Guide for commercial plumbing service contractors · checked 9 November 2026
Commercial plumbing service software for interceptors, med gas, eyewashes and water logs
A commercial plumbing service department does not live on drain calls. It holds agreements on hospitals, nursing homes, labs, kitchens and schools where the plumbing carries legal clocks: interceptors that must be pumped before grease passes 25% of the depth, eyewashes activated every week, medical gas tested by a credentialed verifier after any work, and hot water held inside a Legionella program's control limits. This guide covers how that work runs, what to record, and how to set software up around it.
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Short answer
Commercial plumbing service contractors usually run on BuildOps or ServiceTrade (built for commercial service agreements and multi-site accounts), ServiceTitan's commercial plumbing features, or Simpro and Commusoft where projects and service share one system. The deciding features are an asset register per building (interceptors, backflow assemblies, mixing valves, eyewashes, medical gas zone valves, water heaters), recurring work generated from each asset's own interval, credential checks before a tech touches medical gas, and records a city FOG inspector, a hospital surveyor or a lab safety officer can read without calling you.
25%
Combined FOG and solids in an interceptor above which Kirkland, WA treats it as a violation; quarterly pumping is the minimum
source: City of Kirkland WA Public Works, Fats, oils and grease (FOG) program, KMC 15.36
Weekly
ANSI Z358.1 activation of plumbed eyewashes, plus a detailed annual test of flow, spray pattern and temperature
150 psig
NFPA 99 initial pressure test on new medical gas joints, before wall close-in, witnessed by an ASSE 6020 inspector, 6030 verifier or the AHJ
0.25%
Weighted average lead on wetted surfaces for any part going into a potable system (0.2% for solder and flux)
How a job runs
One commercial plumbing service job, from first call to paid
The order the work really happens in, and what has to be written down at each step so nothing is argued about later.
- 1
Survey the building and register every regulated asset
A new commercial account starts with a walk of the mechanical rooms, kitchens, labs and patient floors. Each interceptor, grease trap, backflow assembly, water heater, thermostatic mixing valve, emergency eyewash and shower, and medical gas zone valve box gets a tag, a location, a make and model, a size and a photo. This register is what every later schedule, quote and report hangs off.
- 2
Price the agreement asset by asset
The agreement lists which assets are covered and at what interval: interceptor pumping (Kirkland's minimum is quarterly, with traps cleaned weekly), annual eyewash and shower testing, annual or quarterly medical gas checks depending on the owner, mixing valve checks, and Legionella program support. It also states the response time for emergency calls and a not-to-exceed amount above which the owner must approve a repair; both are set by each owner, so they live on the agreement, not in a tech's head.
- 3
Generate the recurring work from each asset's interval
Interceptors are due on the earlier of their calendar interval or the 25% depth trigger, so the measured depth at each visit feeds the next due date. Eyewashes get one annual test job each, while the weekly activations are usually done by the building's own staff and logged on the tag. Medical gas work is scheduled with the hospital's facilities team because zones must be shut down and patients moved.
- 4
Check the credential before the dispatch
Medical gas work requires people qualified to the ASSE Series 6000 standards: 6010 installers, 6020 inspectors, 6030 verifiers, 6040 maintenance personnel. A job on a zone valve or outlet should not reach a tech who lacks the right card, and after any work the affected portion of the system must be tested before it goes back into service.
- 5
Do the visit and capture readings, not just a signature
An interceptor visit records depth of the FOG layer and solids, gallons removed, hauler and manifest number. An eyewash test records flow in gpm, water temperature (tepid is 60 to 100°F), spray pattern and nozzle height. A mixing valve check records the outlet temperature against the device limit. A Legionella sample point records hot and cold temperatures against the program's control limits.
- 6
Fit parts that pass the lead-free and listing rules
Every fitting, valve and fixture that touches drinking water must meet the 0.25% weighted average lead limit, and since 1 September 2023 manufacturers and importers must certify it. A short list of devices is exempt (toilets, urinals, flushometer valves, shower valves, gate valves 2 in and larger on mains, non-potable services), so the van stock and the purchase order should show which is which.
- 7
Stop and quote when the fix is bigger than the visit
A failed eyewash mixing valve, a cracked interceptor baffle or a medical gas outlet leaking on a patient floor becomes a priced proposal with photos. Work above the owner's not-to-exceed amount waits for written approval; urgent life safety items get a temporary fix and an alert to the facilities manager.
- 8
Close with the record each inspector will ask for
Kirkland expects FOG logs with the date of cleaning, who cleaned it and how much FOG was removed, kept for at least three years. Hospital surveyors reviewing a Legionella program look for test results and the corrective actions taken when limits were not met. Labs keep weekly activation tags on the eyewash. The service record should produce each of those directly.
- 9
Invoice against the agreement and report the portfolio
Agreement visits bill on schedule; extra work bills with its approval attached. Each month the owner sees assets serviced, assets overdue, readings out of range and open proposals, building by building.
What to record
The fields every commercial plumbing service job should capture
Each regulated asset (one record per tagged device)
- Type (interceptor, grease trap, backflow assembly, water heater, mixing valve, eyewash, eye/face wash, drench shower, med gas zone valve box, outlet, alarm panel), tag number, building, floor, room
- Make, model, size or capacity (interceptor gallons, heater gallons and input, valve size), install date, photo of the nameplate
- Standard it is listed to where relevant: ASSE 1070, 1017 or 1016 for mixing valves; ANSI Z358.1 for eyewash equipment
- Interval and next due date; for medical gas, the NFPA 99 risk category of the space it serves (Category 1 is where failure is likely to cause major injury or death)
Each compliance visit
- Interceptor: FOG layer depth, solids depth, percent of liquid depth, gallons removed, hauler, manifest number, baffle and tee condition
- Eyewash and shower: flow (eyewash 0.4 gpm minimum, eye/face wash 3.0 gpm, shower 20 gpm), temperature, time to full flow, nozzle height 33 to 53 in, obstructions within the 10 second path
- Mixing valve: set point, measured outlet temperature, standard (ASSE 1070 devices are rejected above 120°F in test)
- Legionella sample point: hot and cold temperatures and disinfectant residual against the program's control limits, plus the corrective action when out of range
Each medical gas job and each part fitted
- Zone or outlet affected, shutdown authorised by (the facility's designated responsible facility authority), shutdown start and end
- Installer and verifier names with ASSE 6010, 6020, 6030 or 6040 card numbers and expiry
- Tests done after the work: pressure, cross-connection, alarms tripped and verified, verifier report attached
- Parts: description, manufacturer, lead-free certified yes or no, exempt category if not, potable or non-potable service
Rules and standards
The rules that shape the work, with their sources
| Rule | What it means on the job |
|---|---|
| FOG ordinances: the 25% rule and minimum pumping | Kirkland, WA requires weekly cleaning of grease traps and quarterly pumping of interceptor tanks at a minimum, by authorised contractors. More than 25 percent buildup of solids and scum in a trap or interceptor is a violation. City codes word the 25% differently (depth in some, volume in others), so the measurement method belongs on the site record. source: City of Kirkland WA Public Works, Fats, oils and grease (FOG) program, KMC 15.36 |
| FOG ordinances: records the city inspects | Kirkland's FOG log should note the dates of cleaning, who did the cleaning and how much FOG was removed. Records must be available to the city inspector and kept for at least three years. Violations can bring fines and water or sewer shutoff, and the owner is liable for cleanup costs from a sewer backup. source: City of Kirkland WA Public Works, Fats, oils and grease (FOG) program, KMC 15.36 |
| Medical gas personnel: ASSE Series 6000 | The 2024 edition of ASSE/IAPMO/ANSI Series 6000 defines installers (6010), inspectors (6020), verifiers (6030), bulk and cryogenic supply verifiers (6035), maintenance personnel (6040) and designers (6060), and aligns with NFPA 99-2024. Local authorities, facilities and employers may adopt these certifications as requirements. source: IAPMO, ASSE/IAPMO/ANSI Series 6000-2024 now available (11 Mar 2025) |
| Medical gas: testing before and after work (NFPA 99) | Initial pressure tests on new piping are joint tests at 150 psig before wall close-in, witnessed by an ASSE 6020 inspector, an ASSE 6030 verifier or the AHJ. A system inspection is required before final verification (5.1.12.2), and affected portions must be tested after any work is performed. source: Consulting-Specifying Engineer, The medical gas code updates within NFPA 99 (11 Oct 2022) |
| Medical gas: maintenance program and who may do it | CMS requires hospitals to meet the 2012 edition of NFPA 99, which calls for a maintenance program with inventories, inspection and maintenance schedules and procedures developed through a risk assessment. Some frequencies are set in NFPA 99 and others are left to the facility. Maintenance staff hold ASSE 6030 or 6040 credentials or a documented facility training program. source: Health Facilities Management, What CMS' changes mean for medical gas system regulations (5 Oct 2016) |
| Medical gas: the 2021 edition changes | NFPA 99-2021 requires the facility to designate an on-site responsible facility authority (5.1.14.1.2.1), requires outlets in spaces no longer used for patient care to be decommissioned or removed (5.1.14.3.5), and requires all outlets to be served through a local zone valve box. source: Consulting-Specifying Engineer, How to interpret NFPA 99 medical gas, electrical changes (24 Jun 2021) |
| Legionella: CMS memorandum 17-30 | Hospitals, critical access hospitals and long-term care facilities must have water management policies and procedures that consider ASHRAE 188 and the CDC toolkit. Facilities set testing protocols and acceptable ranges for control measures, and document results and the corrective actions taken when limits are not met. Surveyors review those records and cite non-compliance. source: Environmental Law Institute, Legionella management in building water systems: CMS memorandum 17-30 |
| Legionella: the CDC toolkit | CDC's 36-page toolkit (updated March 2024) explains which buildings and devices need a water management program, is written for building owners and managers, and has a separate section for healthcare facilities. The plumber is usually the one taking the temperatures and fixing what fails, not the program owner. source: CDC, Toolkit: Developing a Legionella water management program (15 Mar 2024) |
| Eyewash: OSHA's duty and the ANSI Z358.1 detail | OSHA 1910.151(c) requires suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body within the work area where people may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials. ANSI Z358.1 supplies the detail: reachable within 10 seconds, on in one second or less, tepid fluid at 60 to 100°F for 15 minutes, eyewash flow at least 0.4 gpm (3.0 gpm for eye/face washes), nozzles 33 to 53 in from the floor. source: Illinois State University EHS, Emergency eyewashes and showers (ANSI Z358.1 requirements) |
| Eyewash: weekly activation, annual test | Plumbed eyewashes are activated weekly. Nevada OSHA adopted ANSI Z358.1 as law through regulation R069-20 in 2022. The annual test is more detailed and verifies flow rate, spray pattern and temperature; the University of Nevada, Reno recommends documenting every inspection with a checklist, name and date. source: University of Nevada, Reno EHS, Emergency eyewash station weekly activation FAQ (Nevada OSHA R069-20) |
| Tempered water: ASSE 1070 limiting devices | The 2021 IPC section 607.1.2 requires a temperature limiting device conforming to ASSE 1070 to be set to not greater than 110°F where tempered water is required. The standard rejects a 1070 device if the outlet exceeds 120°F at any time during its temperature variation test and requires it to hold within 7°F. source: ICC Building Safety Journal, Week three Building Safety Month event covers hot water safety (17 May 2021) |
| Lead-free parts: SDWA section 1417 | Pipes, fittings, fixtures and valves in potable systems must not exceed a weighted average of 0.25% lead across wetted surfaces, and solder and flux 0.2%. Since 1 September 2023 manufacturers and importers must certify their products. Exempt: toilets, bidets, urinals, fill valves, flushometer valves, tub fillers, shower valves, service saddles, main gate valves 2 in and larger, and products used only for non-potable service. source: US EPA, Use of lead free pipes, fittings, fixtures, solder and flux for drinking water (SDWA section 1417) |
Rules vary by state, council and contract. Checked 9 November 2026; confirm against the source for your area before relying on it.
Numbers
The intervals and limits a commercial plumbing service department schedules around
Each figure is from the source named. FOG rules differ by city (Kirkland is shown as one real example); medical gas intervals differ by owner and country.
| Item | Figure | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Grease trap cleaning | Weekly | Kirkland, WA FOG program (KMC 15.36) |
| Grease interceptor pumping | Quarterly at a minimum | Kirkland, WA FOG program |
| FOG and solids buildup | Over 25% is a violation | Kirkland, WA FOG program |
| FOG maintenance records | Kept 3 years minimum | Kirkland, WA FOG program |
| Plumbed eyewash activation | Weekly; detailed test annually | ANSI Z358.1 via UNR and Illinois State EHS |
| Eyewash flushing fluid | 60 to 100°F for 15 minutes; 0.4 gpm (eye/face wash 3.0 gpm) | ANSI Z358.1 via Illinois State EHS |
| Reach an eyewash | No more than 10 seconds | ANSI Z358.1 via Illinois State EHS |
| Tempered water limiting device | Set to not greater than 110°F (ASSE 1070) | 2021 IPC 607.1.2 |
| ASSE 1070 test rejection | Outlet above 120°F; must hold within 7°F | ASSE 1070 via PHCPPros |
| Medical gas initial joint test | 150 psig, before wall close-in | NFPA 99-2021 via CSE |
| Medical gas system testing | Annual minimum is typical in the US; quarterly in larger UK hospitals | BeaconMedaes |
| Lead content of wetted surfaces | 0.25% weighted average; solder and flux 0.2% | EPA, SDWA section 1417 |
source: City of Kirkland WA Public Works, Fats, oils and grease (FOG) program, KMC 15.36source: University of Nevada, Reno EHS, Emergency eyewash station weekly activation FAQ (Nevada OSHA R069-20)source: Illinois State University EHS, Emergency eyewashes and showers (ANSI Z358.1 requirements)source: ICC Building Safety Journal, Week three Building Safety Month event covers hot water safety (17 May 2021)source: PHCPPros, Code Classroom: The ASSE 1070 standard, Ron George (1 Apr 2022)source: Consulting-Specifying Engineer, How to interpret NFPA 99 medical gas, electrical changes (24 Jun 2021)source: BeaconMedaes, The importance of medical gas system testing in healthcare facilities (19 Nov 2025)source: US EPA, Use of lead free pipes, fittings, fixtures, solder and flux for drinking water (SDWA section 1417)
Where it breaks
Where spreadsheets and generic software fall over
Interceptors are scheduled every 90 days in a spreadsheet, but the kitchen at one site fills past 25% in six weeks, and the city inspector finds it before your next visit.
Each interceptor records the measured FOG and solids percentage at every pump-out. When a site comes in high, the next due date shortens automatically and the account manager gets a flag to raise the frequency with the owner.
A tech without an ASSE 6010 card is sent to replace a medical gas outlet because they were closest, and the hospital's facilities director refuses to let them start.
Medical gas jobs carry a required credential. Dispatch only offers techs whose card is current, and the job cannot close without the verifier's name, card number and test report.
The annual eyewash test sheet says 'OK' for 40 units, with no flow, temperature or nozzle height, and the lab safety officer cannot use it in an audit.
The eyewash test is a form with the Z358.1 fields: flow in gpm, temperature, time to full flow, nozzle height, obstruction check, photo of the tag. A reading outside the limits cannot be marked as a pass.
A hospital's Legionella program sets hot water limits, your tech records a low reading at a sample point and fixes a mixing valve, but nobody writes down the corrective action, and the surveyor asks for it.
Out-of-range readings open a corrective action record linked to the sample point, with what was found, what was done and a re-test reading, so the facility's water management file has both halves.
A brass fitting from the clearance bin goes onto a potable line because the van stock does not say which parts are lead-free certified.
Every stocked part carries a lead-free certified flag or its exempt category. A part without either cannot be added to a potable-service job line.
The FOG manifest from the hauler sits in a truck glove box, and the restaurant chain's head office cannot show the city three years of records for one store.
The manifest is photographed at the visit and attached to the interceptor record, and each owner can download the full pump-out history per site from the portal.
Checklist
The commercial plumbing service operations checklist
Print it, or hand it to whoever runs the office side.
- Every interceptor, trap, backflow assembly, heater, mixing valve, eyewash and med gas zone box tagged and registered
- City FOG rule per site: measurement method, minimum interval, record retention
- FOG and solids percentage recorded at every pump-out, with hauler and manifest number
- Interceptor due dates shortened automatically when a site comes in over 25%
- Eyewash and shower annual test with flow, temperature, spray pattern and nozzle height
- Weekly activation responsibility written into the agreement (owner staff or you)
- ASSE 6000 series card number and expiry on every tech who works on medical gas
- Medical gas shutdowns authorised by the facility's responsible person and logged with times
- Post-work testing and verifier report attached before a medical gas job closes
- Legionella sample points with control limits, readings and corrective actions
- Mixing valve set points and measured outlet temperatures logged per valve
- Lead-free certified or exempt flag on every stocked part
- Not-to-exceed amount and emergency response time per owner on the agreement
- Monthly owner report: assets serviced, overdue, out of range, open proposals
Software options
What software commercial plumbing service contractors actually use
Judge each one on whether it fits the way your jobs run, not on the feature list. Bring a real job to every demo.
BuildOps
Larger commercial plumbing and mechanical contractors running service and projects together
Built for commercial contractors. Markets custom service agreements and backflow preventive maintenance to commercial plumbers. Check how per-asset intervals, readings and credentials are modelled.
ServiceTrade
Commercial service contractors with inspection-heavy, multi-site agreements
Strongest in fire protection and mechanical, also used by commercial plumbing. Inspections link to quotes, repairs and compliance reporting. Ask to see plumbing-specific forms (interceptors, eyewashes) in the demo.
ServiceTitan
Plumbing companies doing both residential and commercial work, often already on ServiceTitan
Its plumbing product includes commercial service agreements for recurring services, a customer portal for service history, work requests and invoices, and job costing for commercial bids.
Simpro
Plumbing contractors that run projects, service and maintenance in one system
Common with contractors that do installation projects as well as service. Check how compliance readings and asset intervals are handled for FOG and eyewash work.
Commusoft
Plumbing businesses with 6 or more staff
Service contracts generate recurring jobs and invoices on a schedule (for example every 6 months), with van stock as virtual warehouses and job costing. More general trades software than commercial compliance.
FieldEdge
Small and mid-market multi-truck plumbing companies
Dispatch board for multiple trucks and business units, and job-level profitability. Its plumbing page is written for service companies generally rather than commercial compliance work.
Published prices, compared:source: ServiceTitan, Plumbing software (commercial plumbing section)source: Commusoft, Plumbing software and mobile appsource: FieldEdge, Plumbing software
Questions to ask any vendor
- Can I register every interceptor, eyewash, mixing valve, backflow assembly and medical gas zone box as its own asset with its own interval?
- Does an interceptor's next due date move when the measured FOG and solids percentage comes in high?
- Can a medical gas job require a current ASSE 6010, 6030 or 6040 card before it is dispatched, and block closing without the verifier's report?
- Can an eyewash test form refuse a pass when flow or temperature is outside the ANSI Z358.1 limits?
- Does an out-of-range Legionella reading open a corrective action with a re-test, linked to that sample point?
- Can each owner see and download pump-out manifests, test reports and readings per building from a portal?
Bring one real commercial plumbing service job. We show it running in Fieldproxy.
Get DemoHow Fieldproxy is set up for this
Commercial plumbing service on Fieldproxy: built around how you already work
A Fieldproxy setup for a commercial plumbing service department is built around the tagged asset in each building: the interceptor with its city rule, the eyewash with its Z358.1 limits, the medical gas zone box with its risk category, the mixing valve with its set point. Agreements, recurring visits, credentials, readings, proposals and the owner's reports all hang off that register, so every inspector gets the record they ask for.
Module 1
Building and asset register
Every interval, limit and credential rule belongs to a specific device, not to the customer.
- Records: Owner > Site > Building > Room > Asset, with asset types interceptor, grease trap, backflow assembly, water heater, mixing valve, eyewash, eye/face wash, drench shower, med gas zone valve box, outlet, alarm panel
- Asset fields: tag, make, model, size, install date, nameplate photo, listed standard (ASSE 1070, 1017, Z358.1), interval, next due
- Site fields: city FOG rule (measurement method, minimum interval, record retention), hospital or lab contact, responsible facility authority for medical gas
- Medical gas assets carry the NFPA 99 risk category of the space they serve (e.g. Category 1 for operating rooms)
Module 2
Agreements and pricing
What is covered, how fast you must respond and what needs approval differ by owner.
- Covered assets and visit frequency per asset type (e.g. interceptors quarterly, eyewash annual test, med gas annual)
- Clocks and limits per owner: emergency response hours, not-to-exceed amount per repair, after-hours approval rule
- Who does weekly eyewash activation: owner staff (you supply tags and training) or you (weekly route)
- Status: Draft, Sent, Active, Renewal due; renewal list shows overdue assets and out-of-range readings for the year
Module 3
Recurring compliance work
Hundreds of devices with different clocks only stay current if the schedule builds itself.
- Jobs generated per asset from its interval; interceptors due on the earlier of calendar date or measured fill rate
- Rule: if a pump-out records over 25% FOG and solids, the next due date shortens (e.g. by a third) and the account manager is flagged
- Med gas jobs grouped by zone so one shutdown covers every outlet and alarm in it
- Overdue list per owner and per site, by asset type
Module 4
Credentials and dispatch
A hospital will turn away a tech without the right card, and the record has to show it.
- Tech profile: ASSE 6010, 6020, 6030, 6040 card numbers and expiry, backflow tester certificate, hospital badge and site inductions
- Rule: medical gas jobs only offered to techs with a current matching card; expiring cards flagged 60 days out (e.g.)
- Shutdown record: zone, authorised by, start, end, patients affected notified yes or no
- Emergency calls dispatched against the owner's response clock with arrival time stamped
Module 5
Field forms with real limits
A pass with no reading is worthless to a surveyor or a lab safety officer.
- Interceptor form: FOG depth, solids depth, percent of liquid depth, gallons removed, hauler, manifest photo, baffle and tee condition
- Eyewash form: flow gpm, temperature, time to full flow, nozzle height, 10 second path clear, tag photo; fails below 0.4 gpm or outside 60 to 100°F
- Mixing valve form: set point, measured outlet temperature, listed standard
- Med gas form: tests done, alarms tripped and verified, verifier name and card, report upload; offline on the tech app
Module 6
Legionella readings and corrective actions
Facilities must show both the reading and what was done when it was out of range.
- Sample points per building with the owner's control limits (hot and cold temperature, disinfectant residual)
- Reading outside limits opens a Corrective action: found, action taken, re-test reading, closed by
- Export in the facility's water management program format for surveyors
Module 7
Parts and van stock
Lead-free status and listings have to be known before a part goes on a potable line.
- Part fields: lead-free certified yes or no, exempt category, potable or non-potable, listed standard
- Rule: an uncertified, non-exempt part cannot be added to a potable-service job line
- Van stock per tech for common interceptor, mixing valve and eyewash parts; reorder points
Module 8
Proposals and approvals
Most extra revenue comes from failures found on compliance visits.
- Proposal from failed readings with photos and asset tags; owner approves line by line online
- Work above the not-to-exceed amount held as Awaiting approval; approval stored on the invoice
- Life safety failures (eyewash, med gas alarm) flagged urgent with a temporary fix noted
Module 9
Owner portal and compliance reports
City FOG inspectors, hospital surveyors and lab safety officers each want their own record.
- Portal per owner: assets by building, due and overdue, readings, manifests, test reports, open proposals
- PDFs in your template: FOG pump-out history per site (3 years or the city's period), annual eyewash test register, med gas verification packet
- Dashboards: overdue assets, out-of-range readings, sites with rising interceptor fill rates, response time met per owner
- Invoices to QuickBooks or Xero
The AI agents, set up for commercial plumbing service contractors
| Agent | When | What it does | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watcher agent | An interceptor comes in over 25%, an eyewash reading fails, a Legionella reading is out of range, or a tech's ASSE card is about to expire | Checks the reading against the asset's limit and the site's rule, and the card against open medical gas jobs | An alert to the service manager naming the building and asset, a corrective action record, or a shortened due date |
| Dispatch agent | A medical gas job, an emergency call or a batch of recurring visits is ready to assign | Matches techs by distance, current ASSE 6000 series card, hospital badge and van stock of the right parts | Assigned techs with arrival times inside each owner's response clock |
| Vision agent | A tech photographs a hauler manifest, an eyewash tag or a mixing valve nameplate | Reads the manifest number and gallons, the tag dates, or the make, model and listed standard | Filled interceptor visit fields, eyewash history, or the asset's make, model and ASSE listing |
| Document intelligence agent | A facilities team emails a PDF work order or a hospital sends its annual medical gas schedule | Reads the site, asset, requested work and dates | Jobs on the right assets, with the zone shutdown windows the hospital gave |
| Autopilot | A proposal from a failed eyewash or interceptor visit has no answer after e.g. 7 days | Drafts a follow-up naming the asset, the reading that failed and the rule it breaks | A draft email to the facilities manager that a person approves before it sends |
| Scheduler agent | First Monday of each month | Totals assets serviced and overdue, readings out of range, corrective actions open, proposals waiting and response times met per owner | A monthly compliance summary to each owner and an internal service report |
Straight answers
Commercial plumbing service: FAQ
What software do commercial plumbing service contractors use?
Common choices are BuildOps and ServiceTrade for commercial service agreements and multi-site accounts, ServiceTitan's commercial plumbing features, and Simpro or Commusoft where projects and service share one system. What matters most is an asset register per building with each device's own interval and limits, credential checks for medical gas work, and records a FOG inspector, hospital surveyor or lab safety officer can use directly.
How often does a grease interceptor need to be pumped?
It depends on the city. Kirkland, WA requires quarterly pumping at a minimum and weekly cleaning of grease traps, and treats more than 25% buildup of solids and scum as a violation. Many cities use the same 25% trigger with a calendar minimum, so a busy kitchen may need pumping more often than the minimum.
What records does a city FOG inspector want?
Kirkland asks for the dates of cleaning, who did it and how much FOG was removed, kept for at least three years and available to the inspector. Keep the hauler's manifest with each pump-out.
Who is allowed to work on hospital medical gas systems?
NFPA 99 relies on the ASSE Series 6000 credentials: 6010 installers, 6020 inspectors, 6030 verifiers and 6040 maintenance personnel. Initial pressure tests on new joints are done at 150 psig before walls close, witnessed by a 6020 inspector, a 6030 verifier or the AHJ, and affected portions are tested after any work.
How often are medical gas systems tested?
In the US, annual testing is a typical minimum; in larger UK hospitals quarterly inspection is common. CMS requires hospitals to follow NFPA 99 (2012 edition), which sets some frequencies and leaves others to the facility's risk assessment, so the schedule comes from the hospital's maintenance program.
How often must emergency eyewashes be tested?
ANSI Z358.1 calls for weekly activation of plumbed units and a more detailed annual test of flow rate, spray pattern and temperature. Nevada OSHA adopted Z358.1 as law in 2022. OSHA 1910.151(c) itself only requires suitable flushing facilities where corrosive exposure is possible.
What water temperature should an eyewash deliver?
Tepid, defined as 60 to 100°F, for a full 15 minutes. Eyewashes must deliver at least 0.4 gpm (3.0 gpm for eye/face washes), be reachable within 10 seconds and turn on in one second or less.
Do plumbers have a role in hospital Legionella programs?
Yes. CMS memo 17-30 requires hospitals, critical access hospitals and nursing homes to run water management programs that set control limits, test against them and document corrective actions. The plumbing contractor often takes the temperature readings and repairs mixing valves and dead legs, so those readings and fixes need to land in the facility's records.
What does lead-free mean for commercial plumbing parts?
Wetted surfaces must not exceed a weighted average of 0.25% lead, and solder and flux 0.2%. Since 1 September 2023 manufacturers and importers must certify compliance. Some devices are exempt, such as toilets, urinals, flushometer valves, shower valves and parts used only for non-potable service.
What temperature limit applies to an ASSE 1070 mixing valve?
The 2021 IPC section 607.1.2 requires the ASSE 1070 limiting device to be set to not greater than 110°F where tempered water is required. The standard rejects a device whose outlet goes above 120°F during its temperature variation test.
How does Fieldproxy fit a commercial plumbing service company?
It is set up around the tagged assets in each building: interceptors with their city rule, eyewashes with Z358.1 limits, medical gas zones with their risk category and required credentials, mixing valves and Legionella sample points with control limits. Recurring visits, dispatch, readings, corrective actions, proposals and each owner's portal and reports run from that register.
Related guides
All sources on this page (27)
- source: City of Kirkland WA Public Works, Fats, oils and grease (FOG) program, KMC 15.36
- source: University of Nevada, Reno EHS, Emergency eyewash station weekly activation FAQ (Nevada OSHA R069-20)
- source: Consulting-Specifying Engineer, How to interpret NFPA 99 medical gas, electrical changes (24 Jun 2021)
- source: US EPA, Use of lead free pipes, fittings, fixtures, solder and flux for drinking water (SDWA section 1417)
- source: IAPMO, ASSE/IAPMO/ANSI Series 6000-2024 now available (11 Mar 2025)
- source: Consulting-Specifying Engineer, The medical gas code updates within NFPA 99 (11 Oct 2022)
- source: Health Facilities Management, What CMS' changes mean for medical gas system regulations (5 Oct 2016)
- source: Environmental Law Institute, Legionella management in building water systems: CMS memorandum 17-30
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