Everything You Need To Know About Pitch Fibre Drains

Introduction

You might not know about pitch fibre drains unless you come across them. The primary problem arises when your insurance company refuses to pay the amount for repairs. When your contractor notices it, he might be trembling with fear with a short smile on his face. Don’t be scared of it. We will tell you everything about pitch fibre drains in this blog post.

What Is Pitch Fibre?

Pitch fibre is a material that came into existence in the year 1940. It was developed when there was a shortage of materials. This material is made out of wood cellulose infused with asbestos and coal tar to provide strength to the material. Since it is comparatively cheaper and more lightweight than the conventional deep clay drainage, it was generally put to use in post-war buildings. It was used until 1970 when plastic drainage came into existence.

Limitations Of Pitch Fibre

The pitch fibre subsides when external pressure is imposed on it. The internally producing blisters scale when grease, oil, fat, and hot water continue to pour regularly in the drainage system. The prolonged exposure to the water will make the drains blain and twist. Earlier, it was thought to be one of the best materials. However, it started to become a drawback for the drainage systems.

The Next Step

If you face the problem of pitch fibre drainage, you must conduct a CCTV survey to learn about the damage extent. You can resolve the issue with the following procedure:

• Dig a hole, cut the fibre using a picote cutter, and replace the entire drain with a new plastic pipe. However, it is advisable to adopt this solution only if the problem cannot be resolved with the no-dig repair solution.
• People generally recommend the above solutions as it is a cheap and quick method. You can also use the CIPP repair (Cure In Place Piping) method. It involves the removal of the blisters from the drain line. Then, a hole is made with a picote cutter, and a liner is inserted into it. It strengthens the material when infused with oil, fat, or water.

The above methods allow a life expectancy of almost fifty years. Both the options have their distinct advantages. Sometimes, a partial digging can fix the problem, but the issues can be easily resolved after understanding the problem with the CCTV survey.