Piping is a fundamental aspect of every building, delivering potable water, handling wastewater, and providing ventilation to help maintain air quality, among other functions. Current research has identified several issues to consider when evaluating the pipe and fittings in a building. … more
Are Plastic Pipes Safe? Piping material within a building plays a more critical role in safety than one might think, and homeowners, building owners, and contractors need to be aware of how piping material directly affects the safety of building occupants. Cheap piping made of PEX and PVC have become increasingly popular, appearing in over … more
No Paradise: Water Contamination Demonstrates Importance of Safe Piping After the tragic Camp Fire in Paradise, California, the region’s drinking water became contaminated when heat-damaged plastic pipes leached chemicals into the water supply. Testing found high amounts of benzene, above 500 parts per billion (ppb) in the water, grossly higher than CA’s limit of 1 … more
Study: In Fires, Toxic Smoke from Plastic Can Doom Occupants By Kevin O’Connor The construction industry goes to great lengths to reduce the likelihood of fires, designing for safety and implementing extensive fire warning and suppression systems. Building professionals can make structures even safer by paying attention to materials. When fires do occur, evidence increasingly … more
Humans Consume 39,000-52,000 Microplastics a Year Health Effects May Include Reproductive and Digestive Issues The rising concern around microplastics’ effect on water quality and human health has accelerated after a new study estimated humans consume 39,000 – 52,000 microplastics a year. According to the study, individuals that consume the recommended amount of tap water could … more
How Leaching Affects Water Quality When selecting pipes for drinking water systems, it’s critical to understand and evaluate the effect materials can have on water quality and human health. Clean water can become contaminated as it travels from a distribution facility, through a complex maze of pipes, and finally through a faucet. One lesser-known risk … more
Impacts of Pipe Leaching on Water Chemical interactions between water and piping materials — typically oxidation — and the principles of osmosis mean all piping materials leach substances into water to some degree. Some materials are far safer than others, however. For example, lead pipes and fittings have emerged as a serious public health threat … more
Drinking Water and Plumbing After the Camp Fire By Julie Jenks, active volunteer at the Camp Fire Zone Project and Biology Instructor at Butte College About the Event Experts in plumbing and engineering from Purdue University held a community event entitled “Drinking Water and Plumbing After the Camp Fire” on Thursday June 27, 2019 at … more
Codes Must be Responsive to Current and Future Hazards By Jay Peters, Codes & Standards International In one of my recent articles, “Building Products, They Comply with Code But Are They Safe,”I insinuated that PVC and some plastics could become the next asbestos or lead and caught some flak from friends in the plastic piping … more
Plumbing and Firefighting Associations Call for Plastic Piping Ban The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the United Association of Plumbers, Fitters, Welders and HVAC Service Techs (UA) recently called for a ban on plastic piping in hospitals, nursing facilities, high rise residential structures, and healthcare facilities. Using materials other than plastic will reduce … more