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Hazards You Might Find Inside A Water Pipe (and How To Avoid Them)
By: FlowGuard EMEA on 08-ene-2025 11:13:35
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Hazards You Might Find Inside A Water Pipe (and How To Avoid Them)

CPVC Performance

  • Plumbing systems should be reliable and largely invisible, with concerns arising mainly during installation or repair.

  • Various hazards like bacterial growth, corrosion, and joint failures can affect water pipes, but using the right materials like FlowGuard® CPVC can mitigate these risks.

 

  • FlowGuard CPVC offers several advantages including resistance to chlorinated water, strong joints, and fire protection, ultimately reducing repair costs and ensuring safety.

A plumbing water pipe is, and should be, largely invisible. In fact, the only time you should be thinking about your domestic plumbing system is when you are installing a new one. A safe, reliable network of plumbing pipes in your walls and floors should silently and reliably nurture and nourish family life with a clean, safe water supply.

When this is unfortunately not the case, the hazards of insufficient residential plumbing pipes can take many forms in your water supply lines:
 
  • Bacterial growth
  • Corrosion
  • System malfunction
  • Joint failure
  • Property damage
  • Fire risks
  • Hidden costs
 FlowGuard CPVC stands out. In the Homeowner's Guide to CPVC, we offer step-by-step guidance on what effective plumbing pipe materials look like and why FlowGuard CPVC has been engineered to mitigate the hazards listed above, outperforming other types of plumbing pipes.

Read on to explore some of the hidden hazards of plumbing piping and how to avoid them. If you are concerned about any of these issues affecting your property, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

 

Health Hazards - Bacteria Formation

A commonly known but often overlooked hidden hazard of plumbing pipes is bacteria. It is a little-known fact that biofilm formation can take hold inside a water pipe in minutes. The biomass that builds on the inner surfaces of many plumbing pipe materials can lead to dangerous health risks such as legionella.

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While bacteria exist all around us, choosing the right pipe materials can mitigate the risk of biofilm formation. FlowGuard CPVC has been assessed against other common metallic and non-metallic plumbing pipes by the KIWA Water Assessment. KIWA confirms its suitability as one of the best pipe materials available for minimizing biofilm potential inside a water pipe, ensuring a safer water supply for your home.

 

Performance Hazards - Corrosion

 

Chlorination of water supply lines is one of modern day's most important innovations in protecting our communities. Ironically, it can also be one of your plumbing system's greatest hazards. For example, PPR and PEX pipes may become weaker over time due to exposure to hot chlorinated water.

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FlowGuard CPVC is naturally immune to hot chlorinated water due to the inclusion of chlorine in its molecular structure. This natural defence mechanism maintains strong, rigid plastic pipes that do not gradually grow thinner and weaker over the years due to chlorine degradation inside a water pipe. Hence, it ensures longevity and reliability in your plumbing system.

 

Installation Hazards - Joint Failure in Plumbing Pipes

When it comes to plumbing, fire should be the last thing on your mind. We feel the same way. Understanding the performance characteristics of the building materials around you is crucial in protecting your home and your family’s health.

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FlowGuard CPVC is installed using solvent cement, permanently fusing pipes and fittings at the molecular level. This creates inherent joint strength and allows flexibility of movement within the system, enabling your plumbing to perform its job with minimal risk to the property itself.

 

Fire Hazards - Flame and Smoke Performance

All hot and cold-water plumbing pipes are susceptible to joint failure. Movements and fluctuations within the pipe system can create weaknesses between pipes and fittings, running the risk of leaks or system failure.

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FlowGuard CPVC offers unrivalled protection against fire damage compared to other plastic plumbing materials like PPR. FlowGuard CPVC has a Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI) of 60, meaning there is not enough oxygen in the earth's atmosphere for CPVC pipe to sustain combustion (PPR's LOI is 18), thereby providing superior fire safety.

 

Financial Hazards - Residential Plumbing Repairs

Beyond the cost of repairs, should any of the above hazards occur in your home, there is also the initial installation cost to consider. FlowGuard CPVC installation can be carried out with simple hand tools, saving time and money on expensive equipment hire.

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PPR, when installed using heat welding, can form weakened joints and internal beading, both of which can lead to costly repairs. Ineffective PPR installation can cause joint weakness, and the internal beading can encourage bacterial growth and restrict water flow. Thus, choosing FlowGuard CPVC can be a more cost-effective and reliable solution in the long run.

 

What About Galvanized Steel or Copper Pipes?


While we have focused on the hidden hazards of plastic plumbing, many of these hazards are not limited to non-metallic types of plumbing pipes. Other materials like copper piping, cast iron pipe, and galvanized steel pipes also have their challenges. It's crucial to understand these hazards when evaluating potential plumbing materials.

To help you on your journey, download the free Homeowner's Guide to CPVC for a professional assessment of these pipe materials and a wealth of industry-leading water safety advice.

 

DELIVERING
RELIABILITY

For more than 50 years, FlowGuard® Pipe and Fittings has provided reliable hot and cold water plumbing systems to residential and commercial buildings around the world.

DELIVERING
RELIABILITY

For more than 50 years, FlowGuard® Pipe and Fittings has provided reliable hot and cold water plumbing systems to residential and commercial buildings around the world.

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