hmm thanks for that.
Comment on Why bag the hydrant?
MNByChoice@midwest.social 2 months ago
They go around way before the snow and do that in some places. The tall pole next to it is too highlight the location as well.
Think about a big snow with plows pushing snow into giant piles.
FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 2 months ago
treadful@lemmy.zip 2 months ago
Isn’t that what paint’s for? Seems like a lot of unnecessary plastic trash.
plz1@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Cheaper to do bags than re-paint off-schedule. Usually cities have a schedule for maintenance, and the bag, in this case, is preventative for rust without being off-schedule for painting.
TheUncannyObserver@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 months ago
Salt resistant paint is industrial, and it’s expensive. Depending on the product, it can also be a two part system and need special preparation. And by expensive, I mean it can cost over a hundred dollars per gallon, if you aren’t getting a deal on it. That’s a big investment for a smaller town.
Alexstarfire@lemmy.world 2 months ago
That seems like chump change for something that probably already costs over $1000, won’t take a gallon of paint, and is meant to last for decades.
TheUncannyObserver@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 months ago
You’re forgetting the cost of removing them from the ground to have them sandblasted beforehand. This isn’t latex water based paint for your wall. You don’t just toss it on top of whatever is already there.
Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca 2 months ago
I imagine a fire hydrant is pretty expensive as well. Can’t imagine covering it in salt resistant paint would be that much of a price increase and even if it is I don’t imagine it would be cost prohibitive if it means a 20 year replacement cycle vs. a 10 year cycle.
If anything this may be protecting them from dog piss.
TheUncannyObserver@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 months ago
You also need your pay to have each of them taken out of the ground and sandblasted before they are coated. Industrial coatings aren’t like house paint, you can’t toss on extra layers and move on.
XeroxCool@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Paint gets scratches, especially where things turn and rub against each other. You don’t want the turning bits becoming seized and finding out at the worst time
kevincox@lemmy.ml 2 months ago
Isn’t the paint also unnecessary plastic trash?
JungleJim@sh.itjust.works 2 months ago
Maybe they reuse the bags. Bag up 5th Street, salt it, collect the bags and prep 6th.
MNByChoice@midwest.social 2 months ago
Apparently, the same gets in and corrosion starts. The second article mentions a city that stopped doing it.