@safepipingmttrs.bsky.social
PLASTIC PIPES = PLASTIC PROBLEMS. Everyday building materials that can damage #plasticpipes include lubricants, sealants, caulks, & cleaning products, causing costly damage & liability. Does your facilities team know the risks? buff.ly/6f0zn6R
November 25, 2025 at 12:01 PM
PLASTIC PIPES = PLASTIC PROBLEMS. Everyday building materials that can damage #plasticpipes include lubricants, sealants, caulks, & cleaning products, causing costly damage & liability. Does your facilities team know the risks? buff.ly/6f0zn6R
Safe Piping Matters offers several AIA-approved, HSW webinars covering safety & performance factors for #plumbing systems. Request a session > buff.ly/sPiq2S7
November 21, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Safe Piping Matters offers several AIA-approved, HSW webinars covering safety & performance factors for #plumbing systems. Request a session > buff.ly/sPiq2S7
PPN: “The construction & plumbing industries deserve better than cherry-picked data & half-truths” from #plasticpipe companies. We agree. Manufacturers should acknowledge risks posed by products, not spout talking points. buff.ly/fwsOJDU
November 20, 2025 at 12:01 PM
PPN: “The construction & plumbing industries deserve better than cherry-picked data & half-truths” from #plasticpipe companies. We agree. Manufacturers should acknowledge risks posed by products, not spout talking points. buff.ly/fwsOJDU
Claims of long service life for PVC pipes depend heavily on ideal conditions rarely found in real life. Studies find stressors like inconsistent installation, unstable support, & temperature variations cause PVC pipes to change shape & regress in strength, increasing risk of failure. buff.ly/jn4PxUd
November 18, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Claims of long service life for PVC pipes depend heavily on ideal conditions rarely found in real life. Studies find stressors like inconsistent installation, unstable support, & temperature variations cause PVC pipes to change shape & regress in strength, increasing risk of failure. buff.ly/jn4PxUd
FIELD-TESTED TRUTH: Ignoring chemistry invites failure, as residents of 900+ Miami apartments learned when "common building materials" led to widespread breaks in #CPVC fire-sprinkler systems, causing $50-70 million in losses.
Wind by Neo and Latitude on the River Sue Manufacturer for Faulty Fire Sprinkler Systems
As reported by the Miami Herald, at least two condo towers in the Brickell area have been discovered to have faulty plastic pipes in fire sprinkler systems
buff.ly
November 17, 2025 at 12:02 PM
FIELD-TESTED TRUTH: Ignoring chemistry invites failure, as residents of 900+ Miami apartments learned when "common building materials" led to widespread breaks in #CPVC fire-sprinkler systems, causing $50-70 million in losses.
Material selection is a design decision with life-safety consequences. In fires, #plasticpipes like CPVC, PEX & PVC can burn & release toxic smoke. Cast iron, copper & steel pipes will not. Our spec guide outlines considerations every architect should know. buff.ly/WG8pT8T
November 15, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Material selection is a design decision with life-safety consequences. In fires, #plasticpipes like CPVC, PEX & PVC can burn & release toxic smoke. Cast iron, copper & steel pipes will not. Our spec guide outlines considerations every architect should know. buff.ly/WG8pT8T
Claims that #PVC #plasticpipes have a 100-year service life assume perfect conditions: stable soils, consistent temperature, minimal deflection, & managed stress. Real field installations generate combined stress interactions & reduce lifespan. www.researchgate.net/publication/...
November 14, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Claims that #PVC #plasticpipes have a 100-year service life assume perfect conditions: stable soils, consistent temperature, minimal deflection, & managed stress. Real field installations generate combined stress interactions & reduce lifespan. www.researchgate.net/publication/...
Safe Piping Matters offers several AIA-approved, HSW webinars covering safety & performance factors for #plumbing systems. Request a session > buff.ly/GsZZdH8
November 6, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Safe Piping Matters offers several AIA-approved, HSW webinars covering safety & performance factors for #plumbing systems. Request a session > buff.ly/GsZZdH8
Over time, flexible #PVC #plasticpipes can sag under their own weight or soil settlement, making low points that create “ponds” & trap wastewater. Unlike rigid materials such as cast iron or concrete, flexible PVC doesn’t hold its shape, reducing flow & inviting maintenance issues.
(PDF) Longitudinal Mechanics of Buried Thermoplastic Pipe: Analysis of PVC Pipes of Various Joint Types
PDF | The analysis of longitudinal deformations compared to performance limits of deformation in buried pipes is referred to as longitudinal mechanics.... | Find, read and cite all the research you…
buff.ly
October 30, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Over time, flexible #PVC #plasticpipes can sag under their own weight or soil settlement, making low points that create “ponds” & trap wastewater. Unlike rigid materials such as cast iron or concrete, flexible PVC doesn’t hold its shape, reducing flow & inviting maintenance issues.
Chemical degradation of #plumbing often goes unnoticed until leaks reveal the damage. Architects & engineers must prioritize chemical compatibility when selecting piping materials for long-term system resilience.
When Plastic Pipes & Chemical Clash: Risks – Safe Piping Matters
Promoted as cost-effective and easy to install, plastic pipes are often used without considering the environments in which they’re installed. Research shows chemical incompatibility poses serious…
buff.ly
October 28, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Chemical degradation of #plumbing often goes unnoticed until leaks reveal the damage. Architects & engineers must prioritize chemical compatibility when selecting piping materials for long-term system resilience.
PVC pipe makers brag about reliablity but a survey of utilities found over 1/3 FAIL due to problems at INSTALLATION, according to a Utah State study that was funded by a #plasticpipe association. Is #plasticpipe durability a pipe dream? buff.ly/RXxcTS3
October 23, 2025 at 11:04 AM
PVC pipe makers brag about reliablity but a survey of utilities found over 1/3 FAIL due to problems at INSTALLATION, according to a Utah State study that was funded by a #plasticpipe association. Is #plasticpipe durability a pipe dream? buff.ly/RXxcTS3
PLASTIC PIPES = PLASTIC PROBLEMS. Think your drinking water is safe? Depends on the pipe. When exposed to heat or chemicals, PEX & PVC can leach harmful substances into water. NSF/ANSI 61 does not ensure safety. buff.ly/WuQYuRr
October 21, 2025 at 11:03 AM
PLASTIC PIPES = PLASTIC PROBLEMS. Think your drinking water is safe? Depends on the pipe. When exposed to heat or chemicals, PEX & PVC can leach harmful substances into water. NSF/ANSI 61 does not ensure safety. buff.ly/WuQYuRr
Meet DINP: a #phthalate that leaches into soil & water, especially when pipes are exposed to heat or stress. Linked to reproductive harm & hormone disruption, DINP has no business near any water system, even those used only for irrigation. Why do some #plasticpipes still use it? buff.ly/A29jBGl
October 16, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Meet DINP: a #phthalate that leaches into soil & water, especially when pipes are exposed to heat or stress. Linked to reproductive harm & hormone disruption, DINP has no business near any water system, even those used only for irrigation. Why do some #plasticpipes still use it? buff.ly/A29jBGl
"The aging process of #PVC [#pipes] under operating conditions can be a significant source of #microplastics in tap water" per research published by the Intl. Journal of Hygiene & Environmental Health. Health impacts include inflammation & cellular damage
Aging of drinking water transmission pipes during long-term operation as a potential source of nano- and microplastics
Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) released into drinking water from transmission pipes can pose a potential health risk to consumers. This pa…
buff.ly
October 14, 2025 at 11:02 AM
"The aging process of #PVC [#pipes] under operating conditions can be a significant source of #microplastics in tap water" per research published by the Intl. Journal of Hygiene & Environmental Health. Health impacts include inflammation & cellular damage
FIELD-TESTED TRUTH: Performance over promises. “We were told the plastic would last 50 years. We didn’t get 20.” –Director of utility with 93k connections buff.ly/5s9SMqr
October 9, 2025 at 11:02 AM
FIELD-TESTED TRUTH: Performance over promises. “We were told the plastic would last 50 years. We didn’t get 20.” –Director of utility with 93k connections buff.ly/5s9SMqr
Overspray from common lubricants caused cracked CPVC pipes in a Miami high-rise. The result? $50-70 million in damage & a lawsuit. Plastic + chemicals can = catastrophe.
Wind by Neo and Latitude on the River Sue Manufacturer for Faulty Fire Sprinkler Systems
As reported by the Miami Herald, at least two condo towers in the Brickell area have been discovered to have faulty plastic pipes in fire sprinkler systems
buff.ly
October 7, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Overspray from common lubricants caused cracked CPVC pipes in a Miami high-rise. The result? $50-70 million in damage & a lawsuit. Plastic + chemicals can = catastrophe.
Microplastics found in 81% of global #drinkingwater samples. Degrading #plasticpipes contaminate water systems even after treatment. This comprehensive study underscores the need for better material choices & standardized testing protocols to protect public health. buff.ly/qRTXBHE
September 30, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Microplastics found in 81% of global #drinkingwater samples. Degrading #plasticpipes contaminate water systems even after treatment. This comprehensive study underscores the need for better material choices & standardized testing protocols to protect public health. buff.ly/qRTXBHE
The #plasticpipe industry touts research praising #PVC’s low break rates. But average metal pipes have served decades longer than plastic ones. That's comparing classic sedans, road-tested for decades, to 2010 models with 50k miles. Another used-car pitch from plastic pipe companies? buff.ly/SvFAFql
September 25, 2025 at 11:02 AM
The #plasticpipe industry touts research praising #PVC’s low break rates. But average metal pipes have served decades longer than plastic ones. That's comparing classic sedans, road-tested for decades, to 2010 models with 50k miles. Another used-car pitch from plastic pipe companies? buff.ly/SvFAFql
Interesting findings- permeable painted & wood surfaces act as “sinks” for VOCs, increasing dermal exposure & re-releasing into indoor air over longer term. Another reason to limit use of VOC-emitting materials such as #plastics in plenum air-handling spaces
Chemicals "stick" to surfaces in houses, to a greater degree than some might expect. This is why you smell the popcorn you burnt long after you might expect it to vent from the house.
(Full disclosure I am a co-author on this paper)...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
(Full disclosure I am a co-author on this paper)...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
VOC injection into a house reveals large surface reservoir sizes in an indoor environment | PNAS
The total partitioning capacity of indoor surface reservoirs determines the mechanism
by which humans receive nondietary exposure to organic contam...
www.pnas.org
September 23, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Interesting findings- permeable painted & wood surfaces act as “sinks” for VOCs, increasing dermal exposure & re-releasing into indoor air over longer term. Another reason to limit use of VOC-emitting materials such as #plastics in plenum air-handling spaces
EPA concerns raise questions for piping systems, flagging vinyl chloride under the Toxic Substances Control Act due to its "toxicity, persistence in the environment & links to serious health effects,” notes a USA Today article provided by DIPRA.
Story from Informed Water Choices: As South Texas grows, utilities face concerns about water pipes
With the EPA’s toxic review of vinyl chloride, South Texas should analyze water pipes in a changing regulatory environment.
buff.ly
September 23, 2025 at 11:02 AM
EPA concerns raise questions for piping systems, flagging vinyl chloride under the Toxic Substances Control Act due to its "toxicity, persistence in the environment & links to serious health effects,” notes a USA Today article provided by DIPRA.
Fire codes demand more than performance...They demand compatibility. Plastic piping often requires complex assemblies to meet ASTM E84 25/50 flame & smoke criteria. Metal pipes meet it naturally, because they are noncombustible. Simplify compliance. Reduce risk. buff.ly/rcIBL6b
September 18, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Fire codes demand more than performance...They demand compatibility. Plastic piping often requires complex assemblies to meet ASTM E84 25/50 flame & smoke criteria. Metal pipes meet it naturally, because they are noncombustible. Simplify compliance. Reduce risk. buff.ly/rcIBL6b
Plastic pipes expand & contract significantly with temperature changes, stressing joints, hangers, & firestopping assemblies. Metal piping remains dimensionally stable, reducing system failures. buff.ly/0RFMHav
September 16, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Plastic pipes expand & contract significantly with temperature changes, stressing joints, hangers, & firestopping assemblies. Metal piping remains dimensionally stable, reducing system failures. buff.ly/0RFMHav
PLASTIC PIPES = PLASTIC PROBLEMS. After use, #plasticpipes don’t get recycled. They degrade into #microplastics. Research finds #PVC pipe can shed 114,000 #microplastic particles/liter into stagnant water. Does it seem like plastic is a pollution pipeline? buff.ly/b0UIGiU
September 11, 2025 at 11:02 AM
PLASTIC PIPES = PLASTIC PROBLEMS. After use, #plasticpipes don’t get recycled. They degrade into #microplastics. Research finds #PVC pipe can shed 114,000 #microplastic particles/liter into stagnant water. Does it seem like plastic is a pollution pipeline? buff.ly/b0UIGiU
EPA scrutinizing toxic diisononyl phthalate (DINP) in #PVC #plasticpipes. DINP isn't allowed in potable water pipes but shows up in DWV & irrigation systems. Why would the industry make pipes that contaminate water - even if it's not for drinking?
EPA Targets Toxic Chemical in PVC Pipes – Safe Piping Matters
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September 9, 2025 at 11:02 AM
EPA scrutinizing toxic diisononyl phthalate (DINP) in #PVC #plasticpipes. DINP isn't allowed in potable water pipes but shows up in DWV & irrigation systems. Why would the industry make pipes that contaminate water - even if it's not for drinking?