File # 105
Caesars Windsor Casino
Corrosion-Resistant PVC Sends
Metal Pipe Down the Drain
Drain, Waste and Vent (DWV) systems are necessary in every building for removing sewage and storm
water from a variety of fixtures and regulating air pressure to facilitate flow. Pipes used in traditional DWV
systems for commercial buildings due to code restrictions have long been made of copper and heavy cast
iron. However, performance has often been an issue knowing that sanitary and storm drain flows can
aggressively attack metal pipe. These common substances include salts, acids, and moist air. Corroding
pipelines will require frequent maintenance to prevent them from plugging and will eventually fail causing
possible flood damage and requiring replacement.
After decades of having few viable alternatives, System
XFR® from IPEX is quickly emerging as the new
standard for commercial and institutional buildings.
From corrosion resistance and easier installation, to
reduced maintenance and long-term cost savings,
engineers and contractors are discovering the benefits
of switching to System XFR.
Casinos Hit the Jackpot with System XFR®
Caesars Windsor Casino in Windsor, Ontario
realized just how corrosive carbonic acid from high
volumes of soda pop could be to traditional copper
pipes. With nearly six million visitors annually, pop
from drink stands and bars throughout the casino
began to eat away at the copper drain lines.
All copper drainpipes at bar
s and drink stands
throughout the Caesars Win
dsor Casino were
replaced with System XFR
PVC pipe due to
corrosive soda pop.
In plenum spaces, DWV systems typically run alongside other services, including cables that carry power
and critical low-voltage signals throughout the casino for gaming applications, point of sale systems, video
continued to pg 2
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he says.
here there
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from pg 1
continued
p
an Just Po
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re
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Resists
at has the
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ly
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e
is not th
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nal metal
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it
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Ontar PVC for con w Casino.
variety of
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n
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applicatio
way into m
copper
pipes from
One DWV
ade their
in
m
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to pg 3
h
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continued
nal
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uilding pro
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continued from pg 2
drainpipes, prompting many entities to specifically state that drainpipes for waterless urinals cannot be
made of copper pipe.
Like the carbonic acid from the pop, the urea, ammonia and other compounds found in urine corrodes
copper piping, leading to messy problems and significant repair costs. Some have converted back to waterintensive flushed urinals where water is available, while others have solved the issue by replacing drain lines
with System XFR. For example, when one public school district decided to install waterless urinals in
bathrooms, they ran into significant problems with existing copper drainpipes. Urine corroded the copper
pipes and began leaking from behind the walls and seeping into hallways and classrooms. The school
district ultimately had to replace the drainpipes with PVC at a cost of more than $500,000. Today, the
school district remains sold on waterless urinals and has had no problem since switching to System XFR.
PVC is also ideal for hospital environments. Waste from dialysis systems, imaging systems and other
medical procedures can include chemicals and minerals that corrode copper piping. Residences and other
facilities that use reverse osmosis water treatment systems should also not use copper piping. Reverse
osmosis removes salt and minerals from water, making it more capable of corroding copper piping. As a
general recommendation, reverse osmosis water should always be dispensed through non-metallic pipe
such as System XFR.
“We recently installed System XFR for all of the dialysis waste at the (Niagara Health System) St.
Catharines Site facility,” says Teuber. “We now always use PVC whenever there is a risk of corrosion.”
Waterloo Office Tower
System XFR once again came to the rescue of
failed metal pipe – this time a sanitary cast iron
vertical stack. The 4-inch line eventually
became plugged from ordinary usage of urinal
discharge sanitary drainage. Building
maintenance staff had experienced blockages
more than once and decided to solve the
problem with System XFR.
Nelco Mechanical Ltd. of Kitchener, ON was
contracted to make the repairs and had a
smooth replacement project by using System
XFR. A photo of the removed failed cast iron
Waterloo Office Tower
shows the extent of the interior build-up and
ultimate blockage.
continued to pg 4
continued from pg 3
IPEX System XFR
Failed cast iron pip
e
Provides Benefits Above and Beyond
In addition to superior corrosion resistance, System XFR
has a lower roughness factor and larger inside
diameter compared to metal systems. This can enable
increased flow capacity, which provides designers
with the flexibility to design smaller, compact systems
as needed. PVC also offers excellent insulating
properties. Unlike metal pipes, System XFR has less poten
tial to form condensation, which can ultimately
reduce or eliminate the cost of adding insulation.
Weighing much less than cast iron piping, System 15
and System XFR are significantly easier to store,
handle and install. No special equipment is needed to
hoist up pipe during installation which contributes to
substantially lower installation labour costs and time.
“PVC like the System XFR pipe is a lot quicker to install
. While we do have to make sure the solvent joints
are done properly, the product is much safer than worki
ng with copper, which requires soldering,” says
Teuber. “Once you get up into 4-inch diameters or more,
PVC is significantly lighter than cast iron and
easier to handle.”
System XFR - The Better Alternative
Until now, engineers and contractors specifying and
installing DWV pipe in high-rise and plenum spaces
have had few alternatives to heavy cast iron and coppe
r, which can corrode and cause significant
problems and repair costs. System XFR from IPEX elimin
ates corrosion concerns while offering improved
system reliability, easier installation, and better aesthe
tics—all adding up to substantial savings now and in
the future. ◆