Every day, 14,000 people in the United States encounter some kind of water damage emergency at home or work. To give you a visual, this equates to more than a quarter of the runners who crossed the finished line at the 2018 New York City Marathon.
While there are many sources to blame for this—washing machine failures and frozen pipes are two examples—faulty plumbing (i.e., loose connections with metal fittings) is one of the most common culprits. And it’s an expensive one: Estimates from insurance industry data indicate that the average cost of water damage in this case amounts to $17,250 per repair.
Water leaks introduce one set of problems, whereas gas leaks bring others to the surface. Because gas is flammable if a leak occurs, something as simple as an electrical spark can cause an explosion. Besides the danger of explosion, a natural gas leak can allow carbon monoxide to accumulate, causing fatigue, chest pain or even death when inhaled. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that more than 400 people in the U.S. die from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning each year.
With the right tools and technologies, a reactive approach to leaks will become a thing of the past. Instead, you’ll have a proactive plan in place to eliminate potential pipe leaks before they occur.
Use Press Technology to Avoid Leaks in Metal Fittings
When you consider the benefits of press technology over traditional methods like soldering, brazing, threading and welding, there are many advantages to consider. Without the recurring costs of consumables or hot work, a press tool simply allows installers to permanently clamp a fitting onto a pipe with the press of a button and establish connections that are built to last.
Outside of its ease of installation, press joints are also more consistent than their traditional counterparts. The skill and practice that is needed to make consistent solder, brazed and threaded joint connections is replaced with a simplified approach that minimizes room for error and can be used by both new and skilled workers.
In the case of Viega systems, all metal fittings are equipped with cylindrical pipe guides that support these efforts. The guides are designed to keep pipes straight, protect sealing elements and ensure proper insertion depth in the assembly process so the risk of any unsecure connections is avoided.
Viega’s Smart Connect® technology provides an added layer of protection in a piping system’s security. During pressure testing, this technology (which is built into most metal fittings) will quickly identify any unpressed connections with a water or air test and prevent any false positives within the system.
Want to feel more confident in your piping projects? In our eBook, How Viega ProPress Helps You Grow & Succeed in the Market, we showcase how one of our many products helps protect piping systems against costly leaks and other issues. Get your free copy here.
