Do you know the why behind water pipe failure? When potable water and drain lines are installed in your building, they are clean and free of debris, and most types of plumbing pipes have an average life expectancy of between 20 and 75 years, depending on usage levels, the type of material and the quality of the water flowing through them.
Defining Water Pipe Failure
When we talk about a plumbing pipe failure, we are talking about any instance that results in a water leak, crack in the pipe or complete blowout. In all of these scenarios, the pipe and surroundings fittings must be replaced in order to stop the water damage and restore water service.
Most Common Reason Pipe Failure
The most common reason for a pipe failure is corrosion. As water flows from the municipal water system into and through your Chicago building’s plumbing pipes, the chemicals and impurities in the water react with the metal of the plumbing pipes. This reaction causes pits in the metal of the plumbing pipes, and over time, the walls of the pipes become thinner from the inside out until they finally fail.
Corrosion Statistics
According to Truth About Pipes, corrosion causes 850 water main failures each day across the United States. Of those 850 failures, 25 percent of them are estimated to be from corrosion. The total cost of repairing all those water main breaks is estimated to be $276 billion or about $5.52 billion per state. It is important to realize that these statistics do not account for privately owned plumbing pipes. They only account for water mains that are controlled by cities and local municipalities. The cost of corrosion would be a lot higher if every privately and publicly owned plumbing pipe were taken into consideration.
Plumbing Pipe Failure and Your Building
When a water pipe fails in your building, it can lead to water damage and mold as well as the need to remove and replace the pipe. This falls under an emergency plumbing repair. These types of repairs are billed by the hour for labor and all the materials are charged on the invoice. Unfortunately, the plumbing repair cost doesn’t include repairing or replacing drywall and other finishes and fixtures damaged by the water or repair process. In some instances, these repairs plus the replacement of the pipe could run into tens of thousands of dollars.
Preventing Corrosion with Help from Nu Flow
When it comes to the plumbing pipes in your multifamily residential building in Chicago, you can take steps to prevent corrosion and plumbing pipe failures with help from Nu Flow. Extending the useful life of your water pipes and keeping your drinking water healthy is as easy as lining your plumbing pipes with an epoxy liner or coating. Pipe liners are typically used for larger diameter drain lines while pipe coatings are used for narrow potable water pipes.
Corrosion is caused by the chemicals and impurities in the water interacting with the metal of the plumbing pipes. By lining your pipes, you are helping to prevent the water from coming into contact with the metal of the host pipe. This prevents further corrosion and help extend the useful life of your water pipes.
To learn more about how epoxy liners and coatings can help keep your water clean and safe and prevent corrosion, call us at 815-790-9000.