Aquatherm Delivers a Leak-Free, Durable Alternative to Traditional Piping
Aquatherm heat-fused piping seals at the molecular level, ensuring a leak-free plumbing system. The plastic piping also features a number of inherent health and environmental benefits.
By Mike Ratliff, Senior Associate Editor
A burst pipe is one of the last things an apartment manager or resident wants to wake up to in the middle of the night. Leaks are also up at the top of the list when it comes to dreaded maintenance issues. Maintaining a dry building is key to keeping your asset and residents healthy. A durable, leak-free plumbing system all starts with the piping material, and the future lies with plastics.
Aquatherm is the industry leader when it comes to plastic plumbing solutions. The firm makes thermoplastic pipes out of polypropylene-random (PP-R), a simple and stable plastic that is free of harmful chemicals and is inert when it comes to its surroundings. It is a non-corroding material that does not wear out and—unlike copper or steel pipe—does not clog up after a few years of service.
One of the most interesting and beneficial features of the piping is how it is joined. The PP-R is heat-fused together, so the joints and connections are actually stronger than the pipe itself. Joining two pipes together takes only a few seconds and creates a seal at the molecular level. This means that you don’t actually have two connected pipes, but rather a single piece of pipe with no seals. The advantage of this type of system is obvious. No seals means no leaks.
But what about residents who might be concerned about their drinking water coming through plastic pipes? The truth is they should be happy because their quality of water would be superior to that which comes from copper or other types of plastic. PP-R does not react with water, or most dissolved chemicals in water. This prevents corrosion, scaling and erosion—the three major causes of long-term piping failure. In addition, the piping won’t leach any trace chemicals into drinking water.
In addition to being a healthy alternative to copper piping, Aquatherm also offers sustainability benefits. While piping is a not a large part of an apartment building, the wrong piping system can have a large negative impact on the environment. Leached chemicals can impact health and the local water table. Corroding pipes cause a decrease in energy efficiency, and eventually need to be replaced. Leaking pipes create mold and reduce indoor air quality. In addition to avoiding these problems, Aquatherm is fully recyclable and can contribute to green building programs like LEED.
Be sure to visit Aquatherm for a comprehensive overview of their offerings. In addition to potable water pipes, the company offers industrial piping, greywater conservation piping and fire sprinkler system piping.
