“Out of sight, out of mind.” — John Heywood, English writer from the 1500’s
Sometimes we deliberately place something out of sight, so we can keep it out of mind. That’s often the case with sewage – we don’t want to think about it, we don’t want to see it, and we certainly don’t want to smell it. We arrange for it to be piped away, and we hide the pipes. In many cases, we cover over or embed the pipes in concrete. Unfortunately, components within sewage put unprotected concrete at risk of a shortened lifespan.
Wasteful Culprits
Sewage waste is typically broken down by two things: bacteria and acids. Bacteria naturally break down the organic material and reuse it for sustenance. The byproducts are many different gases and acids. Certain bacteria even produce sulfuric acid, which is powerful enough to eat through steel. In that case, concrete without protection stands little chance of avoiding corrosion from exposure to waste material. That’s why epoxy coatings are useful when installed on concrete floors that come into contact with any kind of sewage or waste matter.
Wasteful Locations
Public restrooms see plenty of sewage waste, but there are other places too:
- Compost yards
- Stables and dairies
- Pet stores and animal shelters
- Zoos and veterinary offices
- Wastewater treatment plants
These locations and others run the risk of deteriorating concrete due to sewage waste. The best way to make sure their concrete is not compromised is by protecting it with epoxy coatings from Nevada Custom Coatings. Properly formulated epoxy coatings resist corrosion even from sulfuric acid, while providing a seamless surface to help with cleanup. In fact, coved flooring extends epoxy coatings up the walls of a room, so liquids do not seep underneath. Adding anti-slip finishes helps make sure your cleaning crew stays on their feet and not on the floor.
Removing sewage from a location includes making sure it doesn’t leave traces behind, like compromised concrete floors. To make sure your sewage waste stays out of sight and out of mind, secure and protect your concrete floors with an epoxy coating. Let Nevada Custom Coatings in Reno inspect your concrete floors and give you several options to protect them. Give our office a call, or you can give us the details using our online form.
