Storage and Handling for PVC and CPVC Pipe

Harvel® piping products are inspected, handled, and loaded with great care at the factory using methods developed specifically for a plastic pipe to ensure minimized damage, and overall quality is maintained during shipping. It is the carrier’s responsibility to deliver the shipment in good condition. The receiver is responsible for ensuring that there has been no loss or damage and that the products are unloaded and stored properly after receipt. Reasonable care and common sense should be used when handling and storing Harvel® thermoplastic piping products.

Thermoplastic pipe may be stored indoors or outside in yards. If stored outdoors, the pipe should be protected from direct sunlight, and the pipe should be properly supported in storage to prevent sagging or bending. The pipe should be stored at the job site on level ground in the unit packages (skids) provided by the factory. Caution must be exercised to avoid compression, damage, or deformation. When unit packages are stacked, care must be used to ensure that the weight of the upper units does not cause deformation to pipe in the lower units (i.e., stack palletized pipe wood on wood). Package units should not be stacked more than 8 feet high. Care must be used to ensure that the height of the stack does not result in instability, which can cause collapse, pipe damage, or personal injury. Unit packages should be supported by wooden racks or other suitable means and spaced properly to prevent damage.

Thermoplastic pipe must not be stored in tightly enclosed areas subjected to elevated temperatures or close to heat-producing sources such as heaters, boilers, steam lines, engine exhaust, etc. Exposure to excessive temperature will result in distortion and deformation of the product. When stored outdoors, Harvel thermoplastic pipe must be covered with a non-transparent material. This covering must provide adequate air circulation above and around the pipe as required to prevent excessive heat absorption that can result in discoloration and deformation of the product. PVC piping products in storage should not be exposed to temperatures above 150° F. CPVC piping products in storage should not be exposed to temperatures above 210° F.

Although Harvel® products are tough and corrosion resistant, they should not be dropped, have objects dropped on them, or be subjected to external loads. Thermoplastics can be damaged by abrasion and gouging. The pipe must not be dragged across the ground or over obstacles. Impacts such as dropping from sizable heights or rough hauling should be avoided, particularly in cold weather. The product shall be inspected for any scratches, splits, or gouges that may have occurred from improper handling or storage. If found, these sections must be cut out and discarded.