Take the mystery out of what’s going wrong. Learn about the common problems that can occur with aged and defective domestic water piping materials.
Many factors corrode metal piping over time: contaminants and chemicals in the water, the pH of the water, and the water chemistry from your local utility. Corrosion can show up as pitting and pinholes.
How can you know if the metal pipes in your domestic water system are corroded?
The results? Resident dissatisfaction, system shutdowns, and costly repair expenses.
Troubleshooting plastic piping issues can be challenging. A variety of common problems have emerged over time. For example:
Prolonged chemical exposure. The plastic resins in pipes can break down from prolonged exposure to chemicals like chlorine and fluoride that are added to the public water supply.
That’s what happened with pipes made of Polybutylene. The additives broke down the piping, which led to spectacular failures and flood damage. In fact, there was a significant class action lawsuit in the 1990s because of the failures.
UV exposure. UV exposure to piping that’s stored or left outside waiting to be installed can degrade the plastic before it’s ever put into use, shortening its potential lifespan.
Incompatible material. Sometimes pipe fittings, which may or may not be plastic, can cause trouble. That’s what happened when yellow brass fittings dezincified an otherwise well-designed PEX piping system.
Improper design or maintenance. Improper use and maintenance can take a significant toll on plastic pipes, especially in hot water recirculation lines that are located too close to a boiler or pumps. The pipes will fail when the water running through them is too hot or too fast.
Old age. Of course, like all piping materials, plastic pipes can simply age out after about 30 years of use in a multifamily property. The resins harden and become brittle over time, leading to cracks and leaks.
Lining your existing domestic water piping with epoxy, rather than replacing it, comes with risks. In fact, we’ve sometimes been hired by clients to repipe domestic water systems that were partially or fully lined unsuccessfully.
One example of a common issue clients experience with epoxy pipe lining is that the lining may not adhere properly to the inside of the pipe wall, which can mean the pipe will continue to corrode. That’s bad news since pipe lining is not a structural replacement. The lining may also begin to delaminate, shedding fragments of the epoxy into the water flowing to residents.
All parts of your domestic water infrastructure are susceptible to wear and tear. Aside from pipes and fixtures, domestic water systems include components such as:
Troubles with equipment may be age-related but may also be due to to improper configuration (like running water that’s too hot or too fast in plastic recirculation lines located near boilers or pumps), or lack of maintenance (like not exercising shut off valves regularly).
