For many years, repiping has been the standard method of dealing with leaking or corroded pipes. Cutting open the walls and replacing the pipes (repiping) is as inconvenient as it sounds. Owners often express frustration at living in a construction zone for weeks. Even when the installing contractors take the greatest of care, a repipe is a messy and inconvenient experience to live through. Complete repiping, however, is often believed to be the only method for repairing a building's water distribution system.
Replacing the deteriorated pipes in a building with good quality pipes will solve the problems for many years depending on piping design, grade of pipe used and water quality. In some areas of Canada the water is more acidic and the corrosion process begins anew as soon as the water is turned back on.
The decision to perform a complete repipe is not an easy one and often comes at the end of a long period of spot repairs that eventually just becomes economically unviable. At this point, building owners require information on the alternatives available for repairing their water systems.
In certain buildings it may be possible to restore the existing piping. Pipe restoration involves cleaning the existing pipes and coating the interior of the pipes with a strong, safe, two-part epoxy. In certain circumstances, this process may be faster, cheaper and certainly cleaner than a repipe, as there is much less destruction of the building walls and ceilings.
Pipe relining is not new. The Japanese pioneered the process 32 years ago. Industries using highly aggressive chemicals started coating their pipes and storage tanks to protect them from strong chemicals years ago.
Since that early beginning, the process has won acceptance around the world for many applications. Companies in Europe and the USA have been epoxy coating domestic water lines for more than 13 years. Many municipal governments are aware of the benefits of epoxy lining. For example, in Vancouver, the Greater Vancouver Regional District now replaces all pipes with epoxy lined pipes.
The process has three stages. In stage one, the plumbing fixtures are removed from an isolated section of the building, usually one riser. Air hoses, fed from a specially adapted compressor, are connected to the exposed pipes. The pipes are then heated and dried thoroughly. Stage two is cleaning. An air-sand mixture is blasted into each isolated section of pipe to remove any corrosion. The sand is collected at the bottom of the riser and not released into the environment. Stage three is protection against further corrosion. A two-part NSF-61 (National Sanitation Foundation) epoxy is introduced into the pipes with the forced air. The NSF-61 certification is the most stringent domestic water testing standard in the world. The epoxy is allowed to cure for up to 24 hours and following this, a pressure test is conducted. Although the process sounds simple, specialized equipment and training are required.
The pipe relining method for repairing domestic water systems may not be recommended for all buildings, however, building owners should be aware that there is more than one method to eliminate their plumbing problems. Then they can make informed decisions about their own situation.
For more information about pipe relining, contact Danny Akman at 944-9721