Ways Plumbing Maintenance Can Boost Morale and Productivity

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There are some very good reasons for setting up a regular maintenance plan with commercial plumbing contractors. In employee surveys, one of the most common complaints about the workplace is the condition of the restrooms they have to use on a daily basis. With regular maintenance you can eliminate this distraction, helping your employees become more involved and productive.

Workplace Hygiene

Professional plumbing services can increase the overall cleanliness of the workplace. Cleanliness and hygiene go hand in hand, and problems like clogged drains, mold and unsightly stains in sinks and toilets reduce the sanitary conditions employees expect in the workplace. Since healthier employees are happier employees, keeping your plumbing in good condition means higher morale in the office.

Odors Affect Attitudes

Odors coming out of the drains of washbasins or other drains can be a huge distraction to your employees. Regardless of the type of business you have, plumbing maintenance will eliminate odors related to drains that don’t work properly, standing water, and other issues.

Distracting Drips

LIstening to the annoying drip, drip, drip of a faucet in need of repair or replacement reduces productivity for those in the vicinity. In many cases, leaky faucets are easily repaired by replacing washers or valves, but ignoring the leak may lead to more complicated issues that are more costly and time-consuming to work out.

Employee Health

Leaky plumbing often leads to health concerns in the restroom stemming from stagnant water, mold, and mildew. With commercial plumbing maintenance, leaks and other plumbing problems can be identified early enough to make repairs before potentially unhealthy conditions arise. Just as cleaning your ductwork periodically reduces airborne pathogens, clean and sanitary plumbing reduces the spread of common illnesses, and may even improve the breathing conditions of those who suffer from asthma and other respiratory concerns.

Cleanliness Promotes Efficiency

Organization and routine are at the heart of high morale and productivity. When your staff is constantly faced with drains that don’t work, offensive odors, standing water, and other plumbing issues, it affects their ability to concentrate and focus on the work at hand. Plumbing maintenance often pays for itself over time by allowing your workers to feel safer, healthier, and more appreciated by their employer.

Commercial plumbing services such as regular maintenance help keep your business operating efficiently and smoothly. It can reduce absenteeism, but it can also improve the impression customers and clients have of your establishment. In this way, plumbing maintenance may lead to bigger, better sales. 

Ehret Co. Plumbing & Heating

Ehret Co. Plumbing & Heating provides 24/7 household plumbing services for homes and multifamily buildings. We pride ourselves on our professional and quality work. Contact us through our online contact form or call us at 510-528-4292 for residential plumbing services any time, any day of the week.

How Plumbing Maintenance is Good for Your Business

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Commercial plumbing services include regular plumbing maintenance, emergency repairs, and keeps your office space free of plumbing related odors or other distractions. From clearing clogged sewer lines to replacing broken restroom fixtures, commercial plumbers will save you time and money.

Early Leak Detection

Plumbing inspections are part of a regular maintenance contract with commercial plumbing services contractors. Inspections often identify potential problems before they become a major issue. For the business owner, this means saving money in reduced water– and possibly electric as well– costs, in repair costs, and prevents plumbing issues that could affect other parts of business operation.

Faster Repair Times

Having a commercial plumbing contractor available for on-call services can be a huge boon to your company. The value of emergency plumbing services increases dramatically for any company that relies on water being available on demand as part of the normal course of business. For example, many factories would grind to a halt if their water supply was suddenly cut off.

Worry-Free Operation

An office of 10 employees develops operational issues in a hurry when toilets are clogged or faucets won’t shut off. With plumbing maintenance services, you can rest assured knowing that your business plumbing is being kept in top working order. While it may seem strange at first glance, complaints about company restrooms are among the most common of all employee complaints.

Reduced Plumbing Costs

Finding and addressing plumbing problems early, and leaving maintenance up to professional contractors, your business can lower costs associated with plumbing. Water conservation is an important part of environmental conservation, and the cost of a single dripping faucet can add up over the course of a year. Add that savings to the savings you get from having a commercial maintenance contract, and you may be able to see a sizable reduction in operational overhead.

Damage Prevention

When a plumbing leak occurs, it isn’t just the plumbing that is at stake. Water and sewage leaks also affect the walls and floors around them, and have the potential to damage ceilings or floors beneath the leak as well. Plumbing service contractors locating and repairing problems early can easily translate into saving thousands of dollars on an unexpected office remodel.

Always verify that your plumbing services contractor is licensed and insured. It is also a great idea to check online reviews and customer testimonials to get a broad view of how previous customers react to your chosen company’s services. If you have any special plumbing requirements, be sure to mention them while talking to a representative.

Ehret Co. Plumbing & Heating

Ehret Co. Plumbing & Heating provides 24/7 household plumbing services for homes and multifamily buildings. We pride ourselves on our professional and quality work. Contact us through our online contact form or call us at 510-528-4292 for residential plumbing services any time, any day of the week.

The Top Toilet Brands for Your Business Restrooms

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High-quality commercial plumbing services demand the use of the best plumbing appliances on the market. In fact, one way to identify a great plumbing company is by the brands they carry. Here are 3 brands that always win top ratings, and a few of their top competitors for the title of best toilet brand for business restrooms.

American Standard

American Standard has worked hard at positioning itself as the “American Standard” and is available from industry-leading commercial plumbing services. It is used in both commercial restrooms and residential homes all over the country and features one of the best water conservation flush systems on the market. This is accomplished with a patented trapway and flush valve system that allows full-force flushing with minimal water use. Their H2Option is at the top of the field, featuring a 1.6gpf and a dual flush system that is both fast and quiet.

TOTO

TOTO is a Japanese company that manufactures plumbing appliances for all budgets in the commercial and residential industries. They manufacture such a wide range of products that choosing their best item is difficult, but the G400 Washlet is popular for its compact size, low water usage, and quiet flush. For more European style-restrooms, TOTO is also a leading manufacturer of bidets.

Kohler

With origins in rural Wisconsin, Kohler is the inventor of the bathtub as we know it today, and has grown from its humble roots to a multinational corporation. They are considered to be among the best and most prolific plumbing appliance companies in the world. Their best-selling commercial brand is the Santa Rosa and features an impressive 1.28 gpf, along with industry-standard quiet flush and fast refill. If the traditional oval bowl takes up too much floor space, their second-highest ranked toilet, the Wellworth, uses a modernistic round design and includes dual flush technology.

Honorable Mentions

These are 3 of the most popular brands, but there are other great companies available as well. Moen and Delta are 2 mention-worthy brands that are familiar to most Americans, but there are also companies such as Grohe and Price Pfister that are commonly found in mid or high-end installations. 

The estimator who schedules your commercial plumbing services will be able to tell what brands the company has in stock, and offer you some helpful advice for getting the best toilet for your needs and budget. Keep in mind that even the best-rated brands are not perfect for every application and choose what works best for you.

Ehret Co. Plumbing & Heating

Ehret Co. Plumbing & Heating provides 24/7 household plumbing services for homes and multifamily buildings. We pride ourselves on our professional and quality work. Contact us through our online contact form or call us at 510-528-4292 for residential plumbing services any time, any day of the week.

How to Clean the Toilet Tanks in Your Business Restrooms

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Business restrooms see a lot of traffic. With high use comes high risk of health hazards. As a business owner, you can reduce the risk with frequent sanitization, including cleaning each toilet tank at least twice a year. Commercial plumbing services can make this a non-thought for you, so you can run your business while plumbers provide rooter service behind the scenes to keep your plumbing running.

However, if you like to get down and personal with keeping your business in top shape, you can follow the steps below to clean your tanks, which could be a common reason your restrooms smell bad every so often.

First, grab your tools

You’ll need white vinegar (enough to fill the tank to the overflow valve, which could be up to 3 gallons per tank), rubber gloves, a disinfectant cleaner safe for plastic and metal, a sponge, and a scrub brush.

Second, clean the tank

  1. Wearing your gloves, remove the tank cover and set it aside.
  2. Pour white vinegar into the tank, stopping an inch below the rim and leave it for 12 hours.
  3. Flush the toilet several times to clear the vinegar.
  4. Turn off the water valve, located near the floor, then flush the toilet one last time.
  5. Run the scrub brush along the tank’s interior and wipe the metal parts with the sponge.
  6. For stubborn tank walls, use the disinfectant cleaner onto the inside walls per the manufacturer’s instructions, then scrub the walls with the brush.
  7. Turn the water on and flush the toilet until water is clear in both the tank and the bowl.
  8. Replace the tank cover and you’re done!

Important notes about maintaining your tanks:

To prolong the cleanliness, consider putting tank tablets in the toilet to fight off mildew, minerals, and contaminants. Don’t use tablets with bleach as that will corrode metal. For the least damage to your plumbing, use tablets that are “natural” or “chemical-free.”

If you don’t want to use tablets, fill your tanks with vinegar and drain on a regular basis. This makes your twice-a-year cleaning easier. For this maintenance, leave vinegar in the tank overnight and flush it out in the morning.

If your tanks haven’t been cleaned in a long time, they’re likely harboring bacteria and hardened deposits. Too much buildup will damage your plumbing and require commercial plumbing services. Keep your tanks clean to keep your business running without a hitch, because even the smallest mishap can overthrow your routine.

Ehret Co. Plumbing & Heating — Commercial Plumbing Services

To get the best cleaning and repairs for your commercial toilet tanks, contact Ehret. Co Plumbing & Heating through our online contact form or call us at 510-528-4292. We work with all brands, and power through all issues.

Common Reasons Your Restrooms Smell Bad

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Public and commercial restrooms have a reputation for smelling bad. To keep customers from viewing your restrooms the same, you might follow a thorough cleaning routine. However, smelly restrooms can sneak up on you in areas you haven’t thought of cleaning. Or, if you regularly clean those hidden areas, bad smells might sneak up with damaged plumbing equipment that needs commercial plumbing services. 


Here are a few common reasons why your restroom might smell bad:

The floor-waste drain is dry

If your restroom has a floor drain, typically a round or rectangular grate flush against the tiles, it could be dry. These drains are designed with a wet seal to trap the smell of sewage from wafting into the restroom. If you shine a flashlight into the grate, you should see the reflection of water. This is the wet seal. If the restroom is used consistently, the wet seal should remain.

If there is no water and your restroom hasn’t been used in a while, run the sink and flush the toilet. See if that refreshes the water seal. If that doesn’t work, you might contact a commercial plumbing services provider to check it out with rooter service. And if your restroom is used frequently but the water seal doesn’t appear, call a plumber. You could have a problem with your p-trap, which is responsible for holding the water seal.

Damaged caulking or toilet collar

Your toilet has a caulk seal between its base and the floor to prevent waste from seeping out. If the seal is damaged, you’ll smell the bacteria that escapes. You also might notice waste leaking outward. If your toilet is new or recently repaired, the seal could have been installed improperly. Apply a new layer of caulk around the toilet base to seal it off, or contact a commercial plumber for help. They also might remove your toilet to check for other underlying problems.

Another toilet area that could be damaged is the toilet collar, the rubber seal connecting the toilet bowl to the waste pipe. Over time, the seal wears out from constant use. In commercial bathrooms, the seal might undergo more pressure than those in residential houses due to high traffic. A professional plumber can reseal the collar and confirm if the damage is to be expected from constant use, or if there’s another issue.

Sink overflow has buildup

Nasty restroom smells are often associated with toilets and waste systems, but your sink could be the real culprit. If the smell seems to be emanating from your sink, it’s likely coming from your overflow hole. Every sink has a small hole that prevents water from overflowing. Even if it isn’t likely that a customer or visitor filled the sink past the overflow hole, water can splash inside. Over time, water waste can build up to create a stench.

A simple fix for smelly overflow holes is to pour one cup baking soda, then one cup white vinegar into the hole via a funnel. Let it sit for 15 minutes, then very carefully flush the hole with boiling water. Progress slowly to avoid burning yourself with the water or steam. If this doesn’t work, commercial plumbing services can identify the problem.

Commercial Plumbing Services — Ehret Co. Plumbing & Heating

Ehret Co. Plumbing & Heating can investigate your smelly restroom and provide quick service. Contact us through our online contact form or call us at 510-528-4292 for 24/7 commercial plumbing services.