When a commercial plumbing problem is an emergency
Commercial plumbing means the supply, drain, vent and drainage systems in a building where people work, shop or eat. The pipes are bigger and the fixtures run harder than at home. A restroom group, a mop sink and a prep kitchen can all tie into one drain line.
A failure at 9 p.m. in a Shelbyville, IN shop or restaurant costs sales by morning. Our after-hours line is staffed around the clock, and same-day appointments are offered when available for problems that can safely wait until daylight.
Water running from the ceiling
A failed supply line or a leaking roof drain above a suspended ceiling. Shut off the nearest valve and keep power away from the wet area.
Floor drains backing up
A grease clog or a blocked building drain. Stop using sinks and restrooms that feed the same line.
Restroom flooding
Overflowing toilets or a stuck flush valve. Close the supply stops and block off the room.
Grease smell and slow kitchen drains
The trap is full or the line is coated with fat. Waiting makes it worse.
Rising water bill with no explanation
A hidden leak under the slab or in a wall, a stuck fill valve or a running irrigation line.
Before the plumber arrives
Steps that protect your building and your customers.
Find and close the main
Locate the building shutoff, usually where the water line enters. Close it fully, then open one low faucet to drain the lines.
Keep people and power away
If water is near electrical panels, outlets or equipment, leave the area. Call 911 for a fire, a gas smell or electric shock, and your gas utility for a gas smell.
Stop adding flow to a backed-up drain
Tell staff to stop flushing, dishwashing and mopping to the floor drain until the line is open.
Document and protect
Photograph the damage, lift stock and boxes onto shelves, and keep receipts. Your insurance carrier will ask.
Commercial leak detection
We find hidden leaks without opening every wall. We read the meter with everything shut off, then use acoustic listening gear and pressure gauges to isolate which section of pipe is losing water. Where we can, we pressure test a suspect line and mark the spot on the floor or wall before any cutting. Our leak detection service page explains the same tools for homes.
A water bill that keeps climbing, a wet spot on a slab, or a pump that keeps cycling are the usual calls. A hidden leak behind a restaurant wall wastes water every hour you stay open.
Grease trap cleaning
A grease trap or interceptor catches fats, oils and grease (FOG) from kitchen sinks and floor drains before they reach the sewer. When it fills, it backs up into the kitchen or sends grease downstream. Cleaning means pumping out the trap, scraping the baffles and checking the inlet and outlet lines.
What we can and cannot tell you
Pumping and hauling grease is regulated, and how often you must clean your trap is set by local rules. For rules on sizing, cleaning frequency or disposal records, ask the authority that regulates your sewer service. We can clear lines, jet them and tell you what we see. We do not give health department or fire code advice.
Grease interceptors are covered by plumbing code requirements and are made to standards such as ASME A112.14.3, so ask your sewer authority what size and type it accepts before replacing one. Never lean into or climb into an open interceptor pit, because gases and low oxygen can build up there.
Kitchen backing up before the dinner rush?
Call now. Our plumbers handle after-hours drain calls and will tell you what to shut down while they are on the way.
Backflow testing
A backflow preventer stops used or contaminated water from flowing backward into the clean supply. Reduced pressure zone (RPZ) assemblies, double check valves and pressure vacuum breakers are the common types, found on irrigation systems, fire lines, boilers and some kitchen equipment. The assembly is tested with a gauge kit that measures the pressure drop across each check.
Reduced pressure assemblies are built to ASSE 1013 and double check assemblies to ASSE 1015. In practice, a replacement should carry the listing your utility accepts for your hazard, so ask before you buy one.
Testing must be done by a tester who is certified for it, and the results often go to the water utility. Ask Indiana American Water or the building department which assemblies on your property need testing and how often. When you call, ask dispatch whether a certified tester is available for your assembly. We would rather you confirm than assume. See plumbing installation if an assembly needs to be added or replaced.
Storm drain cleaning
Parking-lot catch basins, roof leaders and yard drains clog with leaves, mulch, sediment and trash. When they back up, water pools in the lot or runs toward the building. We open the line with a cable or a hydro jet, then run a camera to check for broken or offset pipe. Hydro jetting works well on silt and roots.
Know whose pipe it is before you pay for work. The City of Shelbyville has a stormwater utility, and the line that carries water off your lot may be yours up to a point and the city's beyond it. Ask the city before you dig or cap anything. Businesses on the Morristown side can start at the Morristown emergency plumber page.
If a fix means digging, call Indiana 811 at least two business days ahead.
Older downtown buildings and the Intelliplex area
Shelbyville Commercial Historic District
- Buildings date from about 1822 to the 1930s, so a block can mix cast iron, galvanized steel, copper and PVC.
- Joints and old cast iron fail slowly, and tree roots enter cracks.
- We scope with a camera before quoting any repair.
Major Hospital area on Intelliplex Dr
- Institutional and office buildings run more fixtures per floor.
- Floor drains, mop sinks and roof drains see steady use.
- Backflow assemblies and grease interceptors are typical items to check.
That is why a camera scan comes before a quote in the older downtown blocks. Horseshoe Indianapolis in Shelbyville shows what heavy hospitality use means: busy restrooms and kitchens, and drains that run all day. Your building is smaller, but the same rule applies. A clean drain on a schedule costs less than a weekend emergency.
| Problem | First move | Tool we use |
|---|---|---|
| Hidden leak | Meter test with all fixtures off | Acoustic listener, pressure gauge |
| Backed-up floor drain | Stop flow, open the line | Cable machine or hydro jet, then camera |
| Full grease trap | Pump out and scrape baffles | Vacuum truck (hauled by a licensed hauler), jetter |
| Backflow assembly test | Confirm who must test and how often | Differential pressure gauge kit |
| Flooded lot or catch basin | Clear debris at the inlet | Cable, jetter, camera |
What sets the price on a commercial call
Commercial work varies more than home work, so we give a price after we see the building and the problem. You get a clear price before work starts.
A commercial property policy may cover sudden water damage but often excludes slow leaks, wear, sewer backup and flood unless you add coverage. Your business may also carry business-interruption coverage. Read your policy and ask your agent.
Commercial plumbing questions from Shelbyville businesses
Yes. The 24/7 line takes commercial calls at night, on weekends and on holidays. A licensed plumber is dispatched for floods, backups and burst lines, and same-day appointments are offered when available for the rest.
Shut off every fixture and watch the meter. If it moves, there is a leak. A plumber then uses acoustic listening gear and pressure tests to narrow down the section of pipe.
It depends on trap size and kitchen volume, and local rules may set a schedule. Ask the authority that regulates your sewer service. A trap that is smelling or slow is overdue.
A tester certified to do the work. Ask Indiana American Water or the building department what they accept, and confirm the tester's certification before you book.
It depends on where the line crosses the property boundary. The city has a stormwater utility, so ask the city before you pay for work on a line that may be public.
Yes. Older Shelbyville buildings may have mixed pipe materials, so we camera the line first and explain what we see before repairing.
Often. In the City of Shelbyville, only registered plumbing contractors can apply for plumbing permits. Rules differ outside the city, so ask the building department.