The conditions often producing a failure at outdoor located pipe also impact the pipe supports themselves.   With paint or a coating their only protection, the corrosion of pipe supports or structural steel relating to any cooling tower or piping system is simply a matter of inadequate maintenance.

A minor and widely unrecognized impact to pipe also occurs due to the slightly different ground potential of the pipe in relationship to  the building steel.  Over decades, this small micro-volt difference can produce a galvanic type impact where both metals meet. A galvanic problem is also present for copper pipe held by steel pipe supports or hangers.  Whatever the source of the condition, weakened or failed pipe support no longer provide their intended function, and add new weight stresses to those still remaining.  For some systems such as domestic water, where pumps see intermittent use, support failure will allow the pipe to sway and water hammer with every cycle – thereby producing a stress to each joining clamp or thread.

For insulated pipe where the insulation also covers  the pipe supports, an additional threat exists due to water entering and saturating the insulation – thereby creating a constant wet contact condition.

[modula id=”26052″]