Water Treatment

Pinhole Leak Mitigation

The Problem
Although preventable, pinhole leak problems are common on piping systems. These problems cause distress to residents, owners, managers and on-site personnel as well as being very costly.

The Cause
The exact cause(s) of leak problems can vary. Many leak problems are caused by corrosive conditions created by hot water circulating systems. Different forms of pitting corrosion can affect cold and hot water piping. In some cases even newly repiped systems can deteriorate in a surprisingly short period of time.

The Alternative
Water-related problems can be quickly addressed with the proper installation and service of potable water corrosion inhibitors. Our systems consistently solve ongoing pinhole leak problems on plumbing systems. Even buildings with historically severe leak problems can be remedied without disruption to residents.

Before & After

The pipe in the "before" image shows the typical corrosion occurring on a hot water circulating system, bare red exposed unprotected copper. The pipe in the "after" image shows the results after water treatment inhibitors. The thin film deposit indicates that the corrosion has stopped. In many cases we can reduce the leak frequency to near zero in only a few months.

How It Works

LCS products are food-grade corrosion and scale inhibitors. More specifically, LCS products work by one or more of the following: general film precipitation that isolates the metal from the aqueous environment (see "Before" and "After" image), and passivation of the anodic or cathodic sites. Scale inhibition is achieved by sequestering mineral compounds.

Note: The product is effective in areas suspected of velocity-induced erosion corrosion.