Water is an essential requirement for building structures as water sustains and facilitates life. In today’s world piping systems are installed to provide this requirement. To install them in the right capacity project plans are utilized. As per the need of the project, concerned contractors install the appropriate materials to make those systems. To understand the requirements they can have piping estimating services against the project plan. This installation needs to be perfect in every sense and the slightest miscalculation, mistake, or damage can lead to leakage. This leakage can cause and breed various problems for the concerned building structure.
What is water leakage in piping systems?
For all sorts of building structures (namely residential, commercial, industrial, and infrastructural ones) plumbing or piping systems are made. These systems include their concerning materials for the required movement of water (and other fluids). The materials form isolated and intact passages for the fluid.
Its functionality depends on the condition of the systems. In other words, the passage needs to stay in its intact and initial condition to deliver the required outcome. Any little damage can result in various sorts of losses. The least it can cause is leakage. It can be detected with the right tools and methods.
Leakage is the slow oozing of water (or any other fluid) from a body or system. In this case the oozing of water from pipes and its supporting materials. The speed of water in piping systems depends on various factors. These factors and their outcome include:
- Gravity; the speed is essentially slow but it increases with height. As the value of gravitational acceleration, its speed or velocity increases every second by 9.8 meters per second
- Pressure; the pressure of the water in the piping system is directly proportional to the speed of leakage. The higher the pressure the higher the speed of leakage
- Cross-sectional area, the area of damage or breakage is inversely proportional (equation of continuity). The bigger the size of the hole for leakage and the lesser the speed of the leakage
- Passage; the leaking water needs passage to travel. This is directly proportional to the speed of flow as blockage hinders it. In case of no passage the speed slows to a great extent
These are some of the factors affecting the speed of the leakage. As there is water leakage, it leads to many problems and dangers.
Possible dangers due to water leakage
In any and all sorts of building structures, water leakage is a serious problem. It leads to various dangerous outputs capable of bringing about varying damage to the building and its inhabitants. These possible damages include:
Water loss
The lightest and simplest damage is loss of water. It is highly vital in various senses such as it is essential for life and it is scarce. This loss means a substantial blow to the constituting life in the building structures. A huge sort of activities and living conditions are worsening due to it. Worse, compensating requires a far worse effect such as carrying water in various containers for usage. Such conditions are particularly a problem in places where water is scarce such as deserts.
High water bills
It may be possible that you get water for free in some parts of the world but most of them have to pay for it. Water leakage in the case of its payment could leave the person penniless. It would lead to an unstopping reading for water usage and thus make a colossal bill for water. This is highly problematic and needs rectification.
Finishing damage
The first water leakage damage in any building structure is its finishing. As the water leaks, the first thing it comes in contact with is the finishing materials. While moisture-resistant and moisture-replant materials are used today, too much and constant exposure to water can damage it. This affects the outlook for both interiors and exteriors.
Affect architectural components
Building’s architectural components are made with materials such as concrete, masonry, and others. These materials too are affected as they come in contact with them. The effects are however slow and develop over a period of time. These effects can damage the architectural components into their breaking.
Bad Sanitary conditions
Water leakage can also cause bad sanitary conditions. Piping systems are installed for both water supply and drainage. Leakage in case of drainage supply can cause bad sanitary conditions. The drainage water contains different components that are harmful to health and cleanliness. As this water leaks out of the pipes and its supporting materials, it gives birth to bad sanitary conditions.
Bad living conditions
Having water present in the building structures affects both the mental and physical capacity to carry out different activities. Moreover, it affects the different components of the project such as mechanical systems (to install them you can have mechanical estimating services). This can possibly jeopardize the livelihood within the structure.
Possible diseases
Both of these can result in possible disease for the inhabitants. Exposure to leakage water from both water supply and drainage can badly affect the health of the inhabitants. This can be as far as causing diseases such as cholera, and typhoid.
These are some of the common and possible dangers of water leakage in any building structure.
Conclusion
Water is an indispensable requirement of building structures because of various reasons. To provide them in these building structures piping systems are made. For these systems to provide the flow in the right manner, these systems need to be in perfect condition. With the slightest problem, water leaks out of the systems. This can result in various problems and dangers. The article discusses these dangers.