We have a 2 story building in reconstruction (due to fire) with the slab and underground utilities as the starting scenario.  We need to pass city code pressure test of waste system before framing. We are struggling resolving leaks in the 6 inch waste line system under the slab.  The ABS piping system includes Ys, 90s, couplers, and straight pipe sections.  What do you see as options for inner wall repairs at all the sections?  Is there a lining process recommended here?  Other method or process to consider?  Is there a compound or solution we can add with or without water to seal and flush through the system without upsetting authorities or agencies here in CA?

-Tom

Tom, I would recommend sock lining: a felt sock pulled through an existing pipe and then inflated/expanded to fill the width of the old pipe. The sock cures in place and you have a new pipe inside of your old one. I would recommend contacting a reputable trenchless technologies company that offers sock lining services.

-Brian

Do you see epoxy lining emerging as the preferred choice for pipe rehabilitation for apartments, condos and commercial buildings?

-Tejas

Tejas, epoxy pipe lining can be the perfect solution for pipe problems in apartments, condos, and commercial buildings. It’s gaining popularity as an effective alternative to the more traditional repipe because it’s safer for drinking water than unlined metal or cement pipes; is often less messy, costly, and time-consuming; and eliminates the corrosion that leads to blocked or leaky pipes.

-Brian

In the municipal market, can epoxy lining only be used for wastewater, or can it be applied to drinking water pipes as well?

-Tejas

Tejas, epoxy lining can certainly be used in both types of pipes. For example, CuraFlo’s sister company, RLS Solutions, offers coatings for restoring and rehabilitating water mains (drinking water delivery), as well as deteriorated wastewater infrastructure.

-Brian

Sometimes after the water has been run once for a bath, if the water is ran again shortly after it comes out with a yellow tint. Does this indicate there is something wrond with my pipes or maybe my hot water heater?

-Jay

Jay, When the flow of water coming into your bathtub is shut off, it becomes stagnant and comes into contact with tuberculation in the pipes. Tuberculation is the buildup of deposit (scale or rust for example) in a pipe -possibly from corrosion. It can cause water discoloration and even low water pressure if builds up too much. Having someone clean out the pipe will take care of the discoloration and epoxy lining it will prevent it from happening in the future.

-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

Does the PEX plastic tubing used for plumbing contain bisphenol-A (BPA)?

-Debbie

We have Pex plastic pipes in our house supplying water to our bathrooms. Does Pex pipes contain BPA or any other toxic chemical?

-Barry

Debbie and Barry, I don’t have the first hand experience with PEX to directly speak to its chemical composition. However, I can tell you that if it is ANSI/NSF 61 certified, it meets the U.S. government’s strict standards for safe drinking water safety. This standard has been in place since 1988 and has been used to certify over 12,000 products. You can get more information about the ANSI/NSF 61 standard by visiting NSF International’s website and CuraFlo’s website.

-Dr. Dave

We replaced our hot water tank 5 months ago and since then, in the room behind the closet where the tank is located, we can hear a “ping”. It is almost rhythmic. We have turned the power off on the tank thinking it was electrical but the noise continued for one hour. We have replaced the thermostat, which interestingly enough made a slight difference in that it generally stops during the night but as soon as water is turned on it starts again and will go for hours afterwards. I think it sounds like water dripping from one pipe onto another, my husband thinks I’m a worry wart! No water appears under the wall (we are on a slab). The noise is extremely faint in the closet where the tank is but can also be heard faintly in the other bathroom quite a distance away. Any suggestions? The manufacturer of the tank said it may be a “singing” element and to replace those with a better quality but if that was the case, it would be quiet when the power was off would it not? Please, any suggestions?

-Rae

Rae, it is possible for home water heaters to become noisy less than a year after they’ve been installed. And many times you can only hear the noises at night, when the inside of your home is quiet and there isn’t much going on outside.

In gas heaters, the noise can be caused by the buildup of lime, other minerals, or sand on the bottom of the water heater’s tank. When the heater’s gas burner comes on, the heated water bubbling through the mineral formations and sediment creates the noise. Electric heaters can generate singing or hissing noises, they have heating elements that are immersed in the tank’s water, and lime or scale accumulating on the elements causes the noises. The elements can be removed and cleaned with vinegar, but in really bad cases the element may need to be replaced.

You might be able to cut down the noise by disconnecting the heater and flushing the tank. But, it may not be possible to remove all the mineral deposits from the bottom of the tank, so that when you hook the tank back up, it may just become noisy again. If you have hard water, a solution might be for you to install a water softener, to prevent mineral build up.

-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

Is there any type of fitting/connector to connect CPVC cold water line to PVC?

-Chuck

Chuck, I’m not sure if that type of fitting/connector exists or if those pipe types are at all compatible. Gluing a MIP adaptor (Male Iron Pipe Adapter, which has male pipe threads and will adapt to PVC and a few other types of pipe to make a transition from threaded pipe to a type other than threaded) on each end and then using a union might do the trick, but I would recommend checking the manufacturer’s website or contacting them.

-Brian