What’s the Best CIPP Repair for Your Business?
Trenchless pipe repair technology makes it possible to repair almost any broken or cracked pipe without tearing apart floors, ceilings, walls, or yards. But are all CIPP repair methods created equal? If you’re starting a trenchless repair business, or adding to your existing plumbing repair company, what’s the best CIPP repair for your business? We’re here to help answer that question.
There are two main considerations when choosing the best CIPP repair materials: the liner and the curing method. While equipment can vary greatly, depending on whatever specific needs a company has for space or accessibility, the curing process and the main pipe relining compound will be the determining factor in who your company will be able to serve.
The Three Types of CIPP Pipe Lining Resin
All CIPP pipe relining methods start with resin. This is the liquid that coats the broken pipes and then becomes the lining for the pipe after the curing process is complete. There are three types of resin for pipe relining, and each has specific benefits and drawbacks. The best CIPP repair method for your needs depends largely on the customers you serve.
Polyester Resin
This type of resin is best for large projects, like municipal sewer and drainage systems. Polyester resin is the least expensive option available, making it ideal for large projects. Additionally, this resin can be mixed and added to the felt inversion liners off-site, allowing contractors to wet down the liners in a controlled environment before bringing them to the job site.
However, polyester resin tends to shrink during the curing process, so repair technicians need to account for this shrinking when repairing cracked pipes. Polyester resin is also dangerous indoors, as it emits toxic VOCs and carcinogens like styrene while curing. For outdoor use, or in open spaces, this may be the best CIPP repair resin option in most cases. But if your customer base is mostly residential and indoors, it’s better to look elsewhere.
Vinyl Resin
The second resin option, vinyl resin, is actually a combination of polyester and epoxy resin. This particular compound does best in repairs that require high corrosion resistance. Vinyl resin runs about the same cost as polyester, but that’s not its only similarity.
Like polyester resin, vinyl emits VOCs and styrene when heated during the curing process. It also shrinks in the same way as polyester. But, again, for larger projects, or projects with specific corrosive conditions, vinyl resin may be the best CIPP repair method for the job.
Epoxy Resin
Epoxy resin solves the two most common problems you encounter with vinyl and polyester resin. It does not emit any toxic chemicals since it does not require external heat to cure. In addition, it’s true to size when cured. But even more significantly, epoxy resin cures much more quickly than either of the other resins. CIPP repair resin typically consists of a two-part formula that includes a base and a hardener, but today there are several single-component epoxy resins available. Epoxy can cure completely in as little as a few minutes, compared to the hours-long curing process of polyester and vinyl.
The disadvantage comes in the cost. Epoxy tends to be more expensive than other options, a tradeoff for the convenience in its curing time. In addition, epoxy is limited in its application to smaller diameter pipes. Another issue with epoxy is that the two-component formulas can’t be premixed and wet out off-site, since the curing process starts almost immediately after the base and hardener are combined. The wet-out must be done on site in order to install the liner before it hardens.
But single-component epoxy resins are changing this issue. Today, these resins can be wet-out prior to arriving at the job site. And the excess resin can even be collected and reused later, making it a more economical option than conventional epoxies.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Different Resin Curing Methods
Choosing the best CIPP repair resin for your company is important. But knowing which curing method will best suit your company’s needs is equally important in the equation. And while each has its drawbacks, these two different curing methods are well suited for their specific applications.
Heat Curing
The first curing method used with CIPP repairs was hot water curing. This method involves injecting heated water into the liner, slowly curing the resin until it’s hardened. This method remains common today, since it works with all three resin types. However, the lengthy curing time required can be detrimental to both the technician and the customer, as it often takes several hours to complete the process.
This time deficit led to steam curing. This method also utilizes heat as the main curing accelerator, but it requires far less water than hot water curing and typically takes less time. Steam curing is also more viable than hot water curing for pipes with steeper angles. But the high heat has been known to cause occasional blistering in the resin. The blistering can inhibit flow or even compromise the new liner’s integrity.
Both of these methods are more cost effective, but the heat causes the toxic emissions in vinyl and polyester compounds.
UV Curing
In recent years, a new alternative has entered the market, and it’s changing the face of CIPP repair. UV curing makes it easy to determine the best CIPP repair for nearly any situation since it eliminates almost all of the challenges associated with other curing methods.
In UV curing, a strong ultraviolet light is passed through the newly installed resin liner, curing the epoxy almost instantly. In fact, the pipe liners are completely cured in as little as 90 seconds in many cases. There is no need for heat to accelerate the curing process, which means no VOC or styrene emissions to endanger technicians and customers. It also eliminates the need for water sources at the job site, simplifying the entire process. And UV curing has also been shown to be stronger and more durable than other curing methods.
What’s the Best CIPP Repair Method for Your Business?
Choosing the best CIPP repair system for your business depends on the kind of customers you typically serve. If you focus on large contracts and municipal accounts, volume is key to profitability. Epoxy can’t be used for large-diameter pipe repairs, and the higher price tag makes more extensive contracts more expensive. However, if your main source of business is small residential repairs, epoxy is an ideal solution.
But when it comes to curing, UV curing has a vast number of advantages over heat curing methods. The timeframe for curing is incredibly short compared to other methods. There are no toxic emissions since there is no heat. And the single-component reusable epoxy resin makes UV curing a more economical option. So what’s the best CIPP repair option? In our opinion, your best investment is in UV-cured epoxy resin pipe relining for small to medium residential and commercial applications.
At T3, we offer a full line of resins, hardeners, and relining equipment for any job. Contact our experts today to find the solution for your company’s needs. Along with our state-of-the-art equipment and supplies, we offer industry-leading training and support. Let our team help your team become the best CIPP repair company in your region, starting now.