Night and weekend calls to a closed business
A broken pipe at 2 a.m. in an empty shop is a different problem from one in a house. Nobody is there to see it, and by morning the carpet, shelving and inventory can be soaked. Alarm companies, property managers and neighbors are often the ones who call us.
We ask who can let a plumber in, where the main shutoff is, and which fixtures are affected. If you can reach the building safely, close the main and keep electricity away from wet areas.
Main valve
Find it before you need it, and tape a label on it.
Keep power off
Leave wet outlets, panels and cords alone.
Photograph
Take pictures of the damage for insurance.
Call us
Give an address, a contact and a way in.
Building types and the problems we see most
| Building | Common problems | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant | Grease buildup, floor drains, prep sinks | Scheduled trap cleaning and a drain log |
| Retail shop | Restroom fixtures, slow floor drains, water heater | A labeled main shutoff and a service contact |
| Office | Restroom flushing, break-room sinks, leaks above ceiling tiles | A facility contact who can open after hours |
| Apartment building | Shared drain stacks, unit-to-unit leaks, water heaters | A single property manager contact |
Lakewood has a large share of multifamily housing, and 42 percent of its housing units are in buildings of three or more.
Lakewood Towne Center, Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, Clover Park Technical College and St. Clare Hospital are the sorts of places in town where larger commercial buildings stand. We make no claim about working for any of them.
Backflow testing: what the rule says
A backflow assembly sits on a pipe to stop used or contaminated water from flowing backward into the public supply. Washington rule WAC 246-290-490 requires assemblies to be tested every year by a certified backflow assembly tester. Irrigation systems that add chemicals are classed as high hazard.
The Lakewood Water District runs an annual backflow testing program for customers who need annual assembly testing, using a contracted tester. Ask the district whether your account is in that program before you book anyone.
- Restaurants: carbonated beverage machines, dishwashers and boilers can all need protection.
- Shops: irrigation on landscaped frontages is the usual assembly.
- Offices: fire sprinkler lines and landscape irrigation.
- Multifamily: irrigation and boiler feed lines.
A failed test normally means the assembly needs repair or replacement. That is plumbing work we do, and we do not do it without telling you the price first. The certified tester must hold current certification, so ask to see it.
Grease traps and why floor drains back up
A grease trap, or interceptor, is a tank that slows wastewater so fats, oils and grease rise and stay behind. When the trap is full, grease passes through to the sewer line, hardens on the pipe wall and narrows it. The first sign is often a floor drain in the kitchen that gurgles or fills.
Cleaning means pumping out the contents, scraping the walls and baffles, and checking the inlet and outlet. How often depends on the kitchen: a fryer-heavy menu loads a trap much faster than a sandwich counter.
We do not set an interval for you, because it depends on your volume, trap size and what your sewer utility requires. A simple log with dates, amounts removed and who did it helps in two ways. It shows when the trap fills faster than expected, and it gives an inspector a record.
Most of Lakewood's sewer service comes from Pierce County Public Works and Utilities. Ask them what is required for your kitchen. If drains keep backing up even after the trap is clean, the line needs a drain cleaning visit or hydro jetting.
Tracing a leak in a commercial building
Water loss in a larger building can hide in a ceiling, under a slab or in a riser. We start with the simple checks: meter reading with all fixtures off, pressure behavior and visible signs. Tracing equipment is then used where the evidence points.
Be aware that some commercial leaks turn out to be a tenant's fixture, a pipe owned by someone else, or a line that needs a specialist. We tell you honestly when that is the case, and our leak detection page explains the methods.
Tenants, owners and property managers
- Who authorizes workLease terms decide who pays for what. We send the price to the person who authorizes it.
- Working around tenantsWe agree on access times, cover floors and keep the work area clear.
- Multifamily unitsA leak between units needs a contact in both, so we ask for a number before we arrive.
- Business hoursNon-urgent work is scheduled when the shop is closed or slow, so customers are not walking past an open ceiling.
What we do not do
- We do not manage remodels or general construction. We handle the plumbing portion.
- We do not provide fire sprinkler design or inspection.
- We do not call a backflow test valid unless it comes from a certified tester.
- We do not provide a list of clients or case studies on this site.
For a new restaurant buildout or tenant improvement, your general contractor coordinates the trades. Our plumbing installation page covers the plumbing stages.
What drives commercial plumbing prices
We give you a clear price before work starts, and we send it to whoever is paying.
- Size and accessA single restroom is quicker than a mechanical room with several lines.
- Equipment neededJetting, camera and tracing tools add to the visit.
- Occupied spaceWorking around staff and customers takes more planning.
- Parts and permitsValves, assemblies and fittings vary, and some work needs a permit.
- After-hours timingNight and weekend visits are staffed round the clock and priced before dispatch.
A commercial property policy may cover sudden water loss. Keep receipts and photographs, and ask your insurer what it needs.
Give us the address and the problem and we will give you a price.
(253) 275-5116Serving nearby towns
We dispatch to businesses in Fircrest, where backflow devices need an annual test, as well as Lakewood and its neighbors.
Cross-connection control
The Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) addresses cross-connection control, and Washington requires certain backflow assemblies to be tested by a certified tester. Which devices on your property need an annual test depends on the hazard and on the water utility's rules.
Ask your water utility which of your assemblies need testing and by when. We do not claim to test assemblies for you here, so tell the dispatcher if the problem involves one.
Commercial plumbing questions
Yes. We are open 24/7. Close the main valve if you can reach it safely, keep power off wet areas and call. Tell us who can let the plumber in.
Washington's WAC 246-290-490 requires assemblies to be tested annually by a certified backflow assembly tester. Ask the Lakewood Water District if it has your site in its annual testing program.
It depends on the kitchen. A fryer-heavy menu fills a trap faster than a coffee counter. Keep a log and ask Pierce County sewer staff what they require.
Grease may be coating the line downstream of the trap. A jetter cleans the pipe wall more thoroughly than a cable.
Often, yes, but not always. Hidden leaks can be in someone else's pipe or a place that needs a specialist. We will say so if so.
Your lease decides. We quote the price to the person who authorizes the work.