To avoid water emergencies in apartment buildings, piping must be taken care of in advance

To avoid water emergencies in apartment buildings, piping must be taken care of in advance

The only time we think about hot and cold water at home is when it disappears due to hydraulic tests or an accident. Failure to assess the condition of pipelines in advance and to carry out maintenance work often results not only in temporary disruption of the water supply, but also in severe damage to property due to a pipeline accident. Gintaras Stanišauskas, a building maintenance specialist at Civinity Namai, explains how to take care of a block of flats’ pipelines and who should do it.

Do you know which pipes carry your drinking water?

The water pipes in a block of flats carry the water we drink, use for cooking and washing. In Lithuania’s cities, piped water is of high quality and can be drunk directly from the tap. However, it is not uncommon for water to travel from the tap of an apartment building to the tap of a flat through old and dirty pipes.

“The condition of the inside of the pipes is not visible to the naked eye, but in many cases the pipes are rusty, covered with various deposits and their condition has a direct impact on the quality of water. Not all residents are aware that the water supplier is only responsible for the quality of water up to the cold water inlet of the apartment building, and that it is up to the apartment owners to ensure that the same quality of water reaches the taps in their flats,” says Gintaras Stanišauskas, a building maintenance specialist at Civinity Namai.

Various deposits and rust also reduce the diameter of the pipeline, which can lead to poorer water flow in the flats and water pressure problems. In addition, pipeline deposits and rust can cause blockages in water faucets and damage to household appliances, so it is recommended to install a water filter in every apartment while the pipelines are old and unreplaced.

Metal pipelines last up to 30 years

All old-build apartment blocks have metal piping, which lasts about 30 years. If you live in an old house and the piping has not been replaced since the start of construction, it is recommended that you replace it with plastic piping without waiting for it to crack or rust.

“It’s important to plan ahead for the replacement of your pipes, not only to protect yourself from a possible accident, but also to prepare for it. When replacing pipelines, residents know what hours the house will be without water, and they can also arrange for the contractor to enter the apartment. It is also very important that a planned replacement usually costs less than an emergency replacement after an accident,” says Stanišauskas.

Sewage pipelines are not forever either

It is a common myth that wastewater piping in apartment blocks does not need to be replaced because it is made of cast iron and will last forever. However, cast-iron wastewater pipes also become clogged with domestic wastewater from the inner walls, their diameter also narrows and the wastewater does not flow as it should. Even if a cast iron waste pipe looks good from the outside, the gaskets between the joints of such pipes are often worn and cannot provide the required leaks. The first signs to worry about are unpleasant odours and leaks.

“Residents of old blocks of flats are advised to replace their waste water pipes with modern plastic ones, which prevent dirt from accumulating, thus ensuring good permeability and functioning. Plastic wastewater pipes can also be soundproofed, so there is no need to worry about the sound of sewage coming from the neighbouring flat when you replace the wastewater pipe with a plastic one,” advises a Civinity Namai specialist.

How to determine the condition of pipelines

The administrator of a block of flats must organise a periodic inspection of the building’s technical condition at least twice a year, which includes an assessment of the building’s piping. A specialised inspection of the piping may also be carried out at the request of the occupants or if necessary. The defects found and the necessary repairs are recorded in an inspection report, which should be sent to all residents of the building by the building manager.

If the condition of the piping is not in an emergency state, but significant wear and tear has been identified, the administrator of the block of flats will usually propose to the residents that the piping be replaced, subject to the approval of a majority of the residents. If the condition of the pipelines is found to be in an emergency state, the administrator of the block of flats must immediately organise the procurement of the contract works and inform the residents about it.

Failure to take care of pipelines in time will lead to accidents

Old hot and cold water pipes can burst at any time, flooding flats and other areas of the apartment building and causing serious damage to property. In some cases, burst pipes can flood electrical wiring, which can lead to electrical short circuits and endanger not only property but also people’s health and lives.

In the event of an emergency, the water is temporarily shut off. While most of these types of emergencies are localised within 1-4 hours, there are cases where the emergency occurs in an unoccupied apartment or the owner of the premises is unable to quickly let emergency workers in. This leaves some of the inhabitants of the block of flats without water for a longer period of time.

According to Mr Stanišauskas, emergency sewage unblocking with special equipment costs extra for residents. In many cases, the cost of emergency response is higher because accidents occur after working hours or on public holidays. In addition, the older the pipeline, the more frequent the emergency service has to be called and the higher the additional costs for residents. In more complex cases, specialised companies with high-pressure hydrodynamic abatement have to be hired, as emergency workers cannot clean old sewer pipes with simple electric coils. In addition, during emergency response, bad smells are emitted, rooms have to be cleaned and sometimes disinfected, and special equipment has to be used to pump out the sewage in basements.

Who is responsible for the proper maintenance of pipelines?

It is often assumed that the municipality or the water company is responsible for the technical condition of the pipelines, but in fact the responsibility of the owners of a block of flats for the pipelines starts at the entrance of the block of flats. “All pipelines from the common inlet to the meter of a private apartment are common pipelines of the building and are the responsibility of the owners of the flats in the apartment building. The pipelines running from the apartment meter through the apartment are the responsibility of the apartment owner,” notes G. Stanišauskas.