Pipe Leakage Due to Corrosion Under Insulation

Water

• The type of water that runs through pipes affects how likely they are to corrode. Large differences in water quality exist throughout the country. In smaller rural areas, water treatment standards are not always up to the levels provided by large treatment facilities in cities. Water with a lower pH level, with higher oxygen content or with low alkalinity is more likely to cause corrosion in the pipes it runs through. If your water supply matches any of those characteristics, corrosion could eventually become a problem.

Corrosion Control

• The chemistry of the water causes pipes to break down if the conditions are right for a corrosive reaction. Copper, galvanized and even PVC pipes are potentially vulnerable to types of corrosion. When pipes corrode, they might need to be replaced. If the damage is not too extensive, a corrosion control system might seal the pipes and prevent further damage. This involves injecting a coating into the pipes that seals off the interior walls and prevents further corrosion. This is ideal for pipes hidden under insulation as it does not require gaining access to the complete length of pipe the way replacing a complete segment would.

Insulation Damage

• Insulation is not designed to deal well with moisture. One problem with a leak under the insulation of your home is that the water starts to compromise the effectiveness of the insulation in your wall cavities. The result is a home that is more expensive to heat or cool. If you know that you've had a leaky pipe around insulation, you need to remove all of the wet insulation and replace it, while also repairing the leak to avoid further damage.

Damage

• The damage caused by these leaks can be structural and severe. Water will contribute to the rotting and degradation of structural wood. If it leaks through the insulation to the wall, it will stain and rot drywall. Even cement foundations start to crack and wear if constantly subjected to water leaking down through a wall from a leaking pipe. In addition to this physical damage, if mold starts to grow it poses a health problem to everyone in your home. Fiberglass insulation provides a particularly good home for mold growth, and dangerous molds, like Stachybotrys, could form in cases where there is an ongoing source of moisture provided.