Polesaver extending timber pole life

Up until 2005 the use of CCA treated poles and creosote poles was the commonly used treatment method used on wooden and pine poles. The use of these effective but effective preservatives has over time been restricted or banned in many countries the consequence being a drastic reduction in pole life.

Electrocution, injury and death

Looking at the ground level section of the pole the conditions for rot and decay are ideal and this is where a pressure treated timber utility pole nearly always fails as it is also the most highly stressed part of the pole. Over time the preservative loses its effectiveness as a result of leaching and oxidation.

This loss of effectiveness allows soil borne decaying organisms and termites to attack the pole often with serious consequences including poles falling over with the risk of outages, injury, death and electrocution.

Replacement and maintenance

Failure results in costly utility pole replacement. This is a great waste of natural resources as an otherwise serviceable pole is wasted because only a small part of the pole has been attacked and weakened by decaying organisms.

Regular utility pole inspection and sometimes wood rot treatment are a widely practiced method of attempting to spot and extend the life of rotten poles before they fall over. The commonly used test methods all have one thing in common; they do not show how strong the pole is. They can only be used to indicate if the utility pole has suffered from the effects of wood rot.

For instance most of the core of the pressure treated utility pole can be rotted away with minimal effect on the utility pole strength. Yet virtually undetectable early rot in the outer layer of the pole can reduce the poles strength by 40% or more.

This is a common but often undetected cause of timber poles failing. Visual inspection of a broken pole would not identify this as the cause of failure as the effects of this decay are generally only visible at a microscopic level.

Save time, money and materials

Polesaver barrier sleeves provide a simple but highly effective solution to this problem by giving extra protection against the causes of rot, decay and termite attack at the vulnerable ground line section of the pole. Polesaver sleeves typically double the life of the pole giving you large cost savings.

Polesaver sleeves can also be used to extend the life of steel poles. In this case they are a highly effective rust inhibitor preventing ground line rust and corrosion

Polesaver sleeves are low in cost, non-toxic and can be quickly and easily applied to new poles or poles already in service. They keep the causes of decay out and the preservative in. This significantly reduces the need for utility pole replacement. Polesaver sleeves are tough, durable and compatible with all normal means of utility pole le installation.

With the backing of over 20 years proven effectiveness in preventing pole failure, full independent field testing , and comply with  American Wood Protection Association standards, Polesaver ground line sleeves provide you with peace of mind protection for your timber poles.

If you want to know more, request a free sample, or simply require further information, please call us on +44 (0)1452 849 322. Alternatively, you can email us on info@polesaver.com