How often do you think about your potable water system? If you’re like most property managers, superintendents, and facility managers, you might only think about it when someone puts in a maintenance ticket or makes a complaint. The truth is that you should be monitoring that system consistently. Your maintenance staff should be vigilant in checking for water spots on your ceilings and walls, loose or wet wallpaper, and sounds of running water when water shouldn’t be running. They should also be on the lookout for low and high water pressure situations, which can also indicate problems. Let’s take a look at the three operating conditions of a potable water system and why they are important.
Potable Water System Operating Conditions
When we talk about the operating conditions of potable water pipes, we are talking about the conditions that ensure the water reaches every apartment or condo in your building at a pressure and flow rate that ensures all water-using appliances have enough water to operate efficiently.
It’s important to note that the conditions change, depending on the size of the pipe, so let’s take a look at the potable water pipe sizes.
Potable Water Pipe Sizes
Potable water pipes can be placed into three categories, including small, medium, and large.
- Large Potable Water Pipes – Large water supply pipes are 2” to 4” in diameter. They span from the municipal water system on the street to the building.
- Medium Potable Water Pipes – Medium-sized water pipes can be found inside the building, usually in the walls. They are typically 1” to 2”, depending on their function.
- Small Potable Water Pipes – Small water pipes are less than 1” in diameter. They can be found connected to sinks, toilets, and other water-using appliances.
Why Does the Size of the Pipe Matter?
The size or diameter of the potable water pipe greatly affects the water pressure and volume of water. Small potable water pipes are great for supplying the right amount of flow and pressure to a single appliance. If you want to find a small diameter pipe, you can look beside your toilet. The cold water line entering the toilet is usually no larger than 3/8-inch. That size of pipe is perfect for filling the tank in a timely manner after someone flushes.
Now, if that pipe were split into two pipes via a T or Y splitter and connected to two toilets or a toilet and a sink, it may not have the volume of water needed to adequately supply both fixtures. In this scenario, the pipe leading into the splitter might need to be larger than 3/8-inch in order to ensure that enough water reaches both fixtures.
1. Large Pipes – High Pressure, Extremely High Volume, Low Velocity
Large water pipes operate under high pressure. Their size means they move large volumes of water, but they do so at a slower velocity. When these pipes develop leaks or completely rupture, they can release a lot of water in a short amount of time.
– Signs of Large Water Pipes Problems
Signs of a large water pipe break include soft, spongy spots on your property. Puddles on the ground when there hasn’t been any rain and low water pressure inside your building.
2. Medium Pipes – High Pressure, High Volume
Medium water pipes operate under high pressure, and they move a lot of water. They also tend to be hidden behind walls, in ceilings, and under floors, making them hard to inspect and repair. The 2” medium-sized pipes are typically used as risers to transport water between floors. The 1” medium water pipes are used to transport water horizontally across the floors and into individual units. Since these water pipes are under a lot of pressure and transport a lot of water, breaks, ruptures, and pinhole leaks can lead to a lot of water damage in a relatively short amount of time.
– Signs of Medium Water Pipe Problems
Signs of a water leak from a medium-sized pipe include water spots on walls and ceilings and mold damage. Individuals may also notice hissing sounds or smell water in the air.
3. Small Pipes – High Pressure, Low Volume
Small water pipes are often visible under sinks and connected to various water-using appliances, like your dishwasher, toilet, clothing washer and shower.
– Signs of Small Water Pipe Problems
These pipes are prone to corrosion and pinhole leaks. Fortunately, the leaks are often easily found and repaired.
Utilizing Preventative Maintenance to Mitigate Potable Water Pipe Problems
Preventative maintenance can save your company money. In fact, it’s estimated that implementing a preventative maintenance plan can save you as much as 18 percent.
What Does Preventative Maintenance Include?
Preventative maintenance is a system of checks and repairs that occur before the equipment breaks. When the preventative maintenance is for plumbing pipes, it involves:
- Formulating a Maintenance Schedule – You can employ the services of a professional Chicago plumber when creating a preventative maintenance schedule. It should include a list of items to check along with how frequently those items should be checked.
- Checking for Water Leaks – Your maintenance plan should include checking for water leaks inside and outside your building. Remember to check under sinks and toilets and around hose bibs and lawn sprinklers.
- Performing Regular Cleaning – It’s important to clean any sediment from sink faucets and showerheads so that the buildup does not clog them. Additionally, you should have your hot water heater cleaned and flushed.
- Having the Water Pipes Pressure Tested – Potable water pipes are typically designed to withstand pressures of between 40 and 60 psi. If the pressure is lower than 40 or higher than 60, the cause needs to be identified and repaired. Leaks can also be detected via a pressure test.
- Having the Water Quality Tested – Remember to have your water tested regularly. Water tests can check for the presence of heavy metals, viruses, bacteria, dissolved solids and various chemical contaminants.
How Epoxy Pipelining Can Help Prevent Plumbing Disasters
No one wants a flood in their Chicago building. After all, water damage from burst pipes can lead to mold, mildew, and rot. In extreme cases, the water can corrode the building’s structural components, like the studs and tops and bottom plates in the walls, the floor joists, and even the foundation. Epoxy pipelining can also help prevent chemical leaching from metal and plastic pipes.
Epoxy pipelining works by creating a new pipe inside of the existing pipe. In potable water pipes, the epoxy is typically just a coating. That coating can either be brushed on or blown in.
Blown-In Epoxy
When we talk about blowing in the epoxy, we’re talking about mixing a two-part epoxy that’s been designated safe for use in potable water pipes. This mixture is viscous but can still be sent down the pipe via high-pressure air. The air causes the epoxy to roll over itself. The result is a smooth epoxy coating that seals small cracks and pinhole leaks.
Brush Cast Epoxy
Brush-cast epoxy is applied using a brush system. This two-part epoxy is mixed in the brush casting machine. This makes the process smoother and results in less mess. The epoxy is then brushed onto the interior of the pipe in layers until it reaches the desired thickness. For potable water pipes, the last layer must be potable water safe.
Once the epoxy coating has cured, the host pipe is less prone to future damage and leaking. If there are small cracks and pinhole leaks, those are sealed by the coating.
Nu Flow Midwest Can Help You Extend the Life of Your Potable Water Pipes
If you’ve noticed an increase in the frequency of your plumbing repairs and need a way to extend the useful lives of your existing plumbing pipes, NuFlow can help. Epoxy pipelining has an expected useful life of 35 to 50 years. In some accelerated tests, it’s shown to have the potential to last up to 80 years. Epoxy pipelining is also cost-effective, meaning you’ll spend less money to have your pipes lined than you would to have them replaced when all costs are taken into consideration.
If you’re a company that cares about the environment and the prevalence of landfill waste, you’ll be happy to know that epoxy pipelining doesn’t significantly contribute to landfill pollution, and it has a lower carbon footprint than a traditional pipe replacement.
To learn more about how epoxy pipe liners and coatings can increase the useful lives of your potable water pipes, contact us.