According to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) of 1974, homes and commercial buildings have the right to access safe drinking water in the US. This law, enacted by the Environmental Protection Agency, also provides standards for all public water systems. Policies are requiring municipal suppliers to eliminate bacteria and hazardous contaminants within water pipes across the country. They are mandated to treat any of the elements that can be harmful to people’s health. Public water systems and private sectors should be able to perform disinfectant methods regularly. As a result, numerous water suppliers resorted to a chemical called chloramine.

Although chloramine is not hazardous to health, this disinfectant can extremely corrosive to copper pipes.

Streamlined access to safe and clean drinking water is essential to our health. However, aging water systems can lead to copper pipe corrosion, damaging your pipes and contaminating your water. When copper pipes corrode and get damaged, it can result in bacterial growth and attract harmful chemicals such as lead, zinc, and copper.

What is Chloramine?

Chloramine is a disinfectant formed through a mixture of ammonia and chlorine. When combined with ammonia, the chlorine will remain for an extended period. Otherwise, chlorine dissipates soon after it combines with water and gets exposed to air. Extending the lifetime of chlorine is paramount for a majority of public water systems to keep drinking water safe against contaminants.

Despite increasing the quality of drinking water, chloramine can be extremely harmful to copper pipes. Chloramine is a significant contributor to copper pipe corrosion, pitting, and leaks. When this happens, property owners often have no choice but to opt for commercial copper pipe repair. It is a common occurrence that a corroded pipe goes undetected for several months which can result in water damage or worse, harmful mold and mildew growth. Even worse, it can go as far as to the point your pipes suddenly burst or corrode past the point of repair, leading to a costly replacement and water remediation. 

Epoxy Pipe Lining

One way to resolve copper pipe corrosion is through epoxy pipelining. This lining creates a barrier that prevents water from contact with the interior wall of the copper pipe. The epoxy resin is spread through the pipe, coating its interior diameter to create a permanent inert barrier between the water and the wall of the pipe. 

Overall, epoxy pipe repairs can last for decades, usually depending on the temperature of the water inside a pipe, with the life span being longer the cooler the water temperature. On average, epoxy resin coating can last between 35 and 50 years. It can prevent external elements like tree roots and shrubs from penetrating the pipe systems. It also serves as a barrier against pitting, damages, and potential clogging.

Epoxy Coating on Interior Pipes

As previously mentioned, the epoxy coating can effectively seal the inside of pipes and is an ideal treatment to prevent pinhole leaks. Many commercial and industrial property owners prefer epoxy repair to pipe replacement as it can be significantly cheaper and in some cases out-perform new pipes. Instead of replacing your pipes, you can still take advantage of your old plumbing systems. This method is less invasive and disruptive to your daily activities. 

Epoxy coating is simple, but it is crucial to hire a company like Curaflo specializing in epoxy pipe repair. They deploy professionals who are qualified to perform the application. Once they are on-site, they will assess your plumbing system before carrying out the work. 

Is Epoxy Pipe Lining Safe?

If you wonder whether epoxy pipe lining is safe for water consumption, the short answer is yes! Epoxy resin is a food-grade material that is also in drinking cans. It is also cheaper to have your pipes coated instead of replacing them altogether, merely due to a couple of leaks.

Experts revealed that contamination is almost nonexistent to pipes coated with epoxy resins. In case a minuscule amount of leaching occurs, it is safe for human health. There are no negative health concerns associated with epoxy pipelining. In fact, the CDC articulated that epoxy resin has no carcinogenic or mutagenic properties.

We all see examples of corrosion, mainly in the form of rust, around us every day. It can be seen on metal surfaces such as on bridges or highways, or in cars, parking structures, and buildings.

Corrosion can generally be described as the process by which materials are gradually destroyed or uniformly weakened by electrochemical interactions. Defined in the Fire Protection Handbook, MIC or Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion is a type of corrosion where the electrochemical corrosion interaction is accelerated and concentrated by specific bacteria being active within a fire-sprinkler system. This results in the metallic system components failing prematurely.

MIC does not only exist in the fire protection industry. MIC and copper pipe corrosion are also problems in other mechanical systems in related fields, including gas pipelines and cooling towers. Those mechanical systems are however mostly dynamic and have relatively constant flow rates. Fire-protection systems don’t have these constant flow rates and there are also various differences when fire-protection systems are drained and refilled. The fire-protection community faces unique MIC challenges, while it also provides ever-evolving solutions to eliminate systems failing prematurely.

Insufficient Data

It is difficult to differentiate MIC from other types of corrosion. The nuclear, gas, and electric power industries have data that is well documented to support MIC failures, but the fire-protection industry has published fewer studies.

In 1996 the NFSA (National Fire Sprinkler Association) led a survey that requested information regarding experiences of sprinkler system failure via a questionnaire in its magazine for members. Forty responses were received from NFSA members in Canada and the U.S., and the NFSA concluded that MIC was widespread. It is however important to note that the qualifications of persons determining the type of corrosion are not known. This is particularly relevant as it is difficult to distinguish MIC from other types of corrosion.

A review of data from 1988 to 1997 was done by FM Global and this showed that corrosion was number 5 on the list of sprinkler system failure causes. The FM Metallurgical Laboratory conducted a study in which 155 cases of leaks in sprinkler system between 1994 and 2000 were evaluated. It was concluded that roughly 40% of these cases were caused by MIC. Commercial copper pipe repair is often one of the solutions that can be applied to fix the leaks and epoxy pipe lining can act as a barrier to permanently address corrosion caused by MIC.

MIC Sources 

Although MIC has been present in fire-protection systems for a long time, the corrosion’s source was only identified recently. The results are not conclusive, but it is thought that MIC is mainly caused by microorganisms with acid-producing bacteria or sulfate-reducing bacteria that are found in water sources. NFPA Standards specify that environmental conditions and water supplies should be evaluated to determine if conditions and microbes that contribute to MIC exist.

What is interesting is that MIC does not only occur in wet-pipe systems, but also in dry systems. Dry-pipe sprinkler systems contain nitrogen or air under pressure and when the heat of a fire causes a sprinkler head to open, the pressure release allows water to flow into the piping and out of the sprinklers. NFPA 25 specifies that dry-pipe systems have to be “trip tested” when the system is changed, or every three years. Dry-pipe valves must also be trip-tested annually. The trip tests enable comparative assessments to be done of the water delivery time, and this may reveal significant system operation delays. Although the tests are crucial to confirm the performance of the system, they could create the correct atmospheric moisture content where bacterial colonies can develop, and thus cause MIC. Currently, a common solution to alleviate the problem is to drain completely and charge with nitrogen gas or truly dried air. A more recent solution is to coat the interior of the sprinkler pipes with epoxy acting as a barrier coat between the harmful microbes and the sprinkler pipes. 

Fire-Sprinkler Systems Failing Prematurely

MIC inside fire-sprinkler systems can cause metallic system components to fail prematurely. Although steel piping is normally the first point of failure that is observed, MIC can be found in control valves, sprinkler orifice caps, supply tanks, and fittings. Localized corrosion due to MIC can be in the form of crevices, pitting, filiform, and cratering.

Two types of premature failure commonly occur. The first is the system failing to hold water, which is caused by pinhole leaks from the accelerated, localized corrosion. This can cause significant system damage and may result in water damage.

The second type of failure prevents the system from operating as designed to achieve fire control due to biological growth. This growth is often a byproduct of microbial activity and can cause obstructions in the sprinkler system piping, as well as change the internal diameter of the pipe and the roughness of the pipe’s interior. These physical changes to the fire sprinkler pipes can impact the hydraulics of a sprinkler system significantly and may prevent water from getting to the hazardous area when there is a fire.

Detection and Treatment

Without conducting assessments, MIC is very difficult to detect and MIC is typically first revealed by pinhole leaks in a system. Distinguishing MIC from other types of corrosion is tricky and even after an assessment has been done, MIC may still not be detected. If MIC is detected, services and test kits are available to analyze the extent and presence of MIC in the system.

NFPA 13 specifies that when conditions are found that contribute to MIC, the owner should notify the installer of the sprinkler system and develop a plan to treat the system with one of these methods:

1. Installing water pipes that won’t be affected by MIC microbes;
2. Using approved biocides to treat all water entering the system;
3. Implementing a plan to monitor the pipe’s interior condition at specific locations and time intervals; and
4. Installing a corrosion monitoring station to monitor at specific intervals.

Epoxy pipe lining is one of the approved methods that can be used to prevent MIC corrosion. NFPA 25 also specifies how water-based fire-protection systems should be inspected, tested, and maintained. 

Solutions

When MIC is detected in a fire-protection system, the system should be evaluated to establish the severity and extent of MIC. There is unfortunately no universal solution to fire sprinkler repair. In some cases, it may be possible to clean the portions affected to remove obstructions, while in other scenarios, parts of the system may have to be replaced. This can be done by fire sprinkler repair companies specializing in commercial pipe replacement. Epoxy pipe repair is another solution that is very effective at treating MIC by eliminating the contact between the microbes and the wall surface of the pipes.

Analyzing the frequency of alarm and drain testing may reduce the non-biological and biological corrosion types that could grow when fire-protection systems are drained and refilled.

To prevent MIC in fire-protection systems, it is crucial to be proactive by testing the water supply regularly and determining the bacteria types present so that adequate treatment can be applied. If MIC is found, using piping that is resistant to corrosion or creating a barrier coat, such as applying heat resistant epoxy, will greatly extend the system’s useful life.

Many old buildings built in the 70s and 80s often come with galvanized metal pipes. Although sturdy, this material is prone to lead that can be hazardous to any occupants’ health and safety. On top of that, galvanized metal can likely rust. Pipe corrosion is not something to take lightly. It brings long-term and irreversible effects to your property.

Presently, many engineers began installing copper pipes to prevent these issues. It has been a common misconception that copper pipes cannot corrode over time. Although it is more resistant to corrosion than galvanized metal, steel, or iron, copper pipes can still leak. Copper pipes can corrode due to various reasons, but one of the most common is the presence of oxidizing acids. When heavy metal salts, sulfur, and ammonia, come into contact with pipes, it jeopardizes the pipes’ integrity. Additionally, copper pipes can easily rust when in contact with chemicals, including chloride, hypochlorite, and bromide ions. This corrosion may result in small pits on the lines, which cannot be detected right away.

Since pipe leaks are often difficult to spot, professionals often resort to augmenting a protective barrier on the pipes. Epoxy lining is an effective solution which serves as a coating against corrosive chemicals. It goes out on a non-pressurized pipe system for an added layer of protection. When dealing with pitting corrosion, plumbers conduct cleaning measures before incorporating the epoxy resin to make sure it works.

Issues with Using pH Neutralization Systems for Stopping Pipe Corrosion

Elements found in water can be corrosive to some extent. However, these are the defining factors that lead to pipe corrosions and health hazards:

• Water that reaches a pH value lower than 7
• Lower alkalinity
• Increased temperature
• A high overall total of dissolved solids, which is measurable through specific conductivity

When you have noticed that your water from your building’s plumbing experienced these, it is a clear sign of the need for commercial pipe repair. The worst-case scenario if you delay the repair would be the need for commercial pipe replacement. All pipes will eventually undergo the usual wear and tear, but corrosive waters can rapidly damage your line.

For this reason, numerous organizations utilize pH neutralization systems to stop pipe corrosion. This solution has worked reliably across manufacturing facilities, research laboratories, food processing, bottling plants, and schools. Neutralizing pH levels help them regulate the dangerous effects of higher pH value. It is also a more inexpensive system that can handle multiple low flow waste streams. Apart from eliminating health hazards, they can avoid hefty fines and damages to the environment.

Even with all these benefits, you should not use pH neutralization systems as it can cause more serious issues including:

• The system is a one-way pH, which indicates that it is unable to manage high pH streams.
• pH neutralization systems cannot manage concentrated waste dumps. It has tendencies to generate bacteria and foul odor.
• Maintenance of the system is costly, which often requires a system shutdown. The result is shutting down the system for even minimal issues. Such a tactic halts operations until the repair gets completed.

How Epoxy Lining Provides a More Long-Term Solution

Epoxy pipe lining technologies, such as CuraFlo are the most viable solution for all your piping needs. Opting for epoxy piper repairs can restore your piping systems at a significantly low cost. It is safe considering that it is the only non-intrusive way to restore water flow. You can repair and maintain the system quickly, without tearing out walls or excavating. Epoxy pipe lining delivers more benefits and a simpler solution than repiping.

Promotes Safety

The first thing that people look for in a property is convenient access to clean and safe drinking water. With the aging municipal water systems and plumbing technologies, pipe corrosion raises a concern. In Steamboat Springs, CA alone, there have been toxic levels of lead detected in its drinking water. Lead raised concerns even though it is common among plumbing systems in structures built in the late 80s. Over time, the corroded pipes result in health hazards due to toxicity found in drinking waters. Lead is particularly harmful to children, pregnant women, those with kidney issues, or hypertension.

Worn out, damaged, and corroded galvanized metal pipes can affect your drinking water altogether. These damages can leach all kinds of harmful chemicals that are toxic to consume. The most effective solution to this dilemma is epoxy pipelining. It creates a layer of coating on your water lines to reduce harmful chemicals from seeping in. Commercial copper pipe repair using epoxy resin can also seal the leaks smoothly. Not only can you resolve your corroded pipes but also prevent future leaks. Therefore, draining your pipes with an epoxy liner allows you to restore your pipe’s durability and extend its lifespan.

If you are considering incorporating epoxy lining on your pipes, it is imperative to determine its safety. Epoxy resins are incredibly safe, undergoing a series of tests before use in drain lines and plumbing systems.

Cost-effective

Instead of commercial pipe replacement, epoxy pipelining requires a lesser amount of money to achieve. Residential and commercial properties can save up to 75% in comparison to replacing their worn-out pipes. Installation is easy, so the cost of labor is significantly lower leading to this major cost savings.

More importantly, you get the value of your money since epoxy pipe lining can extend the lifetime of a pipe for decades past the life expectancy of unlined pipes! Epoxy lining plumbing systems can protect your pipes from leakage, further damages, and clogging.

Provides Viable Piping Solutions

Epoxy pipe repair provides the most viable solution that can help you prevent piping issues in the future. Epoxy resin provides a barrier that pressurizes your pipe system. Epoxy pipe lining can withstand corrosive elements, toxic chemicals, and more.

In summation, the epoxy lining can eliminate your property losses, downtime losses, and budget cuts. Epoxy pipe lining technology not only solves the current corrosion but prevents future corrosion and other issues. With that in mind, residential and commercial industries don’t have to worry about the consequences of the plumbing systems’ potentially harmful side effects over time.

It’s easy not to think about your building’s plumbing. After all, pipes hide behind your walls and so long as water keeps flowing properly, it shouldn’t be a concern. But then you start to notice a change. Possibly the water pressure isn’t what it used to be, the colour of your water seems off, or worst case, you notice leaks. All these signs indicate a problem with your piping system and is something you should not delay! After some research you’re wondering whether to Repipe or Epoxy Line pipes.

A great place to start is to learn what affects your plumbing system and what can you do about it. The World Health Organization outlines the three variables that affect plumbing systems: the design and installation, the material type and quality, and the water source and composition.¹

Design and Installation

The durability of a plumbing system depends on the quality of the materials, and the skills of those who install them. No system, no matter how well designed, can operate at full potential with subpar material. Likewise, if the materials meet the standard but are improperly installed, they will not service their optimal function. CuraFlo uses only top-quality materials from well-known brand names in upgrading your plumbing system. Our crew are professionals that come out of the construction or plumbing fields who pass a thorough training and certification program to join our team. More importantly, crews continue to receive training throughout their careers with CuraFlo. In conclusion, they are capable and qualified to provide the best possible services and solutions for our customers.

Material Type and Quality

Older buildings typically have domestic water pipes made of galvanized steel or copper. Surprisingly, even lead was used in bronze, copper, and brass pipes, taps, fixtures, and solder. Since 1986, the US Congress banned the use of lead soldering in new plumbing and repairs for drinking water. In 1989, the Canadian National Plumbing Code followed suit.^{2 3}

In regions with hard water, galvanized pipe corrodes due to the high levels of zinc or iron in tap water. Consequently, these pipes have a reduction in flow due to mineral buildup. Discoloured water and a metallic taste are other signs of corrosion. Copper pipes are also subject to pinhole leaks as minerals in the tap water build up inside the pipes and cause corrosion. These materials are frequently repiped with stainless steel or plastic pipes.

Innovation in materials and systems with the increased use of plastics and stainless steel has extended the service life of domestic water plumbing systems. Plastic pipes combine physical strength with high chemical purity and is one of the most environmentally friendly pipe types.⁴ Stainless Steel has low general corrosion rate and can withstand very high-water flow rates.

Water Source

Vancouver, BC, with highly aggressive water and high levels of chlorination has resulted in extremely short plumbing system life expectancy. Some buildings develop their first pinhole leak in as little as 5 years. Therefore, this region has proven an excellent testing ground for the durability of our products.  The accumulated knowledge gained from all CuraFlo’s experience in designing and building better replacement plumbing systems, has allowed us to develop and perfect our repipe operations so that they now run with surgical like precision.  Our reputation for such fine work has spread that today millions North Americans are enjoying the benefits of systems and technology developed right here in Vancouver, BC. An increasingly economic and popular option is lining, where pipes are restored and coated with a special lining to protect against corrosion. We have epoxy lined local buildings that have now been in continuous leak-free operation for the past 17 years.

Choose CuraFlo

CuraFlo invests significant time to understand the structure of each customer’s building. Next, we design a system that fits the particular structure and meets an Owner’s expectations and all local code requirements. On some occasions, pipes have suffered such catastrophic damage that they need to be replaced. CuraFlo proudly uses new stainless steel or plastic pipes for their integrity and longevity. Often, the cost effective, time-saving option of epoxy lining will not only correct the problem but will also extend the life of the pipes.

Avoid a Water Crisis — contact us today for a free estimate.

July 1, 2020

The Facts- Condo Insurance Rates Skyrocketing

Insurance costs for condo owners are skyrocketing throughout Canada, with insurance premiums rising between 25% and 300%.¹ To make matters even worse, deductibles have increased at the same time by as much as 10 times. What was a $10,000 deductible a year ago for a strata corporation per event is now a $100,000 deductible!  And just when you thought things could not get worse, more and more buildings are being denied insurance. Properties therefore cannot be mortgaged or sold, and are exposed to enormous risk of loss.  The lower mainland of British Columbia experiences the worst of it, where half of residents live in strata properties.  A report by the B.C. Financial Services Authority last week called B.C.‘s condo-insurance market “unhealthy”.

The intense pressure from 32,000 condo associations regarding rising insurance rates forced the province to examine the issue. The Government of BC concluded rising premiums and costs are largely issues that the condo associates have to handle.² There is little the Government can do, other than allow the associations to access their special reserve accounts to deal with insurance costs and for full disclosure of any intermediary fees, all measures that do very little to cover the expense for condo owners.

You’re Not Alone- A Resident’s Concern

The feeling of hopelessness of condo owners are best summed in a recent letter to The Province.³  A desperate condo owner wrote:

Dear Tony:

Our strata corporation is an older wood-frame condo. In the past three years we have experienced a number of water claims on our insurance. Two claims this year were failures of pipes, and last year leaks were owner caused as a result of home repairs to a sink, overflowing bath tub and a self-installed dishwasher. When our insurance renewed in July our premium increased by 55 per cent and our deductible which was $10,000 has increased to $100,000! While we managed to recover the deductible cost from the owner caused claims, the accumulated effect has depleted our contingency funds. We have no idea how we will pay for another claim should one arise or if we could ever collect the deductible from an owner if they caused a claim.

Our broker has been incredibly helpful in advising us, but the risk of another claim has everyone terrified and an owner recently lost a sale when the buyers discovered the amount of the deductible.

Is it possible to demand owners obtain home owner insurance that covers a $100,000 claim?”

Trudy W. Fraser Valley

The Problem- Increased Rate of Claims

So what is driving the massive premium and insurance costs increases? Insurance companies state that their costs have increased and that 2017 was the highest rate of claims since 1980. Of particular concern are buildings that issue multiple related claims in infrastructure instead of paying to fix the problem. Insurance companies see these building owners as trying to rely on their insurance to finance the building’s repairs and maintenance. There are a limited number of insurance companies who insure strata corporations due to these issues. There is a limit of risk that they will to assume before the business is no longer profitable.

Claims: Whose Responsibility

Whenever there is a claim on a strata corporation policy, the deductible is a common expense of the strata corporation. The council then determines how they will pay for or recover that amount on behalf of the strata.

If an owner is responsible for the claim, and the owner or their insurer agrees to pay for the deductible, the claim and repairs proceed.

If the amount is due to a common claim where no owner is responsible, the strata has two options to pay the deductible. First, they may pay from the contingency or operating funds if available. Second, the strata council, without requiring a general meeting, may approve a levy where every owner pays based on unit entitlement. This is the same formula to calculate strata fees. If strata doesn’t have sufficient funds, they may impose a levy on the owners until the amount is collected. Otherwise, the repairs and restoration may not commence.

The Solution- Pipe Care: A Key Element of a Condo Insurance Plan

A key to limiting insurance exposure is to lower insurance risk of claims. Major building upgrades such as roofing replacement, building envelope upgrades, and mechanical upgrades such as repiping or lining with CuraFlo, will greatly reduce a strata corporation’s risks.  Under the Strata Property Act, the strata must insure for the assets of the strata corporation and fixtures built by the owner developer.⁴ Other than a bare land strata where the homes on each lot are the insurance responsibility of each owner, the strata corporation must insure for the building structure and systems including the attached finishing (fixtures) when the building is complete.

There is no requirement for owners to insure their personal property, improvements to a strata lot or personal risks. When an owner purchases home owner or landlord insurance, there are limits to the deductible amount that may be paid on homeowner policies. These often limit out at $25,000. While higher amounts may be available, the cost increases comparatively and most owners refuse to pay the cost.

However they look at the insurance problem, strata insurance is mandatory by law and is a complex subject. The strata must exercise prudent measures, such as pipe replacement or lining, to limit claims and minimize insurance exposure. Pipe care services offered by CuraFlo are a key to every condo insurance plan to lower insurance risk of claims.

June 01, 2020

Fire Sprinklers Save Lives

Fire sprinklers have been immensely successful. According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), sprinklers have reduced deaths by 81%. Fire sprinklers have saved hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage. Despite their tremendous benefits, 6% of fire sprinklers over the same time failed to operate. This resulted in 35 deaths and almost $200 million in damage.¹

The Culprit: Rust and MIC

Copper pipe corrosion is a serious reason for failure. The presence of oxygen and water reacting with the metal wall of the pipes causes corrosion. This is not only an issue for wet systems, but also in dry systems, which can collect moisture due to condensation. This generalized corrosion is also known as rust. A recent study found that 73% of the dry systems had significant corrosion within the first 13 years.²

Pipe corrosion can be even worse for galvanized systems. FM Global, the largest mutual insurance company specializing in loss prevention, states that these systems can corrode within 2 to 3 years.

In addition to the build-up of rust causing pinhole leaks and general system failures, MIC (Microbiological Influenced Corrosion) from bacteria can also compromise the integrity of the fire sprinklers. According to FM Global, MIC can significantly corrode sprinkler pipes in under 1 year. Further, MIC accounts approximately for up to 20% of all fire sprinkler pipe installation corrosion.  Chemical cleaners or corrosion inhibitors only increase the aggressiveness of MIC, so are not recommended.³

What’s the Solution?

To deal with these corrosion issues, the traditional practice has been to either replace the compromised sprinkler pipe or use a nitrogen charged system to create a barrier between oxygen and the pipe wall.  CuraFlo’s fire rated epoxy CuraPoxy® FS is a third option that is both safe, a long-term solution, and extremely cost effective. It operates on the same premise as the nitrogen-based systems, to create a barrier to prevent oxygen from interacting with the water and metal wall of the pipe.  Further, CuraPoxy® FS is an inert epoxy, so is imperious to any MIC reaction, does not impede water flow, and specially formulated to withstand high temperatures.⁴  Maintaining your fires sprinklers could save lives. Contact CuraFlo for a free quote today!

May 01, 2020

Quarantine, Isolation, Social Distancing… What’s Essential?

COVID-19 is now in every country and every continent except Antarctica, affecting millions of people. We have no immunity to the deadly virus. If we do nothing, a recent study by the Imperial College London predicts 2 million people will die in the United States and 40 million worldwide.¹ Life as we know it and standard services have come to a standstill. We are left wondering, what’s essential?

The only defense we have at the moment is to limit the transmission until a vaccine is ready.  But how do we keep everyone apart and still allow for basic functioning of everyone’s lives?  Most countries have determined how much people should be separated based on the prevalence of the infection.

It all started in Wuhan, a city of 11 million, in December 2019. China’s drastic response was to quarantine the city starting the end of January 2020. Only a single person was allowed to go outside for food or medicine. That individual would then have to be sprayed by disinfectant on on departure and return. Closed businesses and streets monitored by armed guards and drones became the new norm. Trucks carrying all food brought into the city were disinfected on the way in, and more importantly, on the way out.  The economy and people’s everyday lives suffered tremendously, but the quarantine worked as the spread of COVID-19 decreased to less than 100 per day by end of March.

Now, other heavily affected countries are following China’s lead. At the end of March 2020, Italy, Spain, UK, New Zealand, India, France, and Poland have all instituted very restrictive country-wide quarantines. People can only to go out for food, medicine, and to some extent, exercise, once per day. Like China, the military and drones strictly enforce the quarantines. Anyone breaking quarantine in these countries is subject to hefty fines or jail. This is a last resort to stem the spread of the disease.²

Isolation, Social Distancing and Essential Services

In the United States and Canada, the balancing act has been to limit the harsh economic impacts of a quarantine while slowing the spread of the virus. The United States’ initial response was to treat the virus as something that would pass. Not until mid-March did the Trump administration introduce guidelines to reduce group size gatherings.³ 

Canada’s response was to test suspected people early and isolate the sick for 14 days; the length of time the virus is communicable. Canada also instituted social distancing guidelines in early March 2020 to limit crowd gatherings, keep people a minimum of 6’ apart, and recognize personal hand hygiene as a leading cause of transmission of COVID-19.⁴ The goal was to keep the economy open as much as possible while limiting the impact of the virus.  So by mid-March, Canada focused on testing, isolating the sick, social distancing, and limiting business to essential service, while the USA was still looking at COVID-19 as a flu that would pass.⁵ The result is that the USA is now the epicenter of the virus with twice the infections of any other country in the world and 500% higher death rate than Canada.

Now the USA is moving more towards the Canadian response to limit the COVID-19 spread. In this action, it is important to define an Essential Service. Historically, ‘Essential Service’ was as a contract term to limit which workers could strike or withold services. Based on this definition, workers involved in health and safety such as hospital employees, firefighters, and police were essential services and prevented from striking. Under COVID-19, essential services have expanded to encompass those daily services essential to preserving life, health, public safety, and basic societal functioning. Included  in this list is plumbing as an essential service. British Columbia Canada, where CuraFlo’s head office is located, has list of essential services under COVID-19 listed here.⁶

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following:

• Experience in plumbing and foreman/lead hand duties
• Experience in blow through pipe lining or any substrate coating experience is an asset
• Any industry tickets/certifications will be an asset
• Candidate must have good organizational skills
• Ability to email and keep records
• Professional communication with AHJ, engineers, and owners/customers
• Possession of a valid driver’s license
• Clean criminal history
• Ability to travel for job sites across the USA/Canada, respectively

We offer an attractive compensation and benefits package. CuraFlo provides the opportunity to grow your career in a fun and rewarding work environment.

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following:

• Experience in plumbing
• Experience in blow through pipe lining or any substrate coating experience is an asset
• Any industry tickets/certifications will be an asset
• Physically fit, able to lift 60 lbs, able to be on foot for most of the day
• Team player, each crew member’s effort and efficiency influences daily productivity
• Good verbal communication required
• Clean criminal history
• Ability to travel for job sites across USA/Canada, respectively

We offer an attractive compensation program and benefits package. CuraFlo provides the opportunity to grow your career in a fun and rewarding work environment.

This will require you to work closely with the CuraFlo team over the next 2-3 months to learn about the industry to be able to present to owners and clients, after which you will operate individually.

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following:

• Developing, maintaining, and following a marketing plan and budget for both residential and commercial customers.
• Developing and following sales leads from variety of sources, including cold calls.
• Learning to present one-on-one with owners as well as speak to groups of people
• Designing marketing material
• Continuing education about the industry so that you are able to present to others (listening, reading, on site training etc.)
• Carrying out assessments of plumbing systems in buildings from drawings/plans and site tours
• Collecting relevant information to provide the estimator with enough information to prepare estimates
• Preparing proposals for providing to potential customers and converting proposals into contracts/purchase orders
• Attending Strata/HOA meetings and tasks required to close a project
• Exhibiting at Trade shows
• Developing & adhering to management reporting procedures
• Creating Power Point presentations and maintaining company website, so that the website reflects current content.
• Communicating with customers as required to ensure complete customer satisfaction.
• Travel as required in areas of responsibility

We are seeking a professional who can effectively educate our customer on the superior solutions and service we provide. The ideal candidate will have track record of success in sales for the construction, plumbing or mechanical contracting industry, or experience in property management or a related industry.

We offer an attractive base plus commission compensation program as well as a benefits package. CuraFlo provides the opportunity to grow your career in a fun and rewarding work environment.