 

MaintenX offers bathroom remodeling and construction services including plumbing, flooring, and electrical installation. To learn more about how MaintenX can help you design the ideal bathroom space, contact us today!

Five Commercial Plumbing Terms You Need To Know

When you’re working with a plumber on your commercial site, chances are you’re in a stressful situation. Plumbing emergencies are some of the worst to deal with, and even preventative repairs can take up a lot of time and slow down your business operations. This headache becomes especially painful when during your consultation, you can’t understand a word of the technician’s terminology. 

 

As for maintenance experts, we sometimes forget what our analysis must sound like to clients. So, to help you bridge some of the knowledge gaps, these are common plumbing terms you need to know as you work on repairs at your facility: 

 

Backflow 

Backflow is the wastewater that travels back into the main plumbing after someone uses a drain. When water backs up, it can cause damage or even cause the drain to overflow, becoming an emergency repair. We offer backflow testing for all commercial facilities to ensure their pipes are in good working order and that minor repairs are caught early. 

 

Hydro-jetting

At home, you likely clean your pipes with a snake or chemical drain cleaner, but commercial facilities often use hydro-jetting as a more efficient and safer way to break up blockages. Hydro-jetting uses pressurized water to clear tree roots, clogs, and other debris from the pipes, minimizing the risk of corrosion due to chemical cleaners.

 

GPM

Gallons per minute (GPM) is the term used for the measurement of the amount of water an appliance typically uses. Low-flow faucets and toilets have a lower GPM rating, which makes them more efficient for your facility. 

 

PPM

Parts per million (PPM) is the concentration of chemicals found in a water system. This can help analyze the safety of the water for drinking, cooking, or industrial use, as well as the toxicity of the wastewater at your facility. 

 

Burst pressure 

Burst pressure refers to the water pressure required to make a pipe burst on its own. This is typically used in a rating system to evaluate the condition of the pipes, as well as to determine when piping will need to be replaced. A lower burst pressure may indicate that hydro jetting is not a safe option for pipe cleaning as well. 

 

With this knowledge, you can have a more engaging dialogue with your plumber and make better choices for your preventative maintenance schedule. To learn more about preventative plumbing repair, visit our MaintenX resource center here.

Cost of Replacing Pipes for a Commercial Facility

In an older building, you may notice over time that your plumbing does not perform as well as it should. Whether it is experiencing frequent leaks, backups, or you notice your water bill is especially high, bad plumbing can lead to a host of difficulties as you’re trying to run a business. Fortunately, you always have the option to replace your plumbing and get it up to code. 

 

Benefits of Replacing Plumbing

You may think that repiping your entire facility is too much of a hassle, especially if you are a renter and not the owner. However, there are several key benefits that can make this extensive facility improvement project worthwhile: 

 

  • Efficient piping can help reduce water consumption
  • Pipes are less likely to back up, crack, or burst 
  • You can reinsulate piping to protect it from freezing temperatures
  • New plumbing can give you new options for restroom design, water usage, and more

 

The Cost of Replacing Plumbing

Most plumbing installations cost between $1 and $5 per linear foot, plus the cost of new fixtures and accessories. New construction typically costs more than replacing old pipes, but you should talk to your MaintenX contractor about exact estimates before planning your renovation. They can help you choose energy-efficient plumbing and fixtures and help design your plumbing infrastructure for better overall performance. 

 

Call MaintenX for Help

MaintenX specializes in plumbing repair, restoration, and installation for all types of commercial facilities. We can help you replace pipes from an older building, or install more energy-efficient plumbing into a newer facility. To learn more about our plumbing services, give your local MaintenX a call today!

Is DIY Drain Cleaning A Good Idea?

Commercial buildings put a lot of wear and tear on their plumbing. Whether its kitchen grease, chemical products, or simply the high foot traffic of commercial bathrooms, you are likely to experience more backups and drain issues than you would in a residential building. This is why drain cleaning is so critical to commercial buildings and should be done on an annual basis along with backflow testing and other plumbing maintenance. 

 

Many commercial facility managers believe that they can simply use a chemical drain cleaner, but there are several reasons why we don’t recommend this: 

 

  • Commercial drains are much more complex. A simple drain cleaner won’t work as effectively and likely won’t reach every clog in your commercial system. 

 

  • Commercial drains are often more expensive to repair. Chemical drain cleaners cause corrosion which can lead to damage over time. While this may not be a big deal at home when you’re looking for a quick fix, it becomes an expensive repair when you’re talking about commercial plumbing. 

 

  • Commercial drains have much higher standards to meet. You have an obligation to both customers and employees to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. If you neglect to clean your plumbing, you could end up with nasty leaks and backups that can ruin your health and safety standards. 

 

Options for Drain Cleaning

 

Because chemical cleaners are much riskier and not effective for commercial drains, we recommend regular hydro jetting services to keep your pipes clean. Using highly pressurized water, this service can remove tree roots, dirt, grease, and other buildup in your pipes without damaging them. It can be used for both emergency and regular cleaning, as well as snaking services for lesser clogs. 

 

Call for Professional Service from MaintenX

 

Take the guesswork out of commercial drain cleaning by calling MaintenX for help. We offer a variety of options for drain cleaning and plumbing services to ensure you don’t have to worry about backups or leaks at your business. Plus, our experienced plumbers can help you install more energy-efficient appliances to reduce costs further at your facility. To learn more about our comprehensive plumbing care services, contact MaintenX today!

The Most Common Plumbing Emergencies for Businesses

Plumbing emergencies are one of the most common emergency repairs we perform at MaintenX. HVAC, roofing, and even some electrical issues can wait until morning, but plumbing is an essential function for any business that can require a shutdown almost immediately. That is why we recommend regular hydro-jetting and preventative care services to limit plumbing emergencies for our clients. 

 

Below are five of our most common plumbing emergency calls, and what you can do to prevent them: 

 

Clogged sinks

A clogged sink may not seem like an emergency, but it can become one in a commercial kitchen or restroom if the water stops flowing altogether. Luckily, this is often a quick fix using a snake or hydro-jet, but the best way to prevent this is to avoid disposing of grease, food, and other solids down your sink. 

 

Burst pipes and water lines

Pipes can break due to freezing, tree roots, or unresolved clogs that lead to structural damage to the pipes. Unfortunately, this can require replacement of the entire plumbing system which could take a day or more to accomplish. If you want to prevent this from happening at your facility, schedule regular pipe cleaning and insulate piping to ensure it does not burst due to weather. 

 

Overflowing or clogged toilets. 

Businesses must provide a working restroom for employees, which means a clogged or overflowing toilet can shut you down quickly. The best prevention strategy is to care for your piping, so never skip your recommended preventative maintenance for plumbing. If this happens, contact your MaintenX technician immediately to resolve the issue. 

 

Your sewer backs up.

Sewer issues are some of the most complex for businesses to deal with, especially if it is a city problem and not a building problem. You can detect sewage backup from gurgling toilets, unpleasant odors, or unexplained wet areas in your landscaping. If you notice one of these, contact your MaintenX team and city immediately to find out what is causing the issue. 

 

Your water heater stops functioning.

Many businesses use tankless water heaters to prevent costly repairs and ensure automatic hot water every time a faucet is used. However, that doesn’t mean that tankless water heaters are flawless. Any water heater can break down, which can cause issues for all types of businesses. Regular maintenance checks to detect problems early is the best way to ensure this never happens at your facility.

 

MaintenX can help you put these plumbing problems to rest through careful preventative care. To learn more about what plumbing services we offer, contact your local MaintenX team today!