What is the difference between domestic and commercial heating engineers? Or is there any difference at all? Even if both jobs imply fixing and maintaining similar appliances or systems, this is where the resemblance stops. The issues that a commercial heating engineer deals with are more varied than the ones that occur in a household, and they require specialised intervention.

If you are a commercial landlord, read on the recommendations of our team to understand better why you can’t hire a domestic engineer for any issues that is not domestic.

Do I have to Hire a Commercial Engineer?

Imagine you had a problem with your eyesight – would you take that to an ophthalmologist or to a cardiologist? Both of them are doctors, but only one of them is able to help you with this specific problem. The same principle applies to engineers – some of them are specialised in household systems and appliances, while others are specialised in commercial jobs.

1. More Complex Systems Than In The Domestic Field

The heating and plumbing systems in commercial buildings are more complex than a boiler, basic plumbing, and some accessories.  Moreover, the number of appliances (i.e. AC units, WC’s and sinks, etc.) is considerably greater than in a household, which increases the probability of accidents.

For example, the pipework or the meters that supply an entire office building are too large to be checked by a domestic engineer, and need specialised intervention. Even if a domestic engineer could inspect one of the boilers, they would have no qualification to perform on the largest part of the system. And this brings us to reason number two:

2. A Commercial Job Requires Different Qualifications

The plumbing or heating problems that occur in a household can be unpleasant and disruptive. But, when the same problems occur in a commercial building it can cause serious damage, including temporary suspension of the businesses that operate in the area. Therefore, such problems must be addressed immediately. A specialised engineer will know how to read the mapped out systems, when and where to intervene, and how to minimise the damage.

Aside from qualifications, the experience gained while working on similar issues can save enough time to make the difference between an isolated incident and an accident with devastating effects on long term.

3. Legislation Issues

Another aspect to take into consideration is legislation requirements for commercial buildings, which differs from the requirements for a typical household.  If you’re a business landlord, hiring a specialised team should not be up for discussion. Just like domestic engineers are trained under the regulations regarding households, a commercial engineer will help you not fall foul of the law.

Looking For A Commercial Heating Engineer?

Our team has an experience of over 20 years in heating and plumbing, both commercial and domestic. If you’re looking for a commercial heating engineer, reach out to us and we’ll assign you the people suited best for your needs.