The T3 Expert Guide to CIPP Resin Curing Problems in Hot and Cold Weather Conditions
CIPP lining and repair is an ideal solution for many pipe repair jobs. Trenchless pipe repair eliminates the need for digging through streets, yards, and pavement, making jobs faster, easier, and more environmentally friendly.
But it’s not without its challenges. One of the most common problems is curing time for the CIPP resins used in these repairs. Pipe repair businesses can hit some big struggles when the pipe liners don’t cure as expected.
The good news? There are easy ways to prevent this common problem—and clear indicators that’ll let you prepare before the problem happens.
Top CIPP Resin Curing Problems
While there are several possible challenges to CIPP repairs, resin issues center around temperature control and regulation. Too much heat, too little heat, or inconsistent temperatures can all create problems with how the CIPP resin cures.
Resin Cures Too Quickly
Many CIPP repair companies run into this problem now and again, specifically when the weather gets warmer. But any time that your ambient temperature is above the activation temperature of your epoxy, your resin will start curing quickly.
If you’re struggling to get your liner into the host pipe before it loses its flexibility, your CIPP resin is curing too fast. And if your liner isn’t flexible enough, it won’t invert or form to the host pipe properly.
Resin Cures Too Slowly
On the opposite end of the spectrum, CIPP resin sometimes cures too slowly. The most common culprit is low temperatures. If your ambient temperature is under the activation temperature of your epoxy resin, the chemical reaction will either happen very slowly or not at all.
If you have to wait longer than the indicated curing time for the liner to harden completely, you’re fighting low ambient temperatures. This will keep the liner from bonding to the host pipe, leading to future leaks and damage.
Incomplete or Uneven Resin Curing
Along with resin curing too fast or too slow, repair teams may find that their liners are curing faster in one place than another. When this happens, it’s because the temperatures inside the host pipe aren’t uniform.
Longer runs that have sections both inside a home and underground could cause problems with ambient curing. The effects can include bulges, bubbling, and delamination. This could lead to future problems like infiltration, continued corrosion, and new leaks around the improperly cured liners.
How to Prevent CIPP Resin Curing Problems
The short answer to CIPP resin curing problems is watching the temperature. But it’s more than just the added heat from curing methods or the home temperature. Here’s how we troubleshoot resin issues for our customers.
Cold Weather Curing Problems
If your ambient temperatures duck under 70º F, your general-use resins may need a little help to cure quickly. Here’s what you can do:
Add an activator: we add Perkadox to our resins to help activate the hardening process. The activator speeds up the chemical reaction in lower ambient temperatures.
Choose a different resin: our most popular resin, our 60-minute resin, is perfect for most applications. But when it’s cold out, our 30- or 15-minute resin lets you cut down the ambient cure time.
Use a hot-cure system: ambient curing is great for fast or small jobs, especially when workspace is limited. But when temps drop, using a hot-water or steam curing system may be necessary to avoid extra-long cure times.
Hot Weather Curing Problems
If you can’t get the liner in place before it starts hardening, it’s time to adjust your process to meet the hot weather conditions that cause fast curing. Here’s what you can do:
Leave out the activator: if you’re used to adding Perkadox to your epoxy, take it out when the weather gets warmer. This will decrease the chances of your resin curing before you’re ready.
Choose a different resin: that 15- or 30-minute resin is designed for cold weather, so it’ll only cause problems in hotter climates. Switch to a 60-minute ambient cure resin to give you more time to work with your liner and equipment.
Switch to ambient curing: ditch the hot-water system for warmer weather. That extra heat speeds the chemical reaction, so ambient curing gives you more time to work.
Preparing for Temperature-Related Issues
Marco Santoyo, one of our on-call experts, knows right away when he’ll get more questions about resins. All he needs to do is check the weather.
“Whenever the temperature changes, I know I’ll get more calls. People get used to doing jobs a certain way, so when the season changes, we always see an increase in calls for support.”
A simple 10º change in temperature can make a significant difference in the CIPP installation method you need to use. But all you need to remember to keep from running into CIPP resin curing problems is to check the weather before you start.
Here’s a simple checklist to go over each day to make sure you’re prepared for any variables that could cause issues with your resin curing routine:
Check the ambient activation temperature of your resins: our resins have an ambient cure temperature of 77º F, so we know that warmer or cooler temps than that require different methods.
Check your worksite’s expected temperatures: If you’re traveling to a different area, prepare your equipment before you take off. Prepare for indoor or outdoor work as well.
Consider the weather trends for the previous week: if it’s the first day of a warming or cooling trend, you may not need to make big adjustments to your process. But if you’re in the middle of that trend, the ground and ambient temperatures may require bigger changes.
Have the right equipment and materials on hand: keep activators, different resins, and curing equipment in your inventory so you don’t have to wait for supplies to arrive when temperatures throw off your routine. A truck or trailer with all the necessary equipment and materials could make the difference between being prepared and being caught off guard.
T3 Lining Supply: Here to Help from Job One
It’s easy to run into problems when you’re new to CIPP repairs. Whether it’s finishing problems, navigating bends and laterals, or dealing with curing variations, your first few jobs will likely need some on-site adjustments to get everything right. And if you’re working with a typical pipe lining supply company, you’re probably on your own once the materials are in your hands.
But we’re not like other suppliers. We’re on call from Day One to make sure your teams are successful every time. Our experts are always available on-site for the first job, and we’re ready to answer questions and troubleshoot in real time whenever you need a little extra help.
Not sure you’re ready to switch to a full-service CIPP supplier? Get in touch and find out what makes us different from the competition.