One of the services Freeflow drainage offers is pitch fibre reform. New pipes are typically made of plastic, but there are many miles of pitch fibre pipework still in use. This older piping has been subject to decades of wear and tear, and there are several areas of the UK with pitch fibre pipework problems, which can be a serious issue if it runs below your property. Freeflow offers a range of options to repair your pitch fibre pipework problems, and fortunately, it’s perfectly possible to reform your pipework with techniques such as lining.
What is pitch fibre pipework exactly?
Pitch fibre pipework became very popular in the 1960s and 70s as an inexpensive alternative to the previous short lengths of clay pipes used. It first consisted of pulped paper or wood fibre impregnated with bitumen and made into tubes, a much more lightweight material. Asbestos was also added to strengthen the pipes. Pitch fibre pipework makes up several miles of drainage still in the UK, but unfortunately, it was not built to last more than an estimated lifespan of forty years. Pitch fibre pipeworks problems in Bournemouth and other areas are now common.
Pitch Fibre Pipework Problems
Because of the age and material of most of these pipes, many are starting to breakdown and deform. This can cause them to collapse. Other pitch fibre pipework problems include de-lamination due to blisters forming that can result in blockages. Although they have generally performed very well over the last few decades the stress and strain of modern life has taken its toll and they are more prone to breakage. The internal wall of the wipe can deform after being continually exposed to water, and substances such as oil, chemicals and high-temperature liquids can be even more damaging. If the deformation is less than 20% before they have started to belly out, then repair is still possible, and in many cases desirable.
Reforming and Lining
Pipe reform is often a more practical solution than replacements as the latter requires either excavating or no-dig techniques such as pipe bursting, both of which can be disruptive. Freeflow once undertook a project for a local health authority in which 105mm diameter of pitch fibre pipework under a building was damaged. Freeflow successfully reformed the pipe by installing a structural liner in only one working day, whereas excavation and replacement would have meant closing the hospital for one week.
Repairing the pitch fibre pipework problems is also a cheaper and more eco-friendly solution. Replacing them would need to include having to take the pipes to a landfill site due to their asbestos content. That being said, however, in certain cases the damage is too severe to be repaired, and excavation and replacement services can be offered as well.
For expert advice on your pitch fibre pipework problems Bournemouth, contact Freeflow for free on 0800 289 752. We also offer services across the South Coast including Southampton, Portsmouth, Winchester, Chichester, Hampshire, West Sussex, Dorset, Surrey and Berkshire.
