CLEVELAND, OHIO — Mark Barth is a seasoned plumber in Cleveland, Ohio. With more than 14 years of experience, he uses his expertise to recommend products and services for commercial and residential products.
In a recent video posted to Instagram, Barth demonstrated how Oatey® Blue Pipe Guard effectively protects a new water supply line before burial. The product allows the pipe to expand and contract while preventing damage from corrosive chemicals in the concrete.
Oatey Pipe Guard is a highly durable and effective pipe protection system designed to safeguard pipes and plumbing systems from potential damage during construction or renovation projects. Made of high-impact ABS plastic, it provides a strong barrier between pipes and any potential hazards such as nails, screws, or other sharp objects commonly found on job sites.
“Whenever I work on underground projects,” says Barth, “there is a phase when the concrete is poured. I use Oatey’s Pipe Guard to sleeve any kind of water line. It could be copper or CPVC, but once I use the Pipe Guard, there are no friction or hard-line elements eating at the pipe.”
Barth hadn’t always used Pipe Guard, but once he discovered that the product could protect plastic and copper piping in concrete, he never went back.
“In one project, we ran copper underground, thinking that a metal like copper could withstand harsh conditions,” recalls Barth, “However, once the concrete was poured, it hardened to a point where it pierced into the piping material and created a pinhole leak, right where the concrete meets the pipe.”
Luckily, Barth walked into a local plumbing supply house and vividly remembers seeing the Oatey product on the top shelf.
“I was like, where has this been all of my life?” says Barth. “As soon as I saw the product on the shelf, it was a no-brainer. I have used it every time since then. It’s inexpensive and effective.”
Barth was already familiar with Oatey products, having used its putty and thread sealant. So, it was a welcome surprise to find a new Oatey product to add to his arsenal.
Not only was Barth able to find Oatey products easily at his local supplier, he soon realized that Oatey was closer than he thought.
“I didn’t know that Oatey products were manufactured in Cleveland until five years into my career,” Barth laughs. After discovering that Oatey was manufactured in his hometown, Barth visited the company’s state-of-the-art training facility, Oatey University, to participate in solvent welding training and other educational activities. He also learned more about Oatey’s wide range of plumbing products that, like Oatey Pipe Guard, help plumbers work smarter and more effectively on the jobsite each day.
