When a business plumbing problem is an emergency
Some problems can wait until tomorrow. These ones cannot, because they shut a business down or damage a building:
- Sewage or gray water coming out of a floor drain or restroom
- A burst or leaking supply line that is flooding a floor or a neighbor's unit
- A commercial drain or grate that has failed and needs to be opened right away
- No water at the building, or a main valve that will not close
- A grease line backing up into a kitchen during service
Plumbing help when the doors are locked
Many commercial plumbing failures happen overnight or on a weekend, when nobody is in the building to notice. The first people to find them are often staff arriving to a wet floor.
When you call, tell us the address, the type of space, who has keys and which fixture is the source. If you have a property manager or landlord, check who owns the pipe, because in leased space the answer decides who authorizes the work and who pays.
Water on the floor after closing?
Our line is answered 24/7. Call and we will line up a same-day visit.
The small commercial properties we work in
Our scope is small and mid-size spaces, not large industrial or high-rise buildings.
Restaurants and cafes
Floor drains, three-compartment sinks, dishwashers, restrooms and kitchen drain lines.
Offices and retail
Restrooms, break-room sinks, water heaters and supply lines in suites and storefronts.
Shops and light industrial
Floor drains, utility sinks and hose bibs in small garages, studios and workshops.
Rental and multi-unit buildings
Common-area leaks, shared drain lines and unit-level repairs when the owner authorizes the call.
Midvale's business districts range from the older storefronts on Main Street in the historic downtown to the retail on the east side, including the Shops at Fort Union. Older buildings mean older pipe, and we tell you what we see before work starts.
What we do and what we do not do
Honest limits are better than a surprise on the invoice.
| We handle | We refer or do not do |
|---|---|
| Drain clogs and sewer line backups in small buildings | Large industrial process piping |
| Leaks, burst pipes and shutoff valve repair | Fire sprinkler systems |
| Water heaters, fixtures and restroom repairs | Medical gas and specialty lab systems |
| Floor drain and grease line clearing | Large grease interceptor pumping with a vacuum truck |
| Backflow questions and coordination | Setting city or utility requirements |
Backflow testing and cross-connection rules
A backflow device keeps water from flowing backward into the public supply. Irrigation systems, fire lines and some commercial equipment need one, and the assembly is typically tested on a schedule set by the water provider.
Midvale runs a cross-connection program. The administrator is at 801-567-7287, and that is the right first call to ask what your property needs, how often the test is due and who the city accepts for the test. Ask the city before booking anything. Missing a required test can lead a water provider to lock valves, which is a hard way to find out a deadline passed.
Grease traps and kitchen drain lines
A restaurant sends fat, oil and food scraps down its drains all day. A grease trap catches most of it before it reaches the sewer, but it has to be emptied or the fat moves on and blocks the line.
We clean and service small grease traps and clear the drain lines around them. Large outdoor grease interceptors are pumped by hauling companies with vacuum trucks, and we will tell you if yours needs one. How often a trap needs cleaning depends on the kitchen, and the city or the sewer district for your address may set a schedule, so ask them.
How a commercial emergency call goes
The process is short and the questions are specific.
- 1
You call
Give us the address, the type of space and the problem. We ask who has the keys.
- 2
We book the visit
We schedule the first same-day opening available for your address.
- 3
On site
We find the source, stop the water or clear the line and tell you what we see.
- 4
Clear price
You hear the price before work starts, and then approve it or not.
Commercial leak detection, with honest limits
A leak in a commercial building is harder to trace than one in a house, because pipes run through walls, ceilings and shared chases. We can often find a leak in a small space with a meter check and a visual search of the usual spots, but we will say plainly when a job is beyond what we can do cleanly.
In multi-tenant buildings, the owner often has to approve access to shared systems. See leak detection for how we trace a hidden leak, and expect us to tell you if the source sits in a part of the building we cannot work on.
A note on storm drains and spills
Storm drains are meant for rain runoff, not for treatment, so wash water, grease and chemicals do not belong in them. If you see a spill or illegal discharge into a storm drain, report it to Midvale Public Works at 801-567-7235.
Floor drains inside a building usually connect to the sanitary sewer, not the storm system. If you are not sure which one a drain feeds, tell us and we will check before we clear it.
Do you handle it, or call a plumber?
Some small tasks are fine for staff or a handyman. Some are not.
Staff or handyman
- Plunging a single toilet
- Replacing a flapper or aerator
- Resetting a tripped disposal
- Clearing a hair trap in a sink
Licensed plumber
- Sewage or backups in floor drains
- Any burst pipe or valve that will not close
- Grease line backups
- Backflow devices and permit-related work
What affects the cost of commercial plumbing
A restroom drain and a restaurant main line are not the same job.
Business property insurance and landlord policies handle damage differently. Check who is responsible before you authorize repairs, and photograph the scene.
Related drain and sewer work
Most commercial calls begin with a drain. Drain cleaning covers the clog itself, while sewer line cleaning covers a blocked main. If a camera finds a broken pipe, sewer line repair is the next step.
Where this guidance comes from
Commercial work follows the International Plumbing Code (IPC), and backflow rules come from the city's cross-connection program. Ask Midvale Building and Safety about permits for your building.
Commercial plumbing questions from Midvale businesses
Yes. The line is answered 24/7, including holidays. We book same-day appointments when available and give you a clear price before work starts.
Small and mid-size spaces such as restaurants, offices, retail units, shops and small multi-unit buildings. We do not take large industrial or high-rise projects.
Start with the Midvale cross-connection program at 801-567-7287. Ask what your property needs, how often, and who is accepted to do the test.
We service small grease traps and clear the lines around them. If you have a large outdoor interceptor, a hauler with a vacuum truck is the right call, and we will tell you.
It depends on your lease. Call your landlord or property manager as well, and tell us who authorizes the work.
In small spaces, often yes. In large buildings with shared systems, we will tell you if it is beyond what we can do.