I have a swimming pool that is leaking somewhere in the piping. Can some sort of a liner be put in the pipe to stop the leaks? The pipe is PVC and has several 90 degree bends.

- Ed

Ed, unfortunately your problem is the pipe material used, not that there are 90 degree bends. If your pipes were metallic, epoxy lining them could have been a solution. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) pipes, used in most pool installations, can’t have a lining installed. You’re going to have to excavate the pipes and then repaired or replaced.

-Brian

What is the chemical composition of CuraPoxy? How safe is it to drink water from pipe lined with this as compared to other plastic pipes and water containers?

-Gerry

Gerry, while I can’t disclose the chemical composition of CuraFlo’s epoxy, CuraPoxy®, I can tell you that it’s certified to meet ANSI/NSF Standard 61 which is the U.S. government’s standard for safe drinking water. This standard has been in place since 1988 and has been used to certify over 12,000 products. To find out about the safe for drinking water certifications on plastic pipes and bottles I recommend you contact their specific manufacturers directly. 

-Dr. Dave

Does CuraFlo lining contain BPA?

-Roberta

Roberta, CuraFlo’s epoxy, CuraPoxy^® is certified to ANSI/NSF Standard 61 –the established governmental safety standard for drinking water system components. That certification ensures products are free of unsafe levels of contaminants such as BPA (bisphenol-A). For more information about how epoxy and polycarbonate products (water bottles) differ, please refer to this previous post of mine on this very topic.

-Dr. Dave

My back yard drain (partially under cement) is the old orangeberg pipe. When it is snaked out to remove and roots etc I am now receiving parts of the pipe. Total replacement would be tremendous. Can one sleeve orangeberg and is it economical? Can one use  the epoxy liner to fix?

-Richard

Richard, Orangeburg pipe, also called “fibre conduit”, is made from made from layers of wood pulp and pitch (for more information, see the article on Wikipedia here). Because Orangeburg lacks in structural integrity (even when it was new), it’s not a suitable host pipe for epoxy lining. It might be possible to sock line Orangeburg pipe if enough of it is intact, but you’ll need to consult with a company that offers these services to find out. The North American Society for Trenchless Technology’s website, is a good place to start looking for companies that offer different trenchless solutions that might have a solution for you, or at least offer additional insight.

-Brian

Does copper kill fungus or Bacteria? What is the effect of epoxy lining on Bacteria?

-Don

Don, copper won’t kill bacteria or fungus –in fact, in both copper and galvanized steel pipes, bacteria and other microscopic organisms grow in encrustation on the corroded pipe wall or on the corroded areas themselves. Epoxy pipe lining prevents corrosion and encrustation by creating a barrier between the pipe and water. The bacteria and other organisms will no longer be present to cause bad tasting or smelling water.

-Dr. Dave

What happened if the underground hot water pipe is leaking?  What is the estimate cost to find the leaking pipe underground if I must demolished the concrete?  Any good advice?

–Ashley

Ashley, what you have is called a “slab leak” and digging/tearing up the concrete is a pretty expensive and time consuming way to solve your pipe leak problem, possibly costing in the neighborhood of $2,000 to $5,000.  Epoxy lining the affected pipe might be a faster and more cost-effective option –if the leaking pipe isn’t too badly damaged (an epoxy lining company should be able to determine that). In the lining process, hoses are connected to fixtures or valves at both ends of the pipe, so there’s no need to tear up your concrete. The pipe gets cleaned out and then lined with an epoxy that restores the pipe to like-new condition.

-Brian

I have a two-story fifty room hotel and I have a hot water recirculating pipe that gives instant hot water in any room at any given time. The mechanical room is located in one end of the building but somehow I constantly get pinhole leaks on the opposite end of the building, in almost within same rooms or area. Why not in different rooms?

–Sanjay

Sanjay, your pipe is corroding as well as eroding. Failures typically occur in the recirculation line first because it’s smaller in diameter and it’s receiving constant flow through it (which actually erodes it). Your problem is not unusual at all, typically the hot water line is looped around (in your case, it would be in your last units) and then returns as your recirculation line. If you want to avoid repeatedly replacing or patching this pipe, epoxy pipe lining will prevent corrosion and erosion.

-Brian

When you’re restoring the pipe network, what do you do with air chambers that are buried in the walls and are installed in the pipe network during sand blasting and epoxy lining?

-Tom

Tom, it’s best to locate the air chambers first, remove them and then reinstall later (or replace with new ones –maybe a mechanical type if acceptable in your jurisdiction). If they are missed you may [continue to] get rusty water.

-Brian

Could you please tell me how much is a reasonable amount for a licensed plumber to charge for re-piping a 3 bed/1-1/2 bath, 1500sq/ft ranch style home? Including hot water tank installation.

-Richard

Richard, it’s difficult to give a quote without knowing greater detail about your plumbing system (e.g. number and types of fixtures, types of pipe material involved, local code requirements, etc.) and actually making a visual inspection. For that matter, are you sure you need to repipe the entire system? There may be sections that it would be cheaper to epoxy line instead of replacing and the lined sections could be made as good as new. A typical price to repipe can range from $400.00 to $1000.00 per fixture depending upon scope of work, where you live and condition of home.

-Brian

Brian LeMaire (right) is President of CuraFlo and has been in the plumbing industry since 1981. He is a qualified Journeyman plumber throughout all of Canada as well as a State registered plumbing contractor in Ohio. Brian has been involved in all aspects of being a plumbing and heating contractor including new construction of hospitals, schools, and industrial facilities. Prior to founding CuraFlo in 1996, Brian owned and operated a very successful service & repipe business in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Dr. Dave Dunn is Vice President of Research and Development for CuraFlo and the President of FLD Enterprises, an Adhesives and Sealants Consultancy in Aurora, Ohio since 1996. Dr. Dave holds a PhD in Polymer Chemistry from the University of Keele in England. His popular Q&A (adhesives and sealants troubleshooting tips) column Ask Dr. Dave appears regularly in ASI Magazine.