What Is Commercial Plumbing?
It seems like a distinction without a difference, right? Water is water; pipes are pipes. Is commercial plumbing really that much different than other kinds of plumbing, like residential plumbing?
Yes… and no. While many of the skills and requirements cross over, commercial plumbing has several critical requirements of its own, marking it a separate subset of the plumbing trade.
Bottom line — if what you need is a commercial plumber, you don’t want to settle for a residential plumber with no commercial experience. Let’s dig into why…
What is Commercial Plumbing?
Commercial plumbing includes the water, gas, and other fluid-transfer systems that supply commercial buildings, as opposed to residential buildings. Examples of commercial buildings that require a commercial plumber might include:
Office buildings
Retail centers
Highrise or mid-rise apartment and condo complexes
Hospitals
Schools
Government buildings
Commercial plumbers face several challenges that residential plumbers don’t have to worry about. For example:
They must be familiar with commercial plumbing fixtures. Large commercial properties often make use of enormous boilers, chillers, tanks, and other commercial-grade equipment. These aren’t exactly consumer appliances. They require specialized training to install, maintain, and repair.
They must be able to trace problems that may cross multiple units. Commercial buildings often consist of multiple units, which can present special problems. After all, a broken pipe in one unit might make itself known as flooding in a different unit, with the source of the problem not immediately apparent. The same goes for clogs, leaks, and other common plumbing issues.
They must know how to deal with the effects of gravity. Especially in skyscrapers, commercial plumbers have to take gravity into account. The plumbing system may need to transport water up hundreds of vertical feet. A long vertical pipe will contain water at the bottom under immense pressure from the weight (due to gravity) of the water at the top — more than enough pressure to burst a pipe and cause a major disaster.
They must understand regulations. Commercial buildings usually have much higher regulatory burdens to comply with, including sanitation and safety regulations. A commercial plumber must know how to navigate these regulations effectively.
How much do commercial plumbers make?
According to Ziprecruiter, the national average for a commercial plumber’s salary is $51,334.
Alaska is one of several states where the average commercial plumber’s salary is higher than the national average, at $56,052.
Commercial Plumbing Apprenticeship
Here’s how to become a commercial plumber in Alaska:
You must be at least 16 years old and a high-school graduate, GED recipient, or equivalent.
Complete a pre-apprenticeship at a local vocational school. (Optional step.)
Enroll in and complete at least 8,000 hours under an apprenticeship program, registered with the US Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship, under a certified commercial plumber.
Pass an exam to receive a Journeyman Plumber’s license.
After spending four of the last six years as a Journeyman Plumber in commercial plumbing, you can then apply for the Unlimited Commercial and Industrial Plumbing (UCIP) license and employ other journeyman plumbers. You can also apply for this license if you have worked for four of the last six years as a field superintendent or manager in the field, or if you have a degree or are a registered mechanical engineer with practical experience in at least one of the past three years.
Confused about the difference? Concerned about hiring the wrong plumber? Reach out to Allstar Plumbing today! We’re a qualified, certified, and experienced commercial plumber helping Alaska businesses go with the flow.