The Role of Commercial Plumbing in Healthcare Facilities

The role of commercial plumbing in healthcare facilities is highly important, but not always obvious. Hidden behind walls and floors, these systems are responsible for providing the clean water that is essential for high-quality patient care. In this handy guide from our commercial plumbing contractors, you can discover everything you need to know about commercial plumbing healthcare facilities.



An Introduction to Plumbing for Healthcare Facilities

Plumbing systems are essential for any modern property, but they are especially critical in healthcare facilities. These systems are responsible for providing clean water, removing waste, and maintaining a hygienic environment. Plumbing systems themselves can encompass a wide range of parts and components, from pipework to water heaters, making up an intricate system that provides fresh and clean water to a property with ease.

Why Plumbing is Crucial in Healthcare Settings

Healthcare providers and professionals will need high levels of hygiene to provide safe care. This includes frequent hand washing, as hands can easily become contaminated with bacteria, viruses and more. A fully functioning plumbing system is also necessary for the washing of equipment and laundering of linens used in the facility.

Plumbing is also essential for key facilities such as bathrooms and kitchens. Large healthcare facilities typically need to be equipped for overnight care, which means their space needs to be fitted with hygiene fixtures such as taps, toilets and showers. Similarly, they will need catering spaces, offering areas both for staff to prepare their food and for food to be prepared for patients.

The Impact of Poor Plumbing on Patient Care

In any property, poor plumbing can have a direct negative impact on patients being treated at a particular healthcare facility. Poor plumbing can lead to generally unpleasant experiences, such as a lack of hot water, which can highly affect the quality of patient care.

Bad plumbing can also lead to unnecessarily high water bills, which can impact the overall financial stability of a healthcare facility, and therefore impact the quality of care that can be provided to visiting patients. To keep costs reasonably priced, the plumbing system will need to be in good condition and routinely inspected for damage.

Key Plumbing Systems in Healthcare Facilities

There are some essential plumbing systems needed in healthcare facilities, each designed to ensure a comfortable environment for the treatment of patients. From water supply to drainage systems, read on to learn about the key types of systems and their roles below.

Water Supply and Distribution

The water supply is responsible for delivering potable water in a healthcare facility, making sure all patients and staff can stay well hydrated while on the property. Potable water is also needed for handwashing and equipment sterilisation.

Drainage and Waste Systems

Healthcare facilities can often produce a lot of wasted water, from the water used to clean hands to that responsible for rinsing away bodily fluids. A drainage system, therefore, will need to be installed and designed to handle specific types of waste, from sewage to medical waste. This system will also need to prevent backflow, to stop any of these contaminated waste materials from entering the clean water supply.

Hot Water and Temperature Control

Including hot water tanks, storage tanks and distribution piping, the hot water system will provide hot water for the showers, sinks and laundry machines. These systems are essential for a comfortable working and living environment, especially for effectively cleaning hands and preparing instruments.

Plumbing Challenges in Hospitals and Healthcare Centres

Unfortunately, meeting the plumbing demands of a healthcare facility isn’t always simple. These buildings might face various challenges when it comes to plumbing, making it difficult for them to offer thorough care to their patients. To overcome these challenges, it can be helpful to be prepared for them. Read on to discover common hurdles in commercial plumbing for healthcare professionals.

High Demand and Constant Usage

As many healthcare facilities run around the clock, offering their services at all times, the plumbing systems installed are likely to be constantly in use. This means the plumbing system will need to work hard, which can lead to wear and tear, particularly if the system is old and outdated. Some systems will be unable to keep up with the demand placed on them by the healthcare facility, meaning they are unable to provide full care.

Outdated Systems

Older systems might not be able to meet the current needs of a healthcare facility, especially if the space has grown or it is struggling to meet demands. Thankfully, outdated systems can be updated by professionals to help ensure that the plumbing system is capable of meeting the needs of a healthcare facility effectively and safely.

Emergency Plumbing Situations

As healthcare facilities will generally provide care at all hours, night and day, emergencies can be highly inconvenient and directly impact the patients in the facility’s care. Flooding from leaking pipes, for example, can cause severe water damage to a building and need to be checked and repaired as soon as possible. Finding emergency commercial plumbing services can therefore be important, as a team of experts will resolve the problem as soon as possible.

Preventing Legionella and Other Diseases

Diseases can easily spread in a hospital without the right hygiene practices and security measures. Cross-contamination, caused by contaminated water leaking into the clean water supply in the plumbing system, can lead to the spread of harmful bacteria and diseases throughout a healthcare facility.

Similarly, Legionella is a harmful bacteria that can often be found within taps and showers that are not often used, as well as in air conditioning systems, spa pools and hot tubs. Inhaling droplets with Legionella bacteria inside can cause a serious condition known as Legionnaires’ disease, which can require hospital treatment to be treated. Luckily, equipment can be tested for Legionella routinely by experts to help detect this bacteria.

How to Choose a Plumbing Service

If you’re responsible for a healthcare facility, it’s important to find a plumbing service that can support your property and meet its requirements. Read on to find some key things to consider when choosing a commercial plumbing service provider for your healthcare facility.

Understand the Facility’s Needs

Healthcare facilities come in various shapes and sizes, from large hospitals to local clinics. Depending on the size, there may also be different opening hours and services offered, which change the requirements needed for a plumbing system. Determining what your facility requires from a plumbing system should help you decide which service meets your needs best.

Consider Reliability and Availability

If your healthcare facility provides care to patients around the clock, you will likely need a plumbing service provider that can help you at all hours. When choosing a company, therefore, it’s worth taking into account their availability. Businesses that have strict opening hours might be more suited to healthcare facilities that are only open for part of the day, for example.

Tips for Transforming a Plumbing System

If you think it’s time to revamp your healthcare facility’s plumbing system, some key tips can help you ensure the system is well-suited to your building and its needs. Read on to discover some things to keep in mind when reworking your plumbing system.

Water Filtration

While water filtration isn’t always necessary, it can be helpful for healthcare facilities. Filtration can help to remove any impurities before the water reaches the fixtures throughout the property, ensuring its high quality for various uses including drinking and medical procedures.

Accessibility

It’s worth making sure the plumbing system is easily accessible, as it can make both maintenance and repairs far more simple. This measure can also prevent intrusive work from needing to be carried out across the building, limiting the impact on the services the facility provides.

Commercial Plumbing at Caledonian Heating & Plumbing

If you’re looking for commercial plumbing installations or plumbing maintenance and repairs for your healthcare facility, our experts are here to help. Our team is experienced in providing quality services to various properties, from educational institutions to sports stadiums, preparing us to handle even the most unique plumbing needs. Alongside our commercial plumbing and heating services, we can also provide water treatment services that help ensure your healthcare facility has clean and safe water.

Our team at Caledonian Heating & Plumbing is experienced in providing high-quality services, so let us help you transform your plumbing system today. Please visit our website to learn more about us and our services, or get in touch with our friendly team directly for further support.