What is epoxy pipe lining and when should it be used?

Eventually old copper potable water pipes in building oxidize (or corrode) and the pressurized water begins to leak out. So may have heard of slabs leaks or pipe leaks in walls, and to replace these pipes is very costly and invasive.

Epoxy pipe lining is an alternative that works very well and is usually cheaper than the total cost of pipe replacement, which includes the demolition and repair cost of all surfaces affected by the replacement.  It is used extensively in the Washington DC, Long Boat key, Sarasota, Venice and Naples areas in Florida. Here’s how it works:

First the pipes are sandblasted from the inside to remove all the old oxidation deposits. This is done by blowing air with entrained silica particles through the pipes. There is some “blowing” equipment upstream and “receiving” equipment downstream to capture the debris. Once the pipes are clean, air is again blown down the same pipe but this time along with an epoxy liquid that hardens in a few hours.

The epoxy used is the same food grade epoxy that you have seen on the inside of food cans, so it’s perfectly safe for consumption. This epoxy pipe lining is ideal for drinking water pipe lining, as it is very thin and very hard. But hard doesn’t necessarily make it strong, as it can crack under load-bearing applications, like under roads or wall footers. So in the Washington DC, Long Boat key, Sarasota, Venice and Naples areas in Florida, we find epoxy pipe lining is used mainly in condo walls and floors, but not for sewer pipe relining.

Generally for situations where the pipe to be lined needs extra strength, regular drain lining pipe lining materials have to be used, such as the polyester and fiberglass felt impregnated with epoxy resin. These pipes are also usually of larger diameter, so the thickness of the liner has minimal effect on internal diameter reduction.

For more information about drain pipe repair or repipe alternatives, including blocked drains and pipe replacement, visit www.CraftsmanPipeLining.com.