Factors to Consider When Installing HDPE Pipes

Posted on: 13 July 2016

If you are planning on having an HDPE pipe system installed, you are likely investing a decent amount of money into a quality piping system. You want to make sure that you get things exactly right so that you don't end up wasting the resources that you pumped into the project. Here are some factors that you should consider when installing an HDPE pipe system to ensure that the process is as smooth as possible and that the end product is exactly what you need.

1. Are you installing in a manhole?

If your piping system extends underground and has to go in a manhole for servicing purposes, you should absolutely take the time to add a gasket to the pipe corrugation. The reason why you want to do this is to ensure that any additional water that would invade due to the location of the connections is removed from the piping system within a short period of time and does not overwhelm it.

You will also want to make sure that you are using rubber sealant rather than concrete sealant to better protect against any water that might get into the system or escape the system. This rubber tends to be lighter and less likely to crumble. This is important because pipe connections beneath manholes might be jostled as people leave and enter the manhole in order to service the rest of the piping system. Rubber sealant tend to be more able to deal with possible movement.

2. Are you connecting different types of piping?

You might need to use a combination of PVC piping and HDPE piping in your system. Unless you plan ahead, you might end up finding that your couplers are not watertight when connecting HDPE pipe to PVC. Before you buy any PVC, make sure that it has the necessary adjustments so that HDPE couplers can connect it to HDPE piping. You can order this type of piping from your local hardware store or online. If you are unable to find pipes with the perfect adjustments, then you can always use waterproof adhesive to fill in any gaps that you might have between the HDPE coupling and the PVC pipe to ensure that no water is able to leak out of the pipe system.

For more information, talk to a company that offers HDPE pipes, such as Cabletec. They will be able to ensure that your PVC pipes and your HDPE pipes are able to work together.

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