{"id":5066,"date":"2022-11-04T14:01:57","date_gmt":"2022-11-04T14:01:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/shukalb.al\/?p=5066"},"modified":"2022-11-23T23:26:12","modified_gmt":"2022-11-23T22:26:12","slug":"english-best-practices-for-pipe-repair-replacement-programme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shukalb.al\/?p=5066&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Best Practices for Pipe Repair & Replacement Programme"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Join, Repair, Restrain, Tap with HYMAX<\/em>
Photo Credit: Mueller International Holdings Ltd<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The very nature of a pipe burst is that it is unexpected.\u00a0 Crews jump into action and solve the problem as quickly as possible to mitigate damage.\u00a0 Like any emergency, the speed of resolution is often more important than the cost. Utilities are prepared to pull personnel off other jobs, rent expensive equipment, pay high couriers fees, and so on.\u00a0 In contrast, replacement of aging infrastructure often comes with the gift of time that is used to hire experts to do condition assessment, source the optimal solution and prioritise critical needs first.<\/p>\n

While you may not know exactly when and where the next pipe will burst, planning for breaks is possible, and the effort expended on this is a direct benefit to optimising replacement projects.\u00a0 Below are some best practices that utilities are using to deal with the historical issues that are consuming budgets today.<\/p>\n

Inventory Management<\/strong><\/p>\n

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HYMAX Swivel joint can connect and restrain two pipes at any angle from 0\u00b0 TO 90\u00b0<\/em>
Photo Credit: Mueller International Holdings Ltd<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With global supply under strain, never has it been more important to have the inventory that you need on hand. It is impossible to have every item you will need and the cost to purchase expensive parts for a very unlikely event, is more a luxury than a need.\u00a0 Combining the knowledge of your infrastructure, such as pipe type, size, and age, with the experience of work crews is critical to maintaining an affordable and high turnover inventory.<\/p>\n

Carefully look at the demand for repair products and when they are used most frequently by analysing orders over the last three or four years to identify trends. See if there are periods when the demand for certain clamps or couplings is high, and other periods when it is low. This will help determine which products should be in high supply and which ones can be lower.<\/p>\n

There are also products that are designed to fit a wide range of pipe types and diameters.\u00a0 Product design can go a long way to broadening the versatility and scope of repair. For example, there are several coupling products, such as the HYMAX Versa\u00ae Wrap-Around Coupling, that have the versatility to either join or repair pipes, offering a high degree of flexibility to make repairs as needed. These kinds of clamps and couplings can take the place of up to three traditional products, on the shelf or in the truck.<\/p>\n

Weather can also play a key role in determining which repair supplies will be in high demand and how fast you can obtain them.\u00a0 Repairs are often required when the ground shifts during the spring thaw, and at other times of the year when the weather is extreme. Keep in mind deliveries can be harder to fill when severe weather hits parts of the country.<\/p>\n

Using the Right Tools<\/strong><\/p>\n

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This HYMAX\u00ae Versa installation in Atlanta, has the versatility to either join or repair pipes, offering a high degree of flexibility<\/em>
Photo Credit: Mueller International Holdings Ltd<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When a repair is not working, it is often because the wrong practices are being used to do the job.\u00a0 For example, thrust blocks are probably the most common way to restrain pipes. Engineers go to great lengths to design the right thrust block based on the needs of the project. Bags of concrete mix with holes punched in them and a bucket of water poured on top is not a thrust block, nor is a 4×4 post.\u00a0 Make-shift restraints inevitably fail and then the whole expense of the repair needs to be repeated. However, in many circumstances, mechanically restrained products, such as the HYMAX Grip\u00ae Restraint Coupling that uses a mechanism to grip the pipes, can be used to restrain the pipe; saving repair time and cost of engineered thrust blocks.<\/p>\n

If you are connecting two pipes, use a coupling, not a clamp. Repair clamps are designed to repair holes or ring breaks. They are not designed to couple pipes since they offer no deflection or restraint capacity, which could result in failure.<\/p>\n

Choosing the right sized repair product is also important to making good repairs, and you can only know for sure the size of the pipe with an outside diameter (OD) measuring tape. It is not uncommon for people to devise their own methods for measuring the outside diameter of the pipe and getting it wrong.\u00a0 This is the first thing to double-check when a new clamp install is leaking \u2013 do you have the right sized clamp?\u00a0 Some product brands like HYMAX have wide OD ranges, which means that the products will work on a wider variety of ODs, so there is some margin for error.<\/p>\n

As a rule of thumb, ensure you have the following tools for your project:<\/p>\n