Geotextile – Simple Tips for Extending Life of a Dam Liner
Depending on the material used in making dam liner and the way you use it, a dam liner can endure 5 to 25 years. However, the life expectancy of a dam liner can be extended. You can repair, reuse or recycle your dam liner. A geotextile dam liner can even endure more than 25 years if you take the best care of the dam liner.
How to Extend the Life of a Dam Liner?
First of all, you have to protect the dam liner from all possible damages. A dam liner is damaged due to sharp objects, inclement weather or abrasive chemicals. Some simple precautionary measures can increase the life of your dame liner.
The quality of the liner depends on the material. Custom made dam liners made from quality material can serve your needs for decades. Following are the popular materials used for making dam liners:
• Reinforced polyethylene (RPE)
• Reinforced polypropylene (RPP)
• Low-density polyethylene (LDR)
RPE and RPP are very strong and durable materials. Qualities of these materials are:
• Tear and puncture resistance
Due to these qualities, RPE, RPP and LDR –
• Protect against contaminate
PVC dam lines are not that durable and reliable. This material is less UV resistant and it also weighs more. The life of any material depends on the way it withstands the UV rays. It gets punctured very easily. Discoloration is also one problem. Viscosity changes, loss of adhesion and cracking are also major problems with PVC dam liners.
Install Dam Liners Properly
Wrongly installed dam liner cannot survive for long. Learn and stick to the right method for installing dam liners. First of all, comb through the land. There should be no sharp object or any other foreign object beneath the dam liner. Once a dam liner is installed, you cannot fix problems due to the sharp objects. These objects will penetrate the liner. A dam liner should be installed over the well-compacted soil.
Use Liners According To the Weather
Dam liners made from materials like RPE, RPP and LDR can easily withstand temperatures up to -40 degrees Fahrenheit. Brittleness of the material is increased in the winter. Therefore, a dam liner is likely to crack in extreme weather conditions. Geotextile dam liners can withstand -80 degree Fahrenheit. Therefore, these dam liners do not crack in extreme winter.
You can reuse an aged dam liner as an underlayment. You can install a new dam liner on it. You can also donate to someone who needs a dam liner. A dam liner can also be upcycled.
Geotextile dam liners are designed to be recycled. Double-scrim reinforced polyethylene (RPE) made dam liners can be easily recycled.
Apart from these, you should buy dam liners from a reputed supplier who is also expert in making custom dam liners.