Eliminate Pinhole Leaks with Proper Pipe Material Selection

Pinhole leaks are an age-old problem in healthcare piping systems. While pipe corrosion and leaks are common, the increased frequency of pipe failures can be attributed to changes in the way water utilities maintain water quality throughout their water service network or because of the way hospitals maintain disinfectant residuals in their potable water supply.

It may seem insignificant, but the right choice of pipe material is vital in healthcare facilities. Failure to choose the correct pipe material will reduce system life and exacerbate the costs, such as continuous maintenance, pipe replacements, or property damage, associated with corrosion and pinhole leaks.

Changes in Disinfectants Supplied to the Hospital

According to water utility surveys published by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) the type of disinfectants used continue to evolve. When past survey results are compared with the most recent survey from 2017, there is an obvious trend toward the use of disinfectants with longer resonance times. These disinfectants, such as monochloramines, can have adverse effects on piping materials commonly used inside buildings leading to accelerated pipe failures.

The Use of On-Site Disinfection in Hospitals

It is common for hospitals to find incoming disinfectant levels from the municipal water supply so low that they are immeasurable. The lack of disinfectant residual has led many facilities to augment their water supply by introducing supplemental chemical disinfectants, such as chlorine, monochloramine, or chlorine dioxide.

While routine dosing of chemical disinfectant may be an effective way to manage bacteria risks, these chemical disinfectants can indirectly accelerate corrosion in traditional metal piping and cause premature failure in some thermoplastic piping. Safe and reliable water distribution is critical for any healthcare facility, and careful consideration of piping material is key to long-lasting performance and reduced maintenance costs.

How Different Piping Materials React to Chemical Disinfectants

Common piping materials for healthcare facilities include copper, CPVC, such as ChlorFIT® Piping System made with Corzan® CPVC, PP-RCT, and PEX. All of these materials handle chemical disinfectants differently.

Copper, the traditional piping material used in hospitals, is affected by free chlorine in water. This is exacerbated when heat is added to the water, such as on the domestic hot water loops, or if the facility has a lower pH. The chlorine oxidizes and attacks the pipe wall resulting in pinhole leaks. Many facilities with copper piping experience this, and it can be seen in the disproportional number of leaks on the hot water system. The Catch-22 here is that hot water oxidizes the disinfectant faster so more disinfectant is added to maintain disinfectant residuals resulting in more oxidization.

PEX, or cross-linked polyethylene, is a member of the polyolefin family of piping materials that includes PEX, PP-R, and PP-RCT. All of these piping materials are subject to oxidative degradation. To combat oxidative degradation, antioxidants are added to the pipe. Accordingly, ASTM has set a standard to predict an extrapolated time to failure from oxidative degradation (ASTM F2023); however, the standard does not take into account the use of on-site disinfectants like Chlorine Dioxide or Sodium Hypochlorite. In fact, some PEX manufacturers derate their pipe by 90% when using chlorine in a hot water application. This means that at 140°F the pipe is rated to roughly 13 PSI.

CPVC, unlike copper and polyolefins, has a natural resistance to chlorine and does not rely on the availability of antioxidant additives. In contrast to polyolefins, the CPVC material consists of strong C-Cl polar bonds, which are more stable against oxidation by disinfectants. As such, CPVC is ideally suited for potable hot and cold water use in hospitals.

Key Benefits of CPVC in Hospitals

In addition to being corrosion free and having superior compatibility with common chemical disinfectants, CPVC provides other benefits for hospitals:

1.     Resists biofilm growth due to low surface profile characterization. Most importantly, CPVC has the lowest surface profile characterization of all pipe materials commonly used for hospital water distribution (Copper, PEX, PP-R, PP-RCT).

2.     Prevents scaling. Unlike traditional metal piping materials, the smooth inner surfaces of CPVC resist scale build up and minimizes friction pressure loss throughout the life of the piping system.

3.     Provides value plus performance. Schedule 80 CPVC has been a proven piping solution in critical applications for decades. Its robust reliability, lightweight, ease of installation, and lower material costs make it the obvious choice when compared to traditional metal piping.

Shands Hospital Chooses ChlorFIT® Piping System Made With Corzan® CPVC

University of Florida Health Shands Hospital is recognized among the nation's best hospitals. Shands opened a 500,000 sq. ft, 200 bed hospital in 2009 which was the first time they used schedule 80 CPVC piping for potable hot and cold water. They have specified CPVC ever since.

“We have made schedule 80 CPVC our spec and that’s what we are using primarily on our hot and cold water,” says Mark Dykes, Shands' Healthcare Project Manager. So naturally, when it came time to choose a piping material for their next project Shands chose GF's ChlorFIT Piping System made with Corzan CPVC, over traditional copper or other plastic pipe materials.

Another reason Shands chose the ChlorFIT Piping System was that it simplified installation. When performing work in an occupied hospital, system shutdowns and risk of injury must be minimized.

“Ease of handling was another factor,” says Dykes. “We were working within an occupied hospital. With Corzan [ChlorFIT Piping System], I didn’t have to weld, get hot work permits, or shut down the fire alarms. It made things easier. CPVC [ChlorFIT Piping System] also is lighter.” Dykes adds, “And we could take advantage of space available in the ceiling and other tight spaces.”

Watch the full interview with Shands Healthcare Project Manager, Mark Dykes.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IET2DIsYgBc

GF Piping Systems

GF Piping Systems is committed to providing reliable, innovative, and sustainable solutions to meet the rigorous demands of healthcare water systems.

Learn more about the ChlorFIT® Piping System made with Corzan® CPVC.

References

-       2017 Water Utility Disinfection Report, American Water Works Association (AWWA)

-       Disinfect Effects on Piping Materials in Potable Water Distribution Systems Inside Buildings

-       How Does Chlorine Affect Plastic Piping Systems?