If water is pouring from a pipe at your business, close the main shutoff, keep customers and staff away from wet floors and electrical equipment, and call our 24/7 line at (855) 575-2890. Tell us what you can see, and we will help you decide what else to shut off while we get to you.
Commercial plumbing is plumbing work in buildings that are used for business, including offices, shops, restaurants and light industrial space. It usually involves larger pipe, more fixtures, shared systems and rules that differ from a house.
We take calls at night and on weekends, because a leak in a closed building can run for hours before anyone notices.
Water or sewage on the floor at a business: first steps
Start by closing the main water shutoff, then the nearest valve to the failed fixture or line. If you do not know where the main is, ask the building manager or look near the point where the pipe enters the building. Keep people out of any area where water has reached outlets, panels or machinery.
If the water looks dirty or smells of sewage, avoid contact and keep the area closed to the public. Take photos for your records and write down the time you found it. If the business has to close, a call to your insurer early on helps, and we can tell you what is safe to do while we are on the way.
After-hours calls for shops, restaurants, offices and light industrial sites
Businesses rarely have a convenient time for a plumbing failure. A restaurant with a backed-up floor drain loses a service. A shop with a burst line may lose stock. An office with a dead restroom may have to send people home.
Our dispatch runs around the clock, including weekends and holidays. When you call, have the address, the type of business and a contact who can let us in. We schedule a same-day visit when we can, and we tell you honestly on the phone if a job needs more information first.
Commercial jobs we take calls for
Burst or leaking supply lines
Larger pipe under pressure can release a lot of water. Shutting the section off quickly limits the damage.
Drain and floor drain backups
Kitchens, restrooms and shop floors share drains that clog with grease, paper and debris. See sewer line cleaning for the main line side.
Water heater and hot water failures
Commercial kitchens, salons and shops depend on hot water, so a failed unit stops work.
Restroom fixtures
Flushometer toilets, urinals and commercial faucets have different parts than home ones.
Tenant space leaks
A leak from one unit can damage the one below it, so shutoff location and access matter.
Close the main and call. A plumber is on the line at any hour.
Commercial leak detection
A leak in a commercial building can be harder to find than in a house. Pipes may run through ceilings, shared walls and mechanical rooms, and the building may have several shutoffs. We use the same basic approach as our leak detection service, starting with a meter check and then testing by section.
We may need more information on the call, such as the building layout, who controls the shutoffs and whether other tenants share the line. Getting access to the area, a person with keys and a drawing of the pipes, if one exists, all speed the search. Not every site fits what we can do, and we will say so plainly.
Older downtown buildings around Courthouse Square
Sidney's Courthouse Square Historic District has older commercial buildings, and older buildings often have older piping and tight access. Pipes may run in narrow chases or behind plaster, and shutoffs can be hard to find.
If your business is in one of these buildings, locate and label your main shutoff before you need it, and check what is behind any access panels. It will save time when a line fails. A repipe or a fixture change in an older space needs careful planning for walls and floors.
Heavy water use at larger sites
Sidney's larger manufacturing employers mean some sites in the area use a lot of water, with bigger pipe, more fixtures and equipment that cannot stop for long. If your facility is one of them, tell us on the call what the line feeds, what can be isolated and whether production has to keep running.
We also serve businesses in nearby towns such as Jackson Center. Larger industrial jobs may need more information before we can say what fits.
Prepare now or scramble later
A short list prepared today saves time on the day a pipe breaks.
Without preparation
- No one knows where the main shutoff is
- Keys and access are hard to arrange at night
- Tenants and the owner are not sure who to call
- Time is spent looking at walls for valves
With preparation
- Shutoffs are labeled and reachable
- A 24/7 contact has keys and a floor plan
- The owner and tenants know the call order
- We can focus on the repair as soon as we arrive
Grease traps and interceptors
A grease trap or interceptor catches fat and oil before it enters the drain. When it fills, kitchens see slow drains and odors. Cleaning one is routine service, and we can discuss how it fits our work on the call. If grease has already clogged the line, hydro jetting may clear it. Pumping a large interceptor may need a specialist, and we will be honest if that is the case.
Backflow devices and testing
Many commercial buildings have backflow preventers on irrigation, boilers or fire lines. Testing is done by a certified tester, and the Sidney-Shelby County Health Department keeps a list of them at 937-498-7249. Our plumbing installation page explains what a preventer does.
Licence and permit checks for commercial work
Commercial plumbing contractors in Ohio must hold a state plumbing licence, according to the Sidney-Shelby County Health Department's permit page. You can verify a contractor through the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board's online lookup. Also ask for their registration with the Health Department.
Anyone doing plumbing work in Shelby County needs a plumbing permit, with an exemption for minor repair. Call 937-498-7249 to ask about your job.
What affects the price of commercial plumbing
Commercial jobs vary widely, so we do not name a number before seeing the site. You get a clear price before work starts.
Business insurance often treats a sudden pipe burst differently from gradual seepage, and policies differ on lost income. Ask your insurer before work starts.
Common questions
Do you handle commercial plumbing emergencies at night or on weekends in Sidney?
Yes. Our line is open 24/7 and we dispatch for businesses at night, on weekends and on holidays. We ask for the address, a site contact and what you can see, and tell you what to shut off while we get there.
What should I do first if a pipe bursts at my business?
Close the main water shutoff, keep people and customers away from wet floors and electrical equipment, and call our 24/7 line. Take photos and note the time for your insurer.
Does a commercial plumber need a state licence in Ohio?
Per the Sidney-Shelby County Health Department's permit page, commercial plumbing contractors must hold an Ohio state plumbing licence. You can check through the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board lookup.
Can you clean a restaurant grease trap?
Ask on the call, since scope depends on the size of the trap. We can discuss clearing grease-clogged lines and routine cleaning, and we will say honestly if a large interceptor needs a specialist.
Who tests backflow devices at a business?
A certified tester does the testing. The Sidney-Shelby County Health Department keeps a list of certified backflow testers, which you can request by calling 937-498-7249, and we can help with the installation side.
Do you work in older downtown buildings?
Yes, but older buildings take planning for tight access and old pipe. Tell us the building's age and where the shutoff is, and we plan the visit around it.