Are you constantly dealing with residential plumbing problems in your home and garden? Then when you call someone to fix it, they either don’t show up when they say they will, or they leave you with a quick fix job that’ll you’ll need redone in a few weeks’ time anyway?

I was living this way once. And I knew that a more permanent solution could leave me with holes in my walls and my precious garden. After a traumatic experience as a wee lad (I lost my veggie patch to a pipe replacement) I swore I would never let that happen again.

But then I found Nuflow, and it was like every worry I ever had was gone. They have a whole bunch of solutions to fit all kinds of pipe problems, but today I want to let know about Blueline.

The best bits about Blueline  

When I originally heard about it, the first thing I thought was, ‘what is blueline?’. Well, after my extensive research (and a lot of emails to Nuflow) I found the answer, and it works like this. They look at your broken pipe with their fancy camera, find the problem, then clean it out. Once everything’s out of the way, they stick a thingo down your pipe that holds the Blueline resin, then it expands and hardens in the shape and size of your original pipe. It’s bloody brilliant, ye ken?

Let me tell you all the best things about what it can do for you.

A belter solution for residential plumbing problems

All the things that cause the most problems in your home are the problems that Blueline is specially designed to repair. There’s a whole bunch of blokes in Nuflow’s Head Office researching and developing to make sure of it.

It’s perfect for your draining systems, sewers, and stormwater pipes. That means that any of your clogged drains and toilets will be working good as new by the time Nuflow’s finished, and any lingering water that’s messing up your garden ‘cause of a messed up stormwater system will be gone with no worries.

Plus, you’ll never have to be worried if your pipes are the wrong kind for relining. Blueline is good for all kinds of material, like clay, concrete, metal, iron, steel, PVC, and fibreglass.

Faster than a deerhound, and more efficient than a flushing toilet

You could reline the whole street in the time is takes to completely replace a pipe, with none of those holes that wreck your garden. Nuflow will inspect, clean, and reline without needing to excavate a thing. Sometimes I think about where my veggie patch would be today if my Mam had called Nuflow that day…

Anyways, I thought it was fantastic that the rest of the pipe system can stay functional while the relining is happening. When I had the blokes ‘round fixing my downstairs pipes, my daily 3pm ritual was undisturbed and I used the upstairs lavvy with no problems. This is a big deal for someone like me who appreciates a flushing toilet – the Scots did invent them after all.

Leaves your pipes in better shape than ever 

There will be no more quick fixes with Blueline. Any leaks will disappear, and it actually increases your fluid flow rate. Not to mention the structural integrity will be restored with a well smooth transition into your host pipe, which stops joints from weakening and keeps pesky tree roots out.

Moving forward, any chances of leaks, tree root intrusion, or blocked drains go way down, and because Blueline makes your pipes abrasion and impact resistant, they’re sure to last a long time. With all the work I’ve had Nuflow doing, it’s looking like my pipes will be around longer than me.

Works on all kinds of layouts    

Worried your pipe arrangement might be too complex to repair with Blueline? Don’t be! No matter if you’ve got multiple bends, a bunch of elbows, all sorts of branches, or different sizes, Blueline is up for the task. It can be installed in vertical pipes, horizontal pipes, pipes with junctions, and pipes with changing diameters.

Plus, the blokes at Nuflow can stop and start it at any point, meaning Blueline can do sectional lining. It’ll even repair places where there was no pipe to begin with!

Good for your wallet  

Nuflow is the only company that’ll repair your junctions in one process? This saves a whole lot of money and time.

Not to mention relining your pipes with Blueline is going to be a whole lot cheaper than paying to have someone destroy your home, change your pipes, try and fix your home, then have to pay for landscaping and home repairs if they completely goose up your backyard. When my veggie patch was destroyed my Mam tried to have someone – no, actually I don’t want to talk about it.

Top quality support you can trust     

At the end of the day, do ye ken the best thing about Blueline? It’s the support that you get from the people behind it. I’ve never met a company so committed to the quality of their work, and the satisfaction of their customers. They have all sorts of quality management processes in place to make sure you always getting the very best service and products.

They’ll be open and honest with you about all the options available, and find the best solution to suit you. Every step of the way they’ll keep you in the loop, and explain the process so you understand what’s happening. They’ll even send you the before and after footage from their CCTV drain inspection camera so they can be extra transparent.

Talk to Nuflow today

I hope my Blueline review has managed to convince you how bloody brilliant Blueline is, and shown that Nuflow are the pipe experts you can trust. I’ll never go to anyone else for my pipe problems. In fact, I’ve bought them out to reline my pipes so much I’ve nearly run out of things for them to fix. Been thinking I might give relining my bagpipes a go… 

Get in touch with Nuflow today for help with any of your residential pipe problems.

The post Mr Proud’s Blueline review: hear from Nuflow’s biggest fan! appeared first on Nuflow.

Pipe relining origins   

Just like any successful business in today’s world – innovation is a non-negotiable. Over the last couple of decades, breakthroughs in the science and engineering fields have resulted in advanced and environmentally-friendly pipe repair technologies that Nuflow is now renowned for. This technology has made it possible for broken pipes to be repaired from the inside, eliminating the need to dig up and completely replace the affected pipes.  

Nuflow’s pipe relining methods 

Pipe relining, or “trenchless repairs”, involves old pipes being left in place while new pipes made from tough, durable composite resin materials are formed inside or around the existing pipes. Mitigating the need to excavate, dig or destroy, trenchless repair strategies like cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) relining means more cost-effective and convenient solutions for broken pipes, resulting in significantly less environmental impacts.  

The CIPP relining process

CIPP relining is one of the most popular ways to repair or rehabilitate pipes without digging and replacing. Essentially, advanced composite resin materials are inserted into failing pipes to repair damage, improve flow and extend the life of the pipe. For pipes that need structural strength (i.e. beneath roads or driveways), a liner infused with the resin is pulled into place before being cured into a cement-like structure.  

For non-structural pipes like water pipes in ceilings or walls, the resin is blown into the pipe to cure, forming a new pipe lining that will keep it strong and functioning well for years.  

These structural and non-structural relining methods are suitable for pipes carrying drinking water, waste and storm water, chemical (trade) applications, and grain, feed or sludge (industrial) applications.

At Nuflow, we understand that not all pipes are the same, which is why our pipe relining methods are tailored to suit each unique repair. We take into consideration the type of pipe, the climate, other environmental conditions, the operational needs of the client, and the built structures or services in the immediate area.

We use CCTV camera equipment to locate the problem area and where future pipe repair problems are likely to occur, providing you with a full discovery of the state of your pipes. We then use a variety of methods like water jetting and specialised plumbing tools to ensure your pipe is cleared and cleaned quickly and safely. Once your pipes are prepped, they’re ready to be relined with one of our four relining solutions:

Blueline^®     

Our structural solution suited to non-pressure drainage applications like stormwater pipes, sewer pipes, trade waste pipes, and more. It’s super versatile, and allows for sectional relining of any pipe length. Learn more.

Ultraline^®     

Our latest offering is a strong and lightweight fibreglass liner with an epoxy resin that is cured by an ultraviolet light train. The result is faster fixes and less time on site. We are currently using this technology for short patches on pipes of up to 150mm diameter, but we hope to be doing much larger projects soon.

Greenline^®       

This is also a structural pipe restoration solution. It’s used for high pressure main pipes, asbestos cement, UPVC, copper pipes, steel pipes and potable water pipes. It complies to international standards for drinking water, with the ability to withstand long term pressure of up to 1800kpa. Learn more.

Sumoline^®  

Our strongest CIIP relining system. It’s used on non-pressurised, built infrastructure with critical load bearing capacity, like bore storm water and sewer pipes, road and rail infrastructure, box culverts, and manholes. It can cure underwater, and will not shrink. Learn more.

The benefits of pipe relining vs replacing

From fixing leaks and preventing tree root intrusion, to stopping lead and other contaminates from leaching into water systems – the list of benefits goes on.

Pipe relining has a number of great structural and functional advantages. It’s suitable for situations where pipes have junctions, bends and transitions in diameter, while also possessing a number of convenience and environmental benefits. This includes eliminating the need for excavation or destruction that can cause damages, saving you a lot of time and money as well as saving the surrounding environment from disruption.

Most impressively, the pipe relining process leaves behind a final pipe that independent tests have shown has a greater strength and flow rate than the original pipe, and any other materials that might have been used to replace it.     

Why you can rely on Nuflow relining 

We back our technology and our installers – that’s why our Nuflow relining products come with warranties of up to 50 years*. This tried and tested solution can be the difference between waiting weeks for your pipes to be fixed, versus mere days. So, if you’re looking for an efficient, cost effective and environmentally friendly alternative to completely replacing your pipes, you know who to call.

Click here for more information on Nuflow’s pipe relining solutions or get in touch with your local team today.

The post How pipe relining works: no dig, no mess, no fuss appeared first on Nuflow.

Nuflow has the resources, equipment and innovative plumbing solutions ready to successfully complete a wide range of work at all kinds of job sites. No matter if it’s a residential property with a broken pipe line or a commercial business dealing with a costly leak, we’ve got it covered. In fact, Nuflow Sydney City’s job at Taronga Zoo was a combination of the two – if you consider Charlie’s home a residence, that is.

Sealing needed for seal enclosure

A local construction company was hard at work installing a desalinisation system amongst the pipework of the seal cove, when they realised water was leaking into the manhole pit behind the zoo. Knowing they needed to find the source of the leak, they drained the seal pool and ran a camera down the 34m run of 190mm steel pipe. That’s when they found the pipeline crack that was causing the leak.  

Because the pipe ran under the enclosure, the gift shop, the back entrance of the zoo, as well as the backroad towards the wharf, replacing the pipe wasn’t an option. That level of excavation would have been an extremely costly, time consuming, and disruptive venture – especially with school holidays right around the corner.  Relining was the best option, so the construction company set about finding someone they could count on to complete the job to a high standard and within a tight timeframe.

Relining solution for a pipe flange meant Nuflow was the only one for the job

When a Sydney-based plumbing company was approached for the job, they had to turn it down since they didn’t have the equipment needed to complete a project of that scale. Fortunately, they knew someone who could, and that someone was Nuflow.

Based on this referral, the construction company got in touch with Nuflow Sydney City. They had tried a few other re-liners, but none could make the same promise as Nuflow, and their solution wasn’t able to cap both ends to form a full reline. This is an important distinction, because without lining the pipe flange end that connected to the shut off valve, there was potential for water to get in between the pipe and the relining material, which would cause further leaks.

Confined spaces can’t stop Nuflow’s high quality work

After hearing what was needed for the job, Nuflow Sydney City’s head re-liner Michael got in touch with Head Office. He worked alongside the head re-liner for special projects to decide how long each section of the reline should be, how to add the pipe flange end, whether to smooth coat, and other important technical elements. After considering a few different methods, they decided that Blueline was the way to go.

Michael recommended this solution to Taronga Zoo and shared all the technical information around it. They were particularly impressed with their plan for the flange end, and the fact that they could make it into a fully encased system. The 50-year warranty didn’t hurt either.

Once everything was approved, the team got to work. The pit where the original leak was identified was the main point of access, meaning the back road it was situated on needed to be shut down, and confined space equipment was required to get the job done.  

The first day was spent relining 15m of the pipeline, as well as the flange end. Once the resin was installed and dried, they were able to drill out the holes that would connect it back to the shut off valve. The second day consisted of relining another 17m of the pipe, and the third involved installing a flexi liner on the bend that went up to the pool. The last day was spent smooth coating the top to make it a complete system. In total, 34ml of 190ml Blueline was used, completely customised to the dimensions of the pipe outlay.

Satisfied customers all around  

Nuflow Sydney City got the job done just in time for school holidays, with no disruptions to operations, or destruction to any property. If any other company had been on the job, they likely wouldn’t have got it done in time, and a replacement would have been very invasive.  

Throughout the job, the construction company was the main point of contact, who reported that working with the team was absolutely seamless. With great communication and constant progress updates, they knew exactly what was happening at all times.

Everyone was thrilled with the final result, with someone in particular especially pleased to have their home back. You can check out Charlie enjoying Nuflow’s work below.

Contact Nuflow for help with your special pipe problems 

No matter how obscure or specific your pipe problems are, Nuflow has a solution. We have advanced commercial plumbing solutions at our finger tips, and the whole network is ready to put their heads together and come up with a plan to resolve your unique issue. Get in touch with the team today. 

The post Nuflow seals up pipeline cracks at Taronga Zoo in time for school holidays appeared first on Nuflow.

New Zealand top-secret – floor wastes: 100x50mm

Metal Trap: Total of 180

TIME TAKEN TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE

180 relines in a 30-day window.

To resolve the issue using traditional repair methods, the floor would need to be removed and all new piping installed. It was a major cost and time factor that the builder could not afford if the project was to remain on time and on budget.

If the builder went with a traditional repair it could have taken three months. Nuflow executed the repair in a third of the time without any lost days of construction to the building site.

DISRUPTION TO SERVICES, LIFESTYLE, FUNCTIONALITY

Nuflow’s pipe relining system did not stop any work from progressing on the building site as it had the ability to be done offsite prior to the buildings being installed at the high-security facility.

The buildings were basic portable buildings which were brought in from overseas. They were relined in batches at an offsite location and then transported to the construction site for installation. This pipe relining process ensured the builder lost no time keeping within the project timeline.

It also meant no loss of resources for them. They didn’t have to take workers off jobs to rip up the floors and replace them, which would have had to occur in a traditional repair method.

COST SAVING OVER DIGGING

It’s hard to factor all costs into the saving made by the builder but if you just look at materials and time it’s estimated to be around 60% saving. This is quite normal when you use pipe relining over traditional replacement of pipe as it’s not just the cost of replacing the pipe but the cost associated to rectifying the site after pipework is replaced. Walls need to be fixed, concrete relayed, waste removed from site and the environmental footprint is far less.

WHY RELINING WAS THE BEST SOLUTION

The only other option was to pull the floor waste out and renew it. This meant the builder would have to replace the entirety of the floor, the floor waste and piping.

As discussed earlier the cost-saving was huge compared with the costs of the traditional ‘dig and replace’ method, especially when you’re talking about 180 floor wastes.

Additionally, relining the pipe using Blueline has stopped any future failures as the metal floor waste will never hold water preventing corrosion from occurring.

WHICH RELINE PRODUCT WAS USED

Our drainage solution – Blueline

Due to the unique shape and material used in the floor waste it meant that the Nuflow’s Research & Development (R&D) team would need to be involved to determine if the waste could be relined. The manufacturer of the metal trap was generous enough to provide Nuflow with a sample trap to reline and after extensive testing and development it was approved fit for purpose and an installation method was developed specifically for this project.

The R & D team then shipped the sample to Auckland, New Zealand where the local Nuflow Otago team presented the solution to the builder. The builder was impressed by the quality of finish and the durability of the Blueline product which is backed by up to 50-years warranty.

Once approval was provided. the race was on as the first 36 relines needed to be completed immediately to keep the bigger project on time and the remaining relines needed to be finished soon after.

This was no ordinary reline and each floor waste reline required an anchoring system to hold the Blueline system in place and a high-quality finish was demanded below the finishing grate with security and safety-critical to the end solution.

Keith Campbell the experienced Nuflow technician, custom-designed a regulator manifold to inflate 8 relines simultaneously, speeding up the repair process. This system had not been seen before and Keith described it as “good old fashioned Kiwi enginuity”.

THE RELINING PROCESS

The key with this job was the complexity of the shape that is to be relined.

It’s easy to reline a round pipe but we relined a pipe that was round, reduced in size and went around a 90-degree bend.

“This is complex and Nuflow is the only company in the world that was able to do this successfully at the time according to what the customer told me”, said Campbell.

This project was a great success given the close relationship between Nuflow’s R&D team and franchise installation network. With a pilot run taking place through the R&D department prior to going live on site enabled a positive solution for the high-security building in New Zealand.

This was done on the floor waste at the high-security building in New Zealand

If you require a unique solution to your project, contact Nuflow today.

 

The post Specialised Solution for High-Security Building (Case Study) appeared first on Nuflow.

There are many homes and buildings that helped build the nation and need to remain as close to the original building as possible. Heritage listing restorations can be challenging but with Nuflow’s technology, it has been successfully used across Australia to repair corroded building pipes, radiators, and fire services lines.

Historic or heritage-listed buildings are often a centrepiece of a town or suburb, they create character and distinctiveness to a community. These buildings can often have a very positive influence on many aspects of the way a community develops. People are proud of their local history and value these buildings, but they often don’t realise how important a building is to them until it’s threatened or damaged.

These historically significant buildings need investment into maintenance and restoration to keep them operational and of value to the community, so what happens when plumbing and drainage systems fail? Do you just break parts of the building or dig up ground, driveways, and paths to find and fix the issue?

The answer must be NO, avoid any damage at all costs.

New technologies that have emerged to support utilities and government maintain large infrastructure are the solution needed. These technologies have been proven to be of benefit to Historic buildings too. Here isone of our pipe relining jobs which had to be in accordance with heritage guidelines: WARMING OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE.

Pipe relining emerged as a way to repair or rehabilitate existing sewer and stormwater systems without the destruction to buildings or surrounding grounds and gardens (which can often also be historically listed).

Areas where heritage is understood and valued tend to be better looked after and regarded by the community. These buildings help foster pride and civic responsibility which support better communities, attract tourism and external investment. These heritage places not only reveal the story of Australia’s past; they safeguard and enrich our present and future. Retaining our limited heritage resources is green, sustainable, an investment and community building. Owners, businesses, residents and visitors all benefit as a result.

WHICH PIPE RELINING PRODUCTS SUIT HERITAGE BUILDINGS

For over 15 years Nuflow pipe relining systems have been manufactured, installed, and guaranteed locally, which means end-to-end solutions, faster response times and easy resolution of issues. Nuflow systems are designed to be fit for purpose and made in Australia to suit our harsh conditions.

When it comes to protecting these important heritage-listed buildings using pipe relining systems should always be the first choice of building managers, choosing a locally made and installed system like Nuflow should be just as important.

Nuflow’s most popular products for heritage-listed buildings are the Blueline technology and Redline relining product.

BLUELINE TECHNOLOGY

Blueline is a pipe relining product which repairs and rehabilitates pipes by creating a pipe within a pipe. The epoxy liner installed bonds to the host pipe’s interior wall. It seals and protects the system from further deterioration, dramatically extending the life of the piping system. Is perfect for drainage, sewage and stormwater systems, pool pipes and high wear or impact systems.

REDLINE TECHNOLOGY

Nuflow’s non-structural epoxy resin relining solution for pressurised metal pipe networks such as those in fire suppressant or drinking water systems and radiators. It can be installed without disruption to walls or buildings and prevents contaminants and micro-organisms (lead etc.) from leaching into pipe water. The Redline technology has excellent curing capacity, meaning little disruption to users, operations or the surrounding environment.

Nuflow is able to support heritage-listed buildings in unique relining repair solutions to infrastructure. If you are interested in more information on rehabilitating heritage building pipes, radiators, and fire services lines, contact Nuflow for more information.

The post New Technology Protecting Our Heritage Listed Buildings appeared first on Nuflow.

In a job Nuflow St George attended to, the strata manager and strata committee had been plagued by a mysterious leak through the ceiling of a 6^th floor apartment.

When their local Sydney plumber finally worked out the offending leak was coming from a 100mm PVC storm water pipe and not the water system, they began to remove the ceiling, attempting to resolve the issue. The plumber discovered that this was not an ordinary fix and simply replacing part of the pipework was not an option, as the pipe was deep within a structural column that bears the load of the building above them and breaking it open was not possible.

Servicing Strata Management

It was clear this repair was not going to be straight forward. Engineer approval would be needed to disrupt the structural column and ceiling slab, scaffolding would be required to gain access to the external section of down pipe and not to mention the cost of the repair itself. The strata committee started seeing the escalating costs associated with repairing the pipe via replacement and soon realized they needed another more cost effective, less destructive and disruptive option.

The senior strata community leader contacted Nuflow St George to discuss the job as they had heard of pipe relining and wanted to explore if this was an option. After a brief discussion the local Nuflow team offered to investigate the job as they felt confident of a positive, cost effective outcome.

Having over 20 years’ experience solving strata plumbing problems the Nuflow St George team were awarded the challenging job after demonstrating the cured-in-place-pipe (CIPP) relining method and assuring management it was possible to fix.

Pipe Relining Process for Strata Plumbing Problems

Nuflow’s Blueline pipe relining is an environmentally friendly pipe rehabilitation system. There is no excavation or destruction required therefore it causes minimal disturbance and is highly cost effective for pipe repairs in shared buildings, high-rises or multi-dwelling buildings.

Using existing access points, a liner which is impregnated with resin and a deflated bladder is pulled into the pipe and positioned over the damaged area of pipe. The bladder is inflated, pushing the liner against the host pipe and forms the shape of the pipe. The resin then cures, essentially forming a new, strong and permanent pipe inside the old one.

Requiring an upstream entry point to the pipe and a downstream access point which were hidden among the structures, made this job extremely difficult, as the two entry points were 8 floors apart. One point was located on the roof of this 8-story apartment block, with the nearest downstream access being in the ceiling space of the ground floor apartment. The cracked pipe was located on the 7^th floor. However, using specialised pipe locating equipment carried by the team, the points were easily determined and enabled a flawless repair plan to be executed.

Todd Proctor, Head Reline Technician from Nuflow St George, said ‘With these complexities, this was not a job for an inexperienced team. Once an access point was located in the ceiling space, it was possible to execute a permanent repair using the Blueline Relining System, but it took perseverance and determination by the team”.

The entire operation took place over two days and, by using pipe relining it minimised disruption to any tenants without the usual noisy, dusty and messy smashing of concrete. The pipe relining process eliminated the need for:

• Engineers
• Builders
• Costly scaffolding erection
• Bricklayers
• Concreters
• All remedial work associated with returning it to original condition.

This pipe relining solution prevented a costly and lengthy fix that traditional methods of repair would have taken. It also provided peace of mind for the building owners and tenants with a guarantee of up to 50 years.

Servicing strata management and fixing strata plumbing problems with pipe relining is Nuflow’s core focus. If you would like to speak with an accredited and trained Nuflow technician visit https://nuflow.net/find-us/.

The post A Smart Fix For Strata Plumbing (Case Study) appeared first on Nuflow.

The reality is that these glamourous boats rarely spend more than a few hours in port, and this makes it very difficult to do any major work. However, once or twice a year the super yacht will get time in port when essential maintenance is tightly scheduled into a small window of downtime.

New Zealand Yacht Springs a Leak

The 50mm aluminium fire suppression pipe system throughout a New Zealand yacht, was found by crew to be corroded and leaking profusely. This pipe system was used daily to clean the deck and it also provided water for firefighting purposes.

The fire suppression system on this mega yacht, draws saltwater into the pipeline from the ocean and the saltwater had badly eaten away at the aluminium pipe causing cracking, holes and scale build up within the pipe.
Worse still, each time the firefighting system was tested it leaked exceedingly within the yacht, causing damage and mess to exquisite finishes and furnishings within the stateroom and other quarters.

With only 14 days in port at Auckland Harbour, until it began its next summer at sea, Nuflow North Harbour were called to inspect and repair the mega yacht.

Although super yacht plumbing was a first for Nuflow North Harbour, they are specialists and highly reputable at pipe relining solutions for all types of pipes including sewer and stormwater. With over 40 years’ experience fixing pipes, when asked to look at the New Zealand yacht, they were enthusiastic to jump aboard and provide the repair solution for the vessel.

Pipe Relining Solutions Chartered for the Super Yacht Repair

Typically, in an aluminium fire service line Nuflow’s Redline Epoxy coating system would be used. However due to the extensive cracks and other concerns, for this vessel’s pipe system, Nuflow’s Blueline structural pipe relining solution was required to rehabilitate the pipe.

The benefit of using Nuflow’s Blueline product was that it increased the effectiveness of fluid flow rate for the pipe, it provided a structural repair, it has greater strength properties than the new pipe and the repair was carried out without any destruction to the luxurious vessel.

Relining the small 50mm diameter pipe posed some challenges with tight bends on the vessel, unlike sweeping bends in a standard drainage pipe. Nuflow North Harbour ensured they had the right tools to propel the pipe lining within the pipe and were able to enter and exit the bends without getting caught.

In addition, access to the pipeline could only be achieved in a few places as the pipe system was built into the superstructure. However, with smart planning and finesse, the entire system was cleaned, relined and repaired within the limited window of time, ensuring the mega yacht was able to set out to sea as planned.

Pipe relining is a cost effective repair method for super yacht plumbing, as well as water, sewer and stormwater pipes. If you have corroded, blocked or damaged pipes in Auckland or across the southern hemisphere, Nuflow offer a national network of technicians accredited and trained in pipe relining solutions. If you have questions about whether pipe lining is right for your project, contact Nuflow today who will be happy to help.

The post Smelling the Ocean Air: Nuflow’s Super Yacht Plumbing Repair (Case Study) appeared first on Nuflow.

Nuflow’s successful pipe repair work to a fire protection system at a local shopping centre was recently published in The Cairns Post.

The large-scale job at Lendlease’s Cairns Central Shopping Centre involved relining more than 2500m of pipe for a fire hydrant upgrade and rehabilitation of its fire hydrant mains system.

The post Upgrade to Fire Protection System Big Success At Cairns Central Shopping Centre appeared first on Nuflow.

In this article we will explain the difference between some of the leading CIPP relining products available in Australia today, namely:

• Blueline technology
• Greenline pipe relining
• Redline technology.

Choosing the pipe relining alternative that’s right for you

Decisions, decisions, decisions!! There you were, settling in for an afternoon in front of the footy when the kids run up the hall screaming the toilet bowl’s full to the brim. You jump onto Google for some help, but after looking over the first six or seven sites your head’s beginning to spin.

Pipe relining, drain clearing and plumbing are fairly competitive industries. That’s why an internet search on things like how to fix broken sewer pipes will throw up a long, confusing list of subjective commentary. Most of this advice is generated by those operating commercially in the trade, which makes singling out balanced and genuinely useful information a challenge.

Understandably, most throw their support behind the methods and products their own company offers and ignore or (even worse) denigrate other alternatives. But thankfully there are also some which provide useful and reasonably factual information for those wondering which pipe relining alternative is best for them.

Ways of repairing pipes

When it comes to repairing pipes the first consideration is whether you want:

• a ‘trenchless’ repair (no excavation or digging), or
• an excavation (traditional methods involving digging).

This will obviously depend on your site, your budget and the value of any built structures or landscaping near the site of the break. In open, easily accessible, soft soil where the cause (and extent) of pipe damage is certain, excavation may be the better option (particularly if you are willing to do some of the digging yourself).

If you do decide on excavation and replacement of pipes, your local plumber may be the best person for the job. If it’s a really simple fix, you might even want to try tackling the job on your own. This is not permitted in relation to many wastes and plumbing systems however because of health risks to yourself as well as the general community.

If the exact location, extent and cause of damage are not certain or there are other considerations like site stability, the need for concrete cutting, demolition, or a preference for not disturbing gardens or lifestyle, a trenchless method of repair would be more suitable. For more detailed information on this, we’ve provided a related article explaining the benefits of trenchless pipe repairs.

But that’s nowhere near the end of the ball game. From here you have to decide on the type of trenchless repair that will work best for you, and even then, which method of installation and which specific relining product will do the job.

TRENCHLESS PIPE REPAIRS

There are three main ways of addressing damaged or degraded pipes without the need to dig a trench. They are:

• PIPE RELINING
• PIPE BURSTING
• PIPE RAMMING

Pipe bursting and pipe ramming are more commonly used in major infrastructure projects where there are very big budgets and the capacity to use specialised, heavy machinery. With pipe bursting the old, damaged pipe is basically shattered with a drilling head. The head also drags a new pipe along behind it to be situated in the cavity the shattered pipe once occupied. The remnants of the old pipe usually remain in the soil. There are difficulties, however, if there are joins and junctions which have to be connected, or if there are significant transitions (changes) in the old pipeline’s original diameter.

Pipe ramming also involves the insertion of a new pipe, however, it is usually rammed into the soil alongside or above the existing pipe. The old pipe is disconnected but remains in place, whilst the new pipe takes over service delivery.

Neither of these options actually rehabilitates the damaged pipe and both are costly, meaning pipe relining is the most commonly used method in most situations.

PIPE RELINING

And you guessed it, even once we’ve whittled things down to just relining, there are a few more choices still to make. Essentially, pipe relining involves creating or inserting a brand new pipe within an old, damaged one where it sits in the ground. There is usually no excavation involved at all. This means lower overall cost, faster repairs and no destruction or reinstatement costs for buildings, floors, walls, driveways, gardens or other assets or services located above or near the damaged pipe. Believe it or not, there are four ways this can be done:

• Cured in place pipe (CIPP) relining using composite resins to coat the damaged areas of pipe
• Slip lining where a new, smaller pipe is inserted into the old one
• Fold-and-form lining where a liner is folded and inserted into a pipe before heat is used to re-form it to fit the shape of the old pipe
• Spiral wound lining where a new pipe is mechanically wound into an old one.

Again, slip lining, fold-and-form lining and spiral wound lining methods are most commonly used in major development constructions, while the CIPP method is more popular with domestic and smaller commercial or municipal pipe repair projects.

CURED IN PLACE (CIPP) PIPE RELINING

The cured in place method (CIPP) uses advanced composite resins to seal over damaged areas of the pipe. But just like the box of steak knives being sold on the morning chat show, just wait”¦ there are a few more decisions still to be made.

Essentially, there are three methods of CIPP installation:

• Pull in place where a synthetic liner soaked in a two-part epoxy resin is pulled into place over the damaged area of pipe using ropes fed through existing access points. The liner is then cured to form a rock hard new pipe inside the old.
• Inversion where a synthetic liner (again soaked in resin) is essentially blown (inverted) into the pipe to form a new lining.
• Spray lining (pipe coating).

For non-structural pipes (like fire sprinkler systems) the resin compound will be sprayed into the pipe to coat the interior (spray lining). But if a structural repair is needed (i.e., in sewer pipes under buildings etc.) a synthetic liner will be impregnated with the resin and cured to set rock hard over the damaged areas of pipe (pull in place or inversion methods).

Both the inversion and the pull-in-place methods use this resin-soaked liner concept, but the methods differ in the way the sleeve is placed within the pipe and work best in different situations. The inversion method can be very quick and cost-effective over very long, continuous runs of pipe without bends, transitions in pipe diameter or junctions. It has a heavier footprint, however, requiring machinery to generate energy to invert the sleeve.

Over smaller areas of damage (up to about 50 metres in length) the pull in-place method is usually preferred. This method can also accommodate areas of pipe where there are junctions, joins, bends, transitions and pipes made of different materials because liners can be custom made to suit the configuration of the original pipe.

Pull in place cipp relining for plumbing pipes

So for most residential or small commercial trenchless pipe repair and rehabilitation projects, the CIPP pull-in-place method is the preferred option. With this method, the new pipe (once cured) is even stronger than the original. And because it is joint-less, it is resistant to future invasion by tree roots and able to withstand heavy loads.

There are various types of resins available today, some of which are capable of lining pipes used for drinking water, high impact materials (rubbish chutes), trade waste and high-temperature chemicals. There are also resins that cure underwater, and others designed to line heavy load-bearing pipes (under bridges etc.).

Choosing the right cipp relining product for you

Finally, we come to the choice of the actual relining product. Nuflow is the only fully Australian-owned pipe relining company. They have in-house chemists and engineers who design a range of resins to suit different New Zealand and Australasian conditions. This means the products are locally designed, manufactured, delivered and installed; all of which makes for faster, more efficient and hassle-free pipelining.

Some of the most popular products are their Blueline technology, the Greenline range and a Redline relining product.

Blueline technology

BLUELINE is Nuflow’s structural relining solution for drainage, sewage and stormwater systems, oil, marine and pool pipes and high wear or impact systems. The staple fibre blend of polyester and/or polypropylene in the liner has inbuilt flexibility and high elongation properties that allow engineers to specify mechanical and hydraulic criteria to minimise installation damage and suit a range of tough Australian conditions. The liner is pulled into place using existing access points and quick-cured using an abrasion and impact-resistant, two-part epoxy resin.

This means projects can be completed quickly, safely and economically with minimal disruption to operations, users or the environment. Coming with a product warranty of up to 50 years, relined pipes have significantly increased structural integrity and higher crush and burst strengths than AC and UPVC pipes. This makes them resistant to future invasion by tree roots, corrosion or other processes of degradation.

Greenline pipe relining

GREENLINE is also a structural relining solution but it can be used for high-pressure and potable (drinking) water pipes. It’s the most versatile potable-approved lining system in the world and has excellent curing capacities. This again means that pipe function is restored more quickly and projects are completed efficiently, safely and economically with minimal disruption to access, operations or the environment. Made from a new generation of nonwoven, staple fibre geotextiles and cured in place using a hybrid epoxy resin (safe for use in drinking-water applications) Greenline also comes with up to 50 years’ product warranty.

Redline technology

REDLINE is Nuflow’s non-structural epoxy resin relining solution for pressurised metal pipe networks such as those in fire suppressant or drinking water systems. It can be installed without disruption to walls or buildings and prevents contaminants and micro-organisms (lead, legionella, etc.) from leaching into pipe water. The resin is blown into place using existing access points and cured within the pipe. It takes a fraction of the time it would take to replace pipes, making it an economical and efficient alternative. REDLINE is an epoxy resin lining that protects, restores and extends the operating life of pipes and prevents wear on metal surfaces such as chutes, flanges, elbows and launders. It is suitable for hot and cold potable water, greywater, compressed air, HVAC and fire suppression systems and conduit piping, and it can withstand the psi pressure of the host pipe. The Redline technology has excellent curing capacity, meaning little disruption to users, operations or the surrounding environment.

Nuflow also has products that can cure underwater (meaning services do not need to be disconnected during repairs) and a Sumoline range which has extra strength for applications under bridges, in culverts and for manholes.

If you’d like advice on which relining product is best for you, you can contact a team member here.

The post Which Pipe Relining is Best For Your Pipes? appeared first on Nuflow.

The client

Rockhampton Council Sewer Network.

The problem

A cracked and leaking 100mm junction connecting to a 150mm main sewer line. Pipe material: earthenware (terracotta).

The junction serviced a busy shopping centre amenities and closure of the line or the main which led to the council’s treatment facilities, was not an option.

Solution – underwater pipe relining

By using Nuflow’s underwater and fast-curing Blueline resin the junction was successfully relined using the pull-in-place method of installation whilst the line remained live and fully functional.

Time taken to resolve the issue

Six hours

Disruption to services, lifestyle, functionality

None

Cost saving over digging

Between $5,000 and $10,000

Other benefits

• No heavy machinery required
• No traffic diversions or traffic control
• No line closures and associated inconvenience to shopping centre patrons
• No environmental impact
• No WHS issues
• No disruption to local residents

Underwater pipe relining an Australian first

Another day at the office

As far as Nuflow Central Queensland’s Ben Byrne was concerned it was pretty much just another day at the office. He’d been called in to reline a cracked junction in a failing sewer system which serviced Rockhampton’s Stockland Shopping Centre. With so much of regional Australia’s underground waste and water infrastructure approaching end of life, this was what Byrne usually refers to as a ‘bread and butter’ job but there was certainly something different about the way the bread was being buttered for this particular junction.

Thirty years ago there would have been little choice but to excavate the area, remove the damaged pipes and lay new ones. Even as recently as last year, the popular trenchless (no dig), epoxy resin (CIPP) relining alternatives used widely throughout Australasia today would have required a dry line. That would have meant shutting down the sewer and either closing the amenities block in the busy commercial complex or having trucks pump and transport sewage by road. All of these repair strategies would have been costly, time-consuming and inconvenient, which was why Byrne was so excited about putting a new alternative to his client.

That alternative was a new advanced composite resin and liner designed to cure under water.

This job was Byrne’s first big test of the product and he knew that if it worked, relining underground pipes and junctions was about to get a whole lot simpler.

Cracked and leaking sewer pipes

The job itself was pretty standard; a cracked and leaking junction in aging underground sewer pipe infrastructure.

The pipes were made from earthenware (terracotta/clay) and were approximately 60 years old. Ground movement over time meant cracks were leaking sewage into surrounding soil and allowing vegetation to enter and impede the flow of the pipes.

Although the line serviced the major shopping centre, it was outside the perimeter (meaning it was council’s responsibility), and with a job requirement that the line remain operational during repairs, Byrne knew things weren’t going to be easy.

“Our standard Blueline system just wasn’t going to cut it,” Byrne said, “because it was a pumped sewer line under continual flow from the shopping centre.

“The main line was 150mm wide and the junction that came into it from the shops was 100mm, with the whole thing buried about six metres deep, beneath roads and driveways.

“Digging it up and excavating was totally out of the question.

“The waste goes to a holding station and is then pumped down this line to the council’s waste treatment facilities, so the pipe’s basically three quarters full the whole time and running under force from the pump.”

The pipe relining solution

Byrne knew that Nuflow’s Research and Development team had been working on a new resin, capable of being cured under water, and made some enquiries.

“I already knew we were the only ones who could reline these sorts of junctions cost-effectively but given that it was all under water and that we’d have to work against the flow of the pump it wasn’t going to be easy,” he said.

Once he confirmed with head office that the new product could handle the job specs, he set about formulating an installation strategy.

“There were lots of smaller lines feeding into the main from houses or other shops in the street, and this particular line came up vertically 6metres to the surface.

“We used an existing manhole opening to get our rope from the ground down this 6m line and then floated it all the way along to another manhole downstream where we caught it and pulled it out.

“From there we tied our reline and internal bladder on and (with the pipe under continuous flow) dragged it all the way back up the line about 60 metres to the damaged junction.

“Once we had it in place we simply inflated the bladder to initiate the curing process, and then waited until we knew it was rock hard and completely bonded to the interior pipe walls.

“After that we just pulled out the bladder and the reline stayed put.”

Because the junction reline was relatively small, Byrne didn’t need a lot of preparation time and so used the fast-curing formulation of the underwater resin.

“Nuflow has done a lot of testing with resin cure times and they give you all the calculations for the different resins,” he said.

“We kept an eye on everything and had a test sample of our own from leftover resin, so we knew exactly when to remove the bladder.

“No one even knew we had a line in place and once we pulled it out no-one would have known we’d been there basically. We started about 8.30 on the Friday morning and we were done by 2.00pm.

“Not only did we manage to reline the pipe successfully while fully submerged, we actually pulled the liner into place against really high resistance, because of the work the pump was doing sending the waste in the opposite direction, so I was definitely happy with how the whole thing went.”

Few other relining options available

Byrne said other relining companies, or even the Nuflow composite resin liners he’d used previously, simply wouldn’t have been able to do the job.

“For the big relining companies who do long lengths at a time, it just wouldn’t have been worth it because they would have had to shut down the whole line, reline the main and then use a robotic cutter to make the holes for the junctions, which is a very expensive exercise,” he said.

“They’d also have had to stop the sewer flow which is no small feat in a pumped line from a major shopping centre.

“Once they blocked it they’d have had to keep pumping sewer out into trucks as the chamber filled, then transporting it to the council waste facility on a rotational basis.

“Those trucks are about $200 an hour, so that’s even more expense.”

According to Byrne, even if the bulk of the work had been carried out after hours, it would still have been a major operation and traffic control around the access sites to the pumping chamber would have been needed.

He says the relining systems he’d previously used wouldn’t have met the challenges of this job.

“You couldn’t have done it with our standard relining materials either because the water would have washed the chemicals out as we were dragging the liner through.

“The liners are made from a soft, felt material and you mix your two-part chemicals together and impregnate the felt with it.

“While it’s still wet and malleable you can roll it up and drag it into place, but if the liner comes into contact with water while it’s wet the resins don’t cure properly because some parts get washed away and you’re left with furry sections.

“Those things don’t happen with this new resin because it’s not affected by water.”

How underwater relining was developed

Nuflow operates as a complete end-to-end relining solution, where the product development, manufacture and installation are all a part of the one coordinated effort. Installations are done by licensed franchise partners who complete a two-week, TAFE-accredited training course when they commence, and attend ongoing training sessions each year to stay up to date with developments.

According to Byrne, Nuflow’s scientific team developed the new resin out of necessity because a common theme that arose at the education and training sessions was the troubles installers were having with unanticipated water affecting the cure of the resins.

What the team wanted, was a resin that could cure under water.

Dr. David Rogers, head of Nuflow’s Research and Development team attended some of those sessions and listened to installers’ concerns.

“Quite a few of our installers were saying water infiltration was causing them issues,” he said.

“They told us even though CCTV footage showed the pipes themselves were clear, by the time they actually did job, water from the subsoil above or around the pipe had often filtered in through cracks and was now sitting in the pipes.”

Initial underwater curing trials were conducted at Nuflow’s R&D facility, using standard fast, normal and slow resins. These trials clearly demonstrated the problem: when water was present, resin washed off the felt liner, and in most cases created an oily film on the surface of the water. Even after a day or more, some of the resins remained sticky and under-cured.

An extensive search was conducted, aimed at identifying alternative, innovative hardeners that could repel water before and during the curing process.

“What they really needed was a resin that would be able to cure completely in the presence of water,” Rogers said.

A program of R&D was conducted over several months. Some of the new candidate hardeners cured underwater but were problematic in other ways such as expense, incompatibility with Nuflow resins or low mechanical problems when cured. However, one by one, these drawbacks were overcome and by March 2019, two new underwater curing resins (including a fast-curing version) had been developed.

Each had similar viscosity, working and cure times, and strength to Nuflow’s standard normal and fast resins.

“We did an underwater curing resin demonstration at Nuflow’s annual training in April,” Rogers said.

“We got a couple of the guys to do a small patch repair on a PVC pipe which was totally submerged in water during cure.

“After about one hour, the pipe was removed and the reline patch was cured completely hard, with no stickiness.

“That was when we all knew we had something that really worked.”

Often the setting up, labour and installation costs are as high or higher than the cost of relining materials themselves, so having a product that could save time and the possibility of a failed reline due to water exposure could mean significant cost savings overall.

The successful formulation was developed a little over 12 months ago, but the products had to undergo rigorous trials and testing before being released.

Rogers said Byrne’s willingness to trial the new product helped it launch into the market.

“One of the advantages of Nuflow being a local company with its own research labs and manufacturing facilities in Australia, rather than in Europe, is that we can be highly responsive to what our installers and the New Zealand and Australasian markets need,” he said.

“If we see there is a need for something or a problem others can’t fix, we have the leading scientific and engineering capacity on hand right here to come up with solutions.

“But while we can do all the testing and checking in the labs, until people start actually using the products out in the field it’s all just talk, really.

“Byrne was really positive about trying this new product because he could see its potential, and now he’s reaping the rewards.”

Advantages of underwater relining with Nuflow

By using Nuflow’s underwater-curing resin on this job, Byrne believes the client saved between five and ten thousand dollars, as well as the disruptions and potential workplace health and safety and traffic hazards that other alternatives would have presented.

“Apart from the cost savings there was no need to block the sewer, or bring in heavy machinery or trucks to keep the sewer chamber running,” he said.

“We also have a very small footprint, so it’s better for the surrounding environment as well.

“Basically we’ve just gone in there, got the job done, and no-one even knew we were there.”

Looking to the future with underwater relining

Byrne believes the underwater resin, which will soon be used to reline AC tidal storm water pipes in northern New South Wales, will ensure Nuflow’s CIPP relining systems become even more popular.

“Most pipes have water in them when you’re doing sewer and storm water so having a resin that’s not affected will make a huge difference,” he said.

“We’ve trialed the resin on a couple of other relining jobs this year where pipes have had bellies in them and were holding water and we’ve had to pull lines over long distances and they’ve worked fine.

“Also, if you’ve got to do something in a line that’s got 30 houses connecting into it, it’s pretty hard to run around telling everyone they can’t use their water or toilets for an hour while you work, but with this new underwater resin there’s no drama.

“It’s the only stuff we buy now.

“It’s making a massive difference and I think it will eventually supersede the other resins.”

If you have any questions about underwater pipe relining or you’d like a quote, visit our contact us page.

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