Despite the fact that pipes are made from durable materials, burst pipes are often at the heart of many plumbing issues.
Are Burst Pipes a Common Issue?
How does this happen though? Pipes designed solely for the purpose of allowing water to pass through, should surely be able to withstand almost anything. The truth is though that depending on the type of water running through the pipe, leaks can sometimes begin to appear after even a couple years of use.
Although there can be a variety of different causes, by far the main causes of a burst pipes related to internal corrosion and high water pressure.
Internal corrosion of a water pipe results in the gradual destruction of the pipe’s surface by a chemical reaction caused by the acidity of the water passing through it.
Water that’s very acidic will cause corrosion, however alkaline water will cause limescale build up. A limescale build up can actually decrease your chances of pinhole leaks – as the limescale acts as a sort of internal coating.
What About Water Pressure
If the diameter of a water pipe is too small, the pressure is likely to be too much for the pipe, resulting in excess strain. Over a period of time this increased level of strain will likely become too great for the majority of water pipes and as such, cracks will begin to appear. To combat this issue, the simple rule is that the higher the water pressure will be, the wider the pip should be.
A Winter Problem
Although, obviously highly unlikely during the summer, severely cold can cause pipes to freeze resulting in internal blockages. Like having a limescale build up, this can result in increased water pressure – more than the pipe can handle. We’ve written about preventing pipes from freezing in the past.
These are some of the most common almost-natural causes of pipes that develop leaks. Corrosion is much more common on older pipes, but if you’ve just had some plumbing work done and you notice a leak – this is most probably down to poor quality workmanship.
If you are concerned about any potential issues concerning your piping structure, give the experts at J & P a call and we will be able to provide you with further information regarding any risks.
Further Information
If you would like any further information regarding the services available from J&P Group, contact us 24/7 for all your roofing enquiries on Tel. 020 7610 1616, email info@thejandpgroup.co.uk or via our Facebook page & we will be happy to answer any questions that you may have.
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Last Updated on June 18, 2018 