How many floor drain drops do you have on your property and in your Chicago building? A floor drain drop occurs when you have drains and pipes that run through concrete, and the part of the pipe that runs through the concrete from the drain grate is called the drop. These are most commonly found in floor drains and parking garage drains, and if you need to replace the drop, it means cutting out the concrete surrounding the pipe. Thankfully, you can avoid that scenario with CIPP pipelining from NuFlow. Let’s take a look at how epoxy pipelining can help you avoid having to rip out concrete in order to replace your drain drops.
Why Floor Drains are Important
Your floor drains and garage drains are responsible for funneling excess water out of the area. The excess water can be due to flooding, leaks, spills or simply the act of cleaning and mopping the floors. The drains help prevent standing water, which can contribute to slips and falls. Standing water can be a health hazard by attracting pests and contributing to mold and mildew growth.
What Happens if Your Floor Drain Drop Fails?
Many floor drain drops consist of cast iron, especially in older installations. Cast iron is often used because it’s extremely durable and long-lived. In fact, cast iron pipes have an expected useful life of between 50 and 100 years. However, over time, they can corrode and experience scale buildup. If the corrosion reaches a certain point, it can cause the pipe to crack or crumble. Additionally, scale buildup can reduce the internal diameter of the pipe, which restricts water flow. If these two conditions get bad enough, you may find that you need to replace the drain drop. Unfortunately, this often means cutting out the concrete surrounding the drain. Thankfully, you can avoid this by having your drain drops lined with a CIPP liner.
Understanding CIPP Liners
CIPP stands for Cured-In-Place Pipe. It most often consists of a felt liner that’s been soaked in epoxy. The liner is then inserted into the pipe, pressed against the sides of the pipe via an air bladder then left to cure. Once the curing process is complete, the air bladder is removed and service to the pipe is restored.
How CIPP Liners Increase the Useful Life of Your Floor Drain Drops
CIPP liners are a pipe within a pipe technology. Once the liner and epoxy have cured and hardened, it becomes the new pipe. This means that water, debris, and cleaning chemicals no longer come in contact with the host pipe, which stops any further deterioration of that pipe.
Benefits of CIPP Liners
If you’re looking for a seamless pipe or drain drop rehabilitation, CIPP liners are the answer. Installing CIPP liners is non-invasive and non-destructive. This is because your existing pipes and the concrete surrounding them does not need to be removed.
CIPP Liners are Durable
CIPP liners are durable and have a great useful life. In fact, they’re rated to last between 35 and 50 years, and accelerated laboratory testing has indicated that they may last as long as 80 years.
CIPP Liners Are Versatile
Recent technological advancements in CIPP lining technology mean that CIPP liners are extremely versatile. Did you know they can be formed to go around curves and line P-traps? They can also be used on nearly every type of drain and sewer line.
CIPP Liners Involve Minimal Disruption
Installing CIPP liners doesn’t involve cutting out large sections of pipe or removing concrete. This means that the installation is less disruptive to your tenants and employees than a traditional pipe replacement. It’s also oftentimes faster than a traditional pipe replacement.
CIPP Liners Are a Cost-Effective Solution
Installing CIPP liners is a cost-effective solution when compared to having your pipe drops traditionally replaced. This is because no excavation is required, and it takes less time to install the CIPP liners than it does to replace the pipes. This translates into fewer labor hours needed to rehabilitate the drops. Additionally, you won’t have to hire more contractors to repair damage to your concrete foundation or parking garage.
CIPP Liners Are an Eco-Friendly Choice
CIPP liners are an environmentally friendly option. This is because they don’t require installing new pipes. New pipes require new materials to be mined, and those materials are typically removed from the Earth via fossil-fuel-powered equipment. Once those materials are mined, they’re sent to a manufacturing plant where more resources are used. By contrast, CIPP liners have a very low carbon footprint. Not to mention, when old pipes are removed, they’re either sent to landfills or recycled. While recycling is better than moving items to a landfill, it still requires additional resources.
You’ll Get Improved Water Flow and Efficiency
When existing plumbing pipes are retrofitted with CIPP liners, the process involves cleaning and removing all the debris, buildup, and scale from the pipe walls. This maximizes the internal diameter and improves water flow and efficiency.
CIPP Liners Have a Proven Track Record
CIPP pipe lining was first invented in 1971 by Eric Wood. He wanted to stop a water leak in a Victorian-era egg-shaped sewer. He called his invention insit u form. Today, we know it has CIPP lining, and since its inception, there’s been an estimated 31068 miles of CIPP piping has been installed. If you’re wondering if the sewer Eric lined in 1971 is still in operation, it most certainly is. It’s located in London in the Hackney borough.
CIPP Liners Come With a Comprehensive Warranty
All of our installed CIPP liners come with a 10-year installation guarantee.
CIPP Liners Are in Compliance with Industry Standards
CIPP liners are in compliance with NSF/ANSI, IAPMO, and ICC-ES. They’re also in compliance with all the local building codes and regulations for Chicago and the state of Illinois. We also always have a licensed plumber available to inspect all of our work.
You’ll Experience Improved Property Values
CIPP lining can improve your property’s value in numerous ways. First, you’ll be preventing property damage due to sewer backups and pipe leaks. Secondly, the process of installing a CIPP liner is non-damaging. This means you won’t have anything to clean up or repair, like your landscaping, concrete, and other finishes. This is particularly beneficial for historic buildings. Lastly, you’ll be ensuring that your pipes are in compliance with all current building codes and regulations.
You’ll Minimize Future Maintenance
CIPP liners are resistant to corrosion, cracking, and root infiltration. In fact, the only maintenance you’ll need is a periodic cleaning of your drain grates to remove any debris and an annual hydro-jetting to ensure nothing has become stuck in the pipe.
CIPP Liners Offer Customized Solutions
CIPP liners can be customized with other types of plumbing repairs. This means that if one drain line is so severely corroded that it can’t be lined, that section can be replaced, and then the full pipe run can be lined. This helps control costs while ensuring that your plumbing system is up to code and functioning correctly.
All of This Improves Customer Satisfaction
CIPP lining is fast, effective, non-destructive, flexible, guaranteed, and green. All of this adds up to an increase in customer satisfaction because they know that their newly lined pipes will last into the future and need minimal maintenance.
CIPP Liner Installation with NuFlow of Chicago
If you need the drop drain in your parking garage, restaurant, laundromat, or commercial or industrial building rehabilitated, consider CIPP lining from NuFlow, serving Chicago. All of our CIPP linings come with a 10-year guarantee.
To learn more and to schedule a consultation or building pipe assessment, contact us today.