uPVC Pipe Chemical Attack?
uPVC Pipe Chemical Attack?
(OP)
Greetings All
For uPVC drainage pipes and fittings to BS EN 1329, are there any chemicals that can be flushed down the toilet that can weaken the pipes/fittings? Many things can be flushed down the toilet but I had the peculiar experience of a specific soil riser, in a residential tower, that always fails at the bottom (the last elbow at the bottom).
The elbow is long-sweep 90', velocity breakers are in place, and vent pipe is connected. Also we made sure that the fitting is not forced into position (undue stresses) between the vertical and horizontal pipes. The fitting has a BSI Kitemark, and is from a reputable manufacturer, so I don't think its the quality of the fitting. I understand that uPVC has great chemical resistance but I am not ruling out that the damage may have been caused by chemical.
Much obliged for any information.
For uPVC drainage pipes and fittings to BS EN 1329, are there any chemicals that can be flushed down the toilet that can weaken the pipes/fittings? Many things can be flushed down the toilet but I had the peculiar experience of a specific soil riser, in a residential tower, that always fails at the bottom (the last elbow at the bottom).
The elbow is long-sweep 90', velocity breakers are in place, and vent pipe is connected. Also we made sure that the fitting is not forced into position (undue stresses) between the vertical and horizontal pipes. The fitting has a BSI Kitemark, and is from a reputable manufacturer, so I don't think its the quality of the fitting. I understand that uPVC has great chemical resistance but I am not ruling out that the damage may have been caused by chemical.
Much obliged for any information.





RE: uPVC Pipe Chemical Attack?
" PVC swells or dissolves in aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, and cyclic ethers"
- acetone, MEK, toluene, benzene. Basically paint thinners. Oh, and nail polish remover. Somebody cooking illegal drugs may flush a fair amount of them; the odor would be a pretty good give-away.
RE: uPVC Pipe Chemical Attack?
All that being said, I am curious when the ell, or fragments thereof?, are examined after failure(s?) does the plastic appear affected in any fashion, or does it look and feel (and if probed with a knife etc.) pretty much like normal new plastic pipe? Also, are there any abnormal chemical etc. smells (other than what one would expect, and the afficionados of the trade affectionately refer to as the the "odor of money" from what we all know is most normally "flushed"?) Also, while I see that apparently some type of velocity breakers are in place, do you know what the flow velocity is in that lowest ell (does it accumulate e.g. flow from the entire structure i.e. highest velocity when the tv goes to commercials?) As far as pvc as opposed to alternatives e.g. for tall buildings, I have seen that some architects and Engineers have used traditional materials for even new, quite tall buildings. Some of the reasons could be beyond stubbornness as revealed from a manufacturer, who incidentally I believe sells both types of piping, at http://www.charlottepipe.com/Documents/InTheNews/C....
Also, while I guess the timing of your inquiry may be coincidental it is about the same time many of us in the USA have been plunged into this "polar vortex", I nevertheless noticed that from the latter link one has to be very careful with the pvc drainage pipe as to how temperature variations are handled, and I guess it is possible that may prove most challenging where relatively long lengths of piping and ells etc. are involved and that may not exactly be at all times at constant temperature (is there any possibility thermal expansion and/or contraction have come to bear on the change of direction/ell, say in wishbone/"pully" bone fashion, either with high magnitude of combined/bending or fatigue stresses?)
RE: uPVC Pipe Chemical Attack?
Is the pipe adjacent to a source of heat or cold in the room where the pipe is failing?
What is the mechanism of failure?
RE: uPVC Pipe Chemical Attack?
RE: uPVC Pipe Chemical Attack?
People will also flush solvents like those provided by btrueblood down the drain as well.
RE: uPVC Pipe Chemical Attack?
You might note that PVC is brittle at low temperatures. You have not mentioned low temperatures.
RE: uPVC Pipe Chemical Attack?
RE: uPVC Pipe Chemical Attack?