When your business has been closed or unoccupied for an extended period of time, we know how exciting it is to finally be able to reopen. There’s no better feeling than turning on the lights of your building, walking in, and setting yourself up to get back to business. There are plenty of things you need to do before you can reopen, and we bet there’s one thing you haven’t thought about: your building’s plumbing.
What About My Building’s Plumbing?
Weeks and even months of not using your business’ plumbing can create a variety of problems. Since there hasn’t been any movement in your pipes, there’s a good chance that there’s water sitting in them. Stagnant water is the perfect environment for the growth of mold, Legionella, and other harmful bacteria. Not only can stagnant water produce harmful bacteria, but it can also develop low levels of disinfectants such as chlorine. Lastly, it can also damage your pipes if precautions are not taken immediately.
To prevent any of these things from happening, take a look at what you can do to reduce the risk.
Flush Your Water System
You can flush your water system by:
- Running cold water from faucets for approximately 30 minutes.
- Emptying, flushing, and refilling all equipment and appliances that store water
- Cleaning or replacing internal water filters
- Disinfecting plumbing fixtures
Check for Mold
The most common places for mold to grow are:
- Below sinks
- In ventilation ducts
- Behind refrigerators
- The backside of ceiling tiles
Sometimes there are obvious signs of mold, other times there aren’t. The best way to determine for sure that mold hasn’t grown in any of these places is to use a mold kit or contact a Westminster commercial plumber to check these common places and others for you.
Test Toilets
Don’t overlook your toilet. You don’t want to reopen your business and then suddenly find out that there’s a problem with it. You’ll want to make sure that your toilet is flushing properly and that it’s not leaking. One way to test it is to drop a dye tablet or food coloring into the toilet tank, wait 15-20 minutes, and then check the toilet bowl for evidence of the dye. If you do see colored water in the toilet bowl, it’s likely you have a leak and will need a professional plumber to come fix it.
Need to Get Your Plumbing Back to Business?
Michael Runk Plumbing and Heating, a commercial plumber in Westminster, MD, is here to help you with all your reopening plumbing needs. We offer a wide range of business plumbing services so that you can get back to business as fast as possible without having to worry about plumbing problems when you reopen. Call or contact us today to see how we can help you!