Is your building in Chicago a good candidate for epoxy pipelining? The truth is that most buildings are good candidates for epoxy pipelining from condos and apartments that have plumbing pipes that are nearing the ends of their useful lives to historic buildings that want to minimize damage to historic finishes and plaster.
Understanding When a Building Needs Plumbing Pipe Restoration
For most building owners, property managers, facility supervisors and superintendents, they don’ t think about their plumbing pipes until they start failing. This is because modern buildings and even older buildings have had their plumbing pipes carefully concealed behind walls in order to improve the aesthetic appeal of the interior of the building. Thankfully, your pipes will let you know when they need plumbing pipe restoration.
- Your Pipes Are Nearing the End of Their Useful Lives – Most plumbing pipes are designed to last between 20 and 75 years. If your plumbing pipes are between the ages, it’s important to schedule yearly inspections.
- You’ve Had Your Plumbing Pipes Repaired Numerous Times in the Past 12 Months – if you’ve had to repair your pipes multiple times over the last 12 months, it’s time to start thinking about plumbing pipe rehabilitation.
- Your Residents Are Complaining About Low Water Pressure in Record Numbers – Numerous small leaks can cause a building’s water pressure to plummet. An increasing number of complaints, especially from floors that aren’t historically known to have low water pressure is a sure sign that you need plumbing pipe rehabilitation.
- You Have Soda Fountains in Your Facility – Carbonated beverages are extremely corrosive, and this includes beer as well as any drink loaded in sugar.
- You Regularly Flush Cleaning Compounds Down Your Drains – Certain industries may have dedicated drains for disposing of chemicals, and places like fast food restaurants and large warehouses may regularly wash their floors with harsh chemicals and detergents. These detergents can corrode metal pipes, creating weak spots and holes. Epoxy pipelining can help stop leaks and prevent future leaks in drain lines and experience heavy use cialis generico prezzo.
Industries and Buildings that Benefit from pipelining
When it comes to determining whether or not your building would benefit from epoxy pipelining, our technicians look at several factors, including the age of your building and its plumbing system, the types of fluids or gases that flow through the pipes and the level of corrosion in the pipes as well as whether the pipe is a water supply line or a drain pipe. In some instances, our pipelining technicians may recommend a combination approach to rehabilitating your plumbing pipes. This means that some pipes receive pipe liners and coatings while other severely damaged pipes are replaced by our professional plumbers in Chicago. By being able to offer both options via our partnership with Althoff, we can help you save money and time on your plumbing rehabilitation project.
Apartments, Condos and Co-ops
Apartments, condos and co-ops also have plumbing systems that experience heavy use. This is because multiple units share main drain and sewer lines as well as vent stacks. If multiple renters or unit owners flush forbidden items down their drains, it can lead to frequent clogs. Not to mention, many multi-tenant buildings are older and so are their plumbing systems. Condos, Co-ops and apartment buildings that have utilized epoxy pipelining include Discovery Bay Condos, Gulfview Club Condos and the Baltimore Residential Tower.
Commercial and Retail Spaces
Commercial properties, retail spaces and office buildings are prone to pipe deterioration due to aging plumbing pipes, heavy use, pouring forbidden liquids down drains and flushing items that aren’t toilet paper. In addition, retail spaces that contain food courts can also see heavy grease buildup in plumbing pipes as well as corrosion from carbonated beverages. Popular commercial and retail spaces that have chosen epoxy pipelining over traditional pipe replacement include the Las Vegas Mall, Target, Westfield Mall and Yorkdale Mall.
Factories
Factories and industrial facilities, as well as food manufacturers, use piping to transport all manner of liquids and semi-liquids other than water. Common liquids transported through piping other than water include flour, yeast, sugar and water mixtures, oats, oil, gas, paint and pressurized air as well as various chemicals. All of these non-water items can cause corrosion in metal plumbing pipes within a few years. Epoxy pipelining can extend the service life of these pipes by preventing the corrosion causing products from coming into contact with the metal. Factories and industrial facilities that have chosen epoxy pipelining include GSF Grand Banks Oil Rig, Kewaunee Nuclear, Kroger Creamery and Louisiana Hydro-Electric.
Government Buildings
Many government buildings have also utilized epoxy pipelining to rehabilitate their damaged and aging plumbing systems. This can result in leaks in the drainage system as well as numerous blockages and clogs that can cause toilets and drains to backup, causing a potentially hazardous situation. Government buildings that have had their pipes lined include the Regional Municipality of Durham, Ontario and Canada, Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Elmendorf Air Force Base Hospital and Fort Drum.
Historic Buildings
Historic buildings are full of historic wood finishes, like moldings and antique wood floors. They also tend to have plaster walls and decorative elements that cannot be easily replaced if they can be replaced at all. In many instances, traditional pipe replacement isn’t feasible because it would damage too much of the building’s historic features. Because of this, many historic building owners choose to line their pipes with epoxy rather than replace the pipes. Historic buildings that have taken advantage or epoxy pipelining include the Salk Institute, St. Georges Church and White Post Historical House.
Hospitals
Hospitals present unique challenges because their plumbing systems cannot be shut down for repairs due to the nature of the business. They always have patients who need clean water. Doctors and nurses need clean water for washing and cleaning and to drink. Not to mention, the dining halls and cafeterias have to have water to cook and clean. Hospitals that have taken advantage of epoxy pipelining include Newport Beach Hospital, Sarasota Hospital and Shands Hospital.
Hotels and Casinos
Hotels and casinos plumbing pipes see heavy use from guests, restaurants on the property and even the bar and entertainment areas. As a result, their plumbing pipes can see an overabundance of grease and soda as well as clogs caused by guests flushing objects down their toilets that shouldn’t be flushed. Popular hotels that have had their plumbing pipes lined by NuFlow franchises include Circus Circus, Delta Toronto East, Kahala Hotel Resort and the Westgate Hotel.
Schools and Universities
Schools and universities operate year-round, even though there may be less traffic in the summer than in the fall, spring and winter. They also tend to contain a lot of historic buildings. As a result, many schools do not want the plumbing systems in individual buildings shut down for very long, and they may have historically important features that they want to preserve, which makes ripping the plumbing pipes out of the floors and walls undesirable. For that reason, many schools and universities are turning to trenchless pipe rehabilitation with epoxy pipelining. Schools and universities that have taken advantage of this method include California State University in Los Angeles, Portland Community College and Stevens Middle School.
Senior Facilities and Assisted Living Centers
Senior living facilities, assisted living centers and nursing homes have all benefited from epoxy pipelining. The plumbing pipes in these facilities are prone to plumbing pipe deterioration due to having older pipes or galvanized steel pipes that were installed when the building was first constructed and drain stack and sewer line clogs from residents flushing inappropriate items down the drain lines, such as gristle, chicken skin, grease, tissues and paper towels as well as wet pipes and even medications. Staff members may also keep the facility clean and sterile by using harsh cleaning chemicals, like bleach, ammonia and harsh floor cleaners, which will inevitably make their way into the drain lines. A few senior facilities and assisted living centers that have utilized pipelining include Brittany Park Retirement, Christian Care Communities and Tampa Senior Apartment.
Here at NuFlow, our pipelining technicians can examine your plumbing pipes via a digital plumbing camera to determine if they would be good candidates for the pipelining process. If they would benefit from epoxy pipelining, we will provide you with a detailed estimate. To learn more about pipelining and to schedule a building pipe assessment, call us at 815-790-9000.