The energy landscape in the United States is evolving rapidly, and with the Grid Resilience and Innovations Partnership (GRIP) funding now in the final stages, it’s the perfect time for energy companies to embrace innovative solutions like Polesaver. The funding initiative, aimed at modernising and bolstering the U.S electrical grid, presents a golden opportunity for companies to enhance energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and contribute to the delivery of reliable, clean, and affordable energy to American families and businesses.

Building Grid Resilience in the Toughest of Circumstances

Polesaver aligns seamlessly with the programme’s objectives, supporting activities that specifically reduce the likelihood and consequences of impacts to the electric grid caused by extreme weather, wildfires, and natural disasters.

The initiative prioritises projects that generate the greatest community benefit, be it in rural or urban areas, by effectively minimising the likelihood and consequences of disruptive events.

Choose Products that Meet GRIP Funding Criteria

Polesaver’s innovative pole protection products meet stringent funding criteria which will allow networks to claim government grants when specifying it within proposals.

Polesaver Sleeves provide dual-layer rot prevention, creating an airtight and watertight seal on pole surfaces. This unique seal locks in wood preservatives, reduces moisture entry, and prevents decay at the upper sleeve.

The non-toxic sleeves make ground line decay impossible, increasing pole life, maintaining strength, and enhancing safety and grid reliability whilst also reducing the requirement for costly pole inspections.

Moreover, Polesaver minimises ground contamination by preventing the loss of biotoxins, ensuring a sustainable and reliable solution, even in extreme weather conditions, and is the only proven solution in the market. Independently tested, Polesaver sleeves maintain pole strength over time, enhancing safety and grid reliability. 

Polesaver Fire Protection Fabric is used to protect utility poles from low-level bush, crop, grass and wildfires. It is proven in volume use and offers a substantial cost savings by significantly reducing the need to replace poles after bush and wildfires. The highly UV stable material is durable enough to withstand multiple fires, and is quick and simple to apply.

Request copies of independent reports on Polesaver Fire Fabric, including a full-scale field trial on over 1,000 poles

The Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships Deadline

Those still to complete the trio of projects required to be eligible for funding have a limited time to consider Polesaver as part of their 2024 plans with the deadline for utilities set for April 17th.

Polesaver’s innovative solutions are already trusted and used in over 30 countries worldwide and are an ideal solution for upgrading your infrastructure, protecting your network, and supporting the evolution of the U.S. electrical grid – the future of energy innovation is now.

Get in touch to find out more about Polesaver’s total ground line barrier sleeve or request independent test data.

Methods for Evaluating Wood Preservatives

When it comes to evaluating wood preservatives, accelerated wood tests are a common method. However, these tests have limitations due to their inability to replicate the complex interactions found in natural environments. Relying solely on accelerated tests to predict how wood preservatives perform in the real world has its limitations, even though these tests provide valuable insights. It’s crucial to combine these accelerated tests with real-world testing for a more complete understanding of wood preservative performance.

Inadequate Simulation of Natural Weathering

Accelerated wood tests aim to mimic natural weathering through controlled cycles of UV light, moisture, and temperature changes over short periods. While this can provide an idea of how a wood preservative might perform, it doesn’t account for the variability and complexity of real-world conditions. Natural weathering involves varying angles of sunlight, fluctuating temperatures, intermittent rainfall, and seasonal changes – all of which interact in ways that are difficult to replicate in a lab setting. 

For instance, changes in wood colour due to natural weathering are gradual and influenced by numerous factors, including the direction the wood faces relative to the sun and its exposure to elements like rain and wind. These variables create a dynamic environment that accelerated tests can’t fully emulate, leading to discrepancies between test results and actual performance in outdoor settings.

Challenges with Chemical Leaching

Another critical aspect where accelerated tests fall short is in simulating chemical leaching in wood. Leaching refers to the process by which preservative chemicals are washed out of the wood by rainwater or migrate to the soil. In real-world conditions, this process is influenced by the type and amount of rainfall, the drying time between rain events, and the specific wood and preservative types involved.

Accelerated tests typically use extreme conditions on small wood samples over short periods, which can lead to overestimations or underestimations of leaching rates. For example, studies have shown that the leaching of chromated copper arsenate (CCA) from treated wood varies significantly with natural rainfall patterns and the intervals of drying between rains, while leaching of water-repellent wood preservatives under accelerated testing can be significantly lower than observed in corresponding real-world use. These nuances are difficult to capture in a laboratory setting, where the conditions are more controlled and less variable.

The Use of Controlled Fungal Species

A key difference is the controlled fungal species used in accelerated tests versus the variety encountered in real-world environments. Accelerated tests typically use a limited set of fungal species, often focusing on the most aggressive wood-decaying fungi to ensure rapid results. For instance, common species used include Aureobasidium pullulans, Aspergillus niger, and Penicillium spp. These fungi are selected for their ability to thrive under the artificial conditions created in laboratory settings, such as high humidity and controlled temperature, which are designed to expedite fungal growth and wood decay.

In contrast, real-world conditions expose wood to a broader spectrum of fungal species that vary based on geographical location, climate, and environmental factors. These fungi interact with the wood in more complex ways, influenced by fluctuating moisture levels, temperature changes, and the presence of other microorganisms. This diversity and variability can significantly impact the effectiveness of wood preservatives in real-world use, as some preservatives may be more effective against the fungi used in laboratory tests but less so against other species prevalent in natural settings.

Fungi’s Ability to Evolve and Adapt

Another significant limitation of accelerated tests is their inability to account for the evolutionary adaptability of fungi. In real-world environments, fungi continuously evolve, developing resistance to wood preservatives over time. This evolutionary process, influenced by genetic variations and environmental pressures, enables fungi to adapt and survive in changing conditions. Studies have shown that fungal species can undergo genetic and phenotypic changes that enhance their ability to degrade wood, even in the presence of preservatives. This dynamic evolutionary process is difficult to replicate in the static conditions of accelerated tests, leading to potential underestimations of fungal resistance and preservative longevity.

Need for Long-Term Field Studies

Given these limitations, it’s clear that while accelerated tests can provide useful initial data, they should be complemented with long-term field studies in the region or climate of proposed use. Such field studies are crucial for understanding how wood preservatives perform over extended periods under actual environmental conditions.

Field studies can capture the full range of interactions and changes that occur in natural settings, providing a more accurate assessment of wood preservative efficacy and longevity. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, while accelerated tests are a valuable tool in the early stages of wood preservative evaluation, their inability to fully replicate natural weathering and chemical leaching processes limits their predictive power. To ensure reliable and comprehensive assessments, these tests must be supplemented with long-term field research that considers the myriad factors influencing wood preservation in real-world environments. This comprehensive approach ensures a more accurate evaluation of wood preservatives, considering the evolution of fungi and their impact on long-term wood preservative performance.

Polesaver is a leading manufacturer of wood pole life extension products and works with utilities globally. Get in touch for more information on wood testing. 

Contact Polesaver

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Data Sources

https://microchemlab.com/test/astm-d3273-fungal-resistance-test-coated-surfaces

https://awpa.com/info/pem

https://bioresources.cnr.ncsu.edu/

https://bmcecolevol.biomedcentral.com

https://www.paint.org/

Revolutionising the Utility Pole Landscape in South America: Paving the Way for Sustainability

The adoption of water-based copper wood preservatives in some South American countries to safeguard wooden utility poles against decay is prompting a potential departure from wood towards alternative pole materials. This shift, observed in Europe, has resulted in a decline of approximately four hundred thousand wooden pole sales annually over the past few years.

Navigating Challenges in the Utility Industry

Utilities utilising water-based copper wood preservative-protected poles face multiple challenges concerning wooden utility poles. The primary concern revolves around their perceived shorter lifespan, typically lasting 20 years or less when compared to engineered poles made from composites, concrete, and steel.

Instances of premature wooden pole failures have raised safety and reliability concerns. While initial pole purchase costs are often compared, a comprehensive evaluation reveals that the annualized cost of wooden poles frequently exceeds that of alternative materials when considering shorter service life and the subsequent increase in pole replacement costs.

From an environmental standpoint, wooden poles are viewed as having a low impact compared to alternatives. However, this factor tends to carry a lower priority in the decision-making process for utilities compared to safety and reliability requirements. Increasing apprehension about disposal costs and potential legislative changes affecting the end-of-life disposal of treated wooden poles are driving the adoption of long-life engineered poles in the European pole market.

A Sustainable Path Forward in South America

To effectively address these challenges and offer a competitive and sustainable solution, the wooden pole industry may consider providing utilities with an option for enhanced lifespan wooden poles. This can be achieved by incorporating established, proven, and tested total ground line barrier sleeves, offering several key advantages:

• Increased Pole Life: The protection of the most vulnerable part of the pole extends its lifespan to 40 years or more, addressing concerns about a shorter lifespan.
• Reduced Annualised Pole Costs: Significantly increasing pole life reduces annualized pole costs, making wooden poles a cost-competitive option compared to alternative materials.
• Improved Safety: Total ground line barrier sleeves maintain pole strength over time, enhancing safety for both employees and the public.
• Extended Inspection Intervals: By preventing decay, utilities can extend intervals between pole inspections, leading to a substantial reduction in maintenance costs.
• Enhanced Grid/Network Reliability: Maintaining pole strength over time improves overall grid and network reliability, especially in adverse weather conditions.
• Reduced CO2 Emissions: With an extended lifespan, the annualised CO2 emissions of replacement wooden poles can be significantly reduced, making them a more environmentally sustainable option.

In Conclusion

In a critical juncture for some of the South American pole industry, the traditional reliance on wooden utility poles faces increasing challenges. A transformative shift towards innovative solutions has the potential not only to meet utility demands but also to establish wood as the unparalleled material choice, revitalising the market for wooden power and telecom poles. This forward-thinking approach not only addresses immediate challenges but also ensures the future sustainability of the wooden utility pole industry in South America.

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Get in touch to find out more about Polesaver’s total ground line barrier sleeve or request independent test data.

The European pole industry is currently seeing a growing move away from wood to alternative materials. 

Over the last few years this has led to a reduction in European wooden poles sales of around four hundred thousand poles a year. However, there can be a promising and sustainable future for wooden poles.

The Use of Wooden Poles amongst European Utilities

A Challenging Time for the Utility Industry

Utilities in Europe face several challenges regarding wooden utility poles, the primary issue being their perceived shorter lifespan when compared to alternative longer lasting engineered pole poles made from composites, concrete and steel.

Instances of premature wooden pole failures have raised safety and reliability concerns for utilities. And while initial pole purchase costs are frequently compared, a comprehensive evaluation reveals that the annualised cost of wooden poles often exceeds the cost of poles made from alternative materials, when shorter wooden pole service life and the consequent increase in pole replacement costs are taken into account.

Whilst new “longer life” wood preservatives have been promoted by the pole industry utility, feedback indicates that the lack of long-term test data and higher costs are hindering the adoption of this option as an alternative.

Utilities see that the environmental impact of wooden poles is very low when compared to alternative materials but for the majority of utilities, this feature carries a lower ranking in the decision-making process than the critical key requirements for safety and reliability.

Factor in increasing apprehension about disposal costs and potential legislative changes affecting the end-of-life disposal of treated wooden poles and it is easy to see why the manufacturers of long-life engineered poles are gaining traction in the European pole market.

The Way Forward – A Sustainable Solution

To effectively confront these challenges and present a solution that is both competitive and sustainable, the wooden pole industry may explore the provision of an enhanced lifespan wooden pole option to utilities. This can be achieved through the incorporation of established, proven and tested total ground line barrier sleeves, offering the following key advantages:

• Increased Pole Life: With the most vulnerable part of the pole protected, pole lifespan is increased to 40 years or more, addressing the perceived shorter lifespan concern.
• Reduced Annualised Pole Costs: Increasing pole life significantly reduces the annualised pole costs, making wooden poles a cost competitive option when compared to alternative materials.
• Improved Safety: Total ground line barrier sleeves maintain pole strength over time enhancing safety for both employees and the public.
• Extended Inspection Intervals: Through the prevention of decay, utilities can extend the intervals between pole inspections, leading to a substantial reduction in maintenance costs.
• Enhanced Grid/Network Reliability: Improve overall grid and network reliability, particularly in adverse weather conditions by ensuring pole strength is maintained over time.
• Reduced CO2 Emissions: With an extended lifespan, the annualised CO2 emissions of replacement wooden poles can be significantly reduced, making them an even more environmentally sustainable option.

Conclusion

In a pivotal moment for the European pole industry, the conventional reliance on wooden utility poles encounters mounting obstacles.

A transformative shift towards championing innovative solutions that not only meet the demands of utilities but also solidifies wood as the unparalleled material choice holds the power to not just revitalise the market for wooden power and telecom poles, but to forge a pathway towards a sustainable, resilient, and eco-friendly infrastructure.

This strategic forward-thinking approach not only addresses immediate challenges but also safeguards the future of the wooden utility pole industry in Europe.

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Find out more about Polesaver sleeves or get in touch to discuss specific requirements in more detail or request test data.

A major European utility has recently specified the use of Polesaver sleeves to provide protection on their wooden utility poles.

The utility company has traditionally used wooden poles treated with Creosote wood preservative. Following the recent re-classification of Creosote by the European Commission as a Class 1b Carcinogen, many European utilities are looking at safer alternatives to Creosote treatment.

If we also factor in the possibility of Creosote bleeding, where liquid Creosote can bleed out of the pole surface under certain climatic conditions, the need for change is clear: To protect both utility employees and members of the public from coming into contact with Creosote.

Safer Alternatives

There are a range of safer alternative wood preservatives based on copper as the main active fungicide. Utility concerns over the longer-term performance of these wood preservatives, as well as attack by copper-tolerant fungi, have led many utilities to look for additional protection against groundline decay. This occurs at the ground line section of the pole, where mechanical loading and the likelihood of decay over time is high.

Specification Criteria

The selection criteria set by the utility included the following requirements:

• 40+ years expected pole life
• Improved safety
• Reduced environmental impact.

Following an extensive review by the utility, Polesaver composite ground line barrier sleeves were selected for use with a copper in oil type wood preservative treated to a high retention level.

Installation Commenced in 2021

Installation of Polesaver sleeved poles commenced in 2021. With only small changes in work practices required, the switchover has been trouble-free. Both utility and sub-contractor employees commented positively about the clean and odour-free alternatives.

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Get in touch to find out more about Polesaver’s total ground line barrier sleeve or request independent test data.

Utility companies have a large number of assets spread over a large area. These assets require regular inspection, maintenance, repair and replacement. The effective management of assets is key to maintaining safety and network reliability while ensuring financial stability and reducing long-term costs.  Utility poles make up a considerable percentage of these assets, and with the lifetime costs they impose, it’s essential to manage them effectively. 

In the following article, we will look at how RFID tags can be utilised to implement network-wide monitoring and maintenance of your assets. 

What Are RFID Tags?

RFID tags or Radio Frequency Identification Tags contain a microchip and antenna. The microchip comes as standard with a unique readable electronic serial number and the serial number can be read using a handheld reader unit. 

Polesaver dual-layer barrier sleeves include passive RFID tags as standard as part of the sleeve. The tag is embedded within the above-ground section of the sleeve. Once the sleeve is applied to the pole, it can then be scanned and recorded. 

How Is The Data Collected?

Data collection from RFID tags is a simple process. For passive tags, data collection is done via a handheld reader. Scanning the tag produces data that can show the product’s history and allow new data to be added. 

The readers are available in a range of different options with lower-cost units having a read range of around 30cm and more costly units having a read range of up to 3M. Once the serial number has been read, this is transmitted via Bluetooth to a mobile phone or PDA as required. An asset management app (provided via a third party partner) on the phone or PDA then retrieves the relevant record for the asset. The user can record information, images, GPS location or repair actions as required. On return to the office, this data can be quickly and easily transferred to asset management systems such as SAP or IBM Maximo using an API to allow planning and recording of asset condition or flag up maintenance requirements.

Can I Use This System For Other Assets?

To accommodate utility poles without Polesaver, we can also supply additional RFID tags (self-adhesive and screw fix) for tracking and monitoring purposes. These can also be used on other assets such as transformers and switchgear, to implement a full asset control system if required. 

What Can The Data Tell You?

One of the key benefits of using RFID tags is the ability to monitor and collate large quantities of data and have immediate access to the condition of a particular part of your infrastructure or grid network. Once tagged, the information stored has the potential to give you a detailed explanation of that specific pole. Data could include installation date, previous inspections, decay tests etc. As well as data information on the pole, RFID tags can also provide detailed explanations of other features attached to the poles such as those previously mentioned. 

Traceability

The user can also use the serial number to give full traceability back to the pole or equipment supplier if required. This can include the date of supply and treatment details, specification etc. The serial number can also be used to prevent pole substitution with inferior quality poles by third party pole installation contractors. The serial number can be scanned on delivery to the utility and again when the pole is installed on-site and then checked to ensure they tally. We also carry full records of all sleeve serial numbers allowing users to quickly check they have genuine Polesaver sleeves.  

How Can This Data Be Stored And Utilised?

Storing and utilising data effectively can be crucial to any large scale operation. The data collected using a Polesaver handheld scanner is stored via a third party; however, we appreciate that many utilities will already feature advanced systems to manage assets. Therefore, utilities can transfer any data collected into standard asset management software (Such as IBM Maximo, Sap etc.) using an Application Programming Interface (API). 

Utilities can use the recording of this data to improve monitoring and efficiency across the grid network. We believe this to be an essential component of reducing costs arising from inspection and remediation. By using RFID tags, utilities can immediately access information for any given pole in the network. This data can streamline replacement and repair work, reduce inspection intervals, and reduce potential pole failures, offering far greater grid reliability. 

Utility pole asset management has never been simpler. Polesaver can now extend the lifespan of wooden poles and enable improved asset management of poles and other assets as required. See below to get in touch today. 

In our current era, we are faced with several critical environmental challenges. Identifying the areas in which we can minimise our impact on the environment is fundamental to ecological success. As utility providers, this involves identifying the areas where the life expectancy of assets, such as utility poles, could be increased. 

Just How Big Is The Utility Pole Market?

The utility pole market is currently experiencing significant growth as older networks reach the end of their life. Globally around 20 million utility poles are replaced every year. The environmental impact of this is significant. Independent market research indicates that approximately 50% of replacement utility poles are made from wood, with 37% made from steel, 10% from concrete and 3% from composites. 

How Do Utility Poles Impact The Environment?

All stages of utility pole life, including manufacturing, installation and disposal, have environmental impacts. Understanding how different materials affect the environment is essential. These effects give a greater understanding of how we can implement more sustainable practices into utility specifications. 

Non-wood utility poles begin their life with the extraction of resources. The necessary primary resources required are generally fossil fuels and water, which in turn lead on to the further potential for ecological damage. Concrete, for example, requires high proportions of fossil fuels and water relative to the quantity produced. Concrete production is undoubtedly damaging to the environment. Galvanised steel poles also use large amounts of fossil fuels in production. Composite pole manufacturing does not use as many fossil fuels as concrete but more so than galvanised steel. 

Composite pole manufacturing, however, is by far the worst when we look at the water used in production, which is considerably higher than any other material. Composite poles use an estimated 1,248 gallons of water per pole.  Wooden poles such as a Pentachlorophenol treated pole in contrast use only 46 gallons of water per pole, and by far the lowest amount of fossil fuels of any material. 

All pole types produce anthropogenic greenhouse gasses and ecotoxicity air emissions in production. The worst effect of utility pole types, however, is the CO2 production over the entire lifespan. To put this into perspective, AquaAe Ter inc released a report stating that the CO2 output from a single concrete pole is 1460kg, steel is 784kg, and composite is 867kg. Wooden poles, however, produce minimal impacts relative to other pole materials. Our research indicates that wooden poles absorb CO2 from the atmosphere during their estimated 40-year life cycle as trees before harvesting. Roughly half the dry fibrous mass of a wooden pole is made of carbon and therefore strikes an environmental balance by outweighing the CO2 generated from processing. AquaAe Ter state that a wooden pole absorbs 320kg of CO2. 

The End Of Life Disposal Impact

The disposal of utility poles is the end of the life-cycle. The method of disposal again plays an essential role in environmental considerations.  Concrete poles generally have non-recyclable/non-reusable properties and are disposed of in a landfill. Steel poles are usually recycled, and composite poles are burned for energy recovery or disposed of at landfill sites. As a general rule wooden poles are burnt, re-purposed or sent to landfill. Depending on the method, the effects on the environment can vary considerably. Our research suggests that wooden poles have the lowest environmental impact at disposal. The burning of composite poles is an excellent source of energy production; however, the facilities to do this might not always exist. If it is more cost-effective, composite poles will end up at landfill sites. 

Which Is The Most Environmentally Friendly Utility Pole?

Environmentally speaking, our research indicates that wooden poles are by far the superior product. However, as a ‘non-engineered’ component, wooden poles are subject to a potentially limited lifespan. Despite treatment, wooden poles are susceptible to decay at the ground line. The conditions for this are most prevalent in the upper 8 inches of the soil. Ground line decay is a serious issue that results in premature pole failure and costly replacements, not to mention safety concerns. The risk of decay and pole failure is one of the biggest drivers to move away from wooden poles. However, Polesaver sleeves provide a proven solution to this problem, giving an expected pole of 50 years or more. 

The Environmental Benefit 

Polesaver sleeves improve the environmental benefits of using wood. By protecting the ground line section from decay, there will be a reduction in annual pole replacements. Furthermore, the emissions and energy used in Pole production will decrease considerably. Other benefits to utilities include reduced failures, power outages and reduced remediation and repair costs. Polesaver is a sure way to save money and reduce your environmental impact. 

Polesaver comes with our 50-year guarantee, derived from over 20-years of independent test data. To learn more about our confindence in the Polesaver product and view our test data, click here. Alternatively, find out more below. 

Look out for our next blog where we will be looking at how Polesaver can help you with your asset management requirements.

The Creosote Ban In Europe

Creosote has long been the gold standard for wood preservation, delivering an impressive lifespan of 40 years or more for utility poles. However, its future in Europe is increasingly uncertain. The creosote ban is imminent as the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has classified creosote as a Category B carcinogen and a persistent, bioaccumulate and toxic substance. This classification has led to stricter regulations and a longer term ban across various applications. In response to these concerns, many European countries have already banned the use of creosote.

Exploring Alternatives to Creosote

With the creosote ban on the horizon, utility companies are seeking creosote alternatives. Options like steel, composite and concrete poles are gaining attention but come with challenges:

• Steel poles can be problematic due to their conductivity and difficulty in climbing.
• Composite poles offer durability and low maintenance but can be costly and lack the environmental benefits of wood, which acts as a carbon sink.
• Concrete poles are heavy and contribute to high CO2 emissions during manufacturing—up to 1.46 tonnes per pole.

In response to the limitations of water-based copper preservatives introduced in the EU since 2005 -which faced early failures due to ground-line decay – new formulations have emerged. Enhanced copper-based preservatives now include advanced co-biocides to address issues with copper-tolerant fungi. Although these advanced treatments extend pole life, industry feedback indicates they still fall short of the longevity offered by creosote.

A recent development in creosote alternatives is the use of copper in oil preservatives. These combine copper with water-repellent oils like A.W.P.A. P9a or tall oil, aiming to extend pole life beyond what water-based copper treatments offer by reducing moisture ingress and preservative loss. However, there is currently limited field test data to confirm the long-term effectiveness of these new treatments in real life use conditions.

Barrier Protection Products: A Solution for Ground-Line Decay

Ground line decay over time is the normal mode of utility pole failure. To address this issue the use of ground-line decay, barrier protection products are becoming increasingly relevant. These fall into two categories: partial and full barriers.

Partial Barriers

These sleeves do not fully seal the wood behind them, leading to potential “wet band decay” where moisture moves up from the ground, creating a damp zone at the top of the sleeve where decay can occur.

Full Barriers

Products like Polesaver Rot-Guard offer a total seal, effectively eliminating the factors necessary for wood decay. By lowering the entry point for moisture, total barrier sleeves limit moisture ingress and loss of wood preservative due to leaching and oxidation.

Full Barrier Sleeves Ensure Prolonged Protection

Independent field tests conducted show that full barrier sleeves are 100% effective at preventing decay after 20 years, reinforcing the plus 20 year increase in pole life achievable with total ground line barrier sleeves. This data serves to reinforce the excellent results seen to date with over 7 million sleeves in service.

Testing across various sites has demonstrated that full barrier sleeves are highly effective in controlling wood moisture content compared to traditional treatments. Specifically, full barrier sleeves help maintain an average moisture content of below 20%, the threshold where wood rot can start at the ground line/top of sleeve, this is significantly lower than the moisture content in other treated poles. By keeping moisture levels at, or below, this critical threshold, full barrier sleeves help prevent the onset of wood rot and extend the lifespan of wooden utility poles.

Conclusion: A Proven Alternative to Creosote

For utility companies facing the creosote ban, Polesaver Rot-Guard presents a cost-effective and sustainable alternative. When combined with water-based or copper-in-oil preservatives, Polesaver sleeves extend the expected service life of utility poles to 40 years or more, matching the longevity of traditional creosote treatments. This makes them a robust, environmentally friendly solution in the evolving landscape of wood preservation. As regulations tighten and environmental standards evolve, incorporating these innovative products into utility infrastructure offers a practical path forward, ensuring compliance and sustainability.

Get in Touch

Polesaver is the leading manufacturer of products proven to extend the life of wooden utility poles, and has been working with utility companies globally for 30 years. Get in touch for more information or to arrange a TEAMS call with one of our specialists.

Polesaver dual-layer barrier technology sleeves are a proven and independently tested product. With  25 years of volume use and over 20 years of independent field test data Polesaver is a proven and highly cost-effective means of increasing pole life. In this article, we will be looking at the effects of moisture, fungi and termites on sleeved and un-sleeved test samples and poles. These independent test results demonstrate the clear benefits of Polesaver when used in conjunction with existing wood preservative products. The evidence of our success is straightforward.

What Causes Utility Pole Failure, And Why Should We Protect Against It?

All of the factors necessary for wood decay are present in the upper 20cm (8″) of the ground. This section is the most common point of failure for utility poles and is also the most mechanically stressed. To prevent decay, we must keep moisture and wood-decaying organisms out and lock in wood preservative. The Polesaver total barrier sleeve creates an air and watertight seal, keeping rot out, and preservative locked in. This unique dual barrier technology not only has the potential to reduce remediation costs significantly but also improves grid hardening, reliability and safety. 

Putting It To The Test

The evidence of our success comes from independent test data and standards with zero reported failures to date. Our sleeves comply with the following criteria:

• European Standard EN252: 1989, ‘Field test method for determining the relative protective effectiveness of a wood preservative in ground contact’. “20 years of test data
• ENV807 Wood preservatives. ‘Determination of the effectiveness against soft rotting micro-fungi and other soil-inhabiting micro-organisms’.
• AWPA E1-97, American Wood-Protection Association: 2005.’ The standard method for laboratory evaluation to determine resistance to subterranean termites’.
• They meet the requirements of A.W.P.A. (American Wood Protection Association) standard ‘Barrier systems’ P20-13, BP-1.
• Large scale field pole test by a utility at three pole test sites. 

The Evidence 

In previous articles, we have highlighted the importance of moisture content as a catalyst for decay. Over time wetting and drying cycles can result in leaching and the subsequent reduction in the concentration of wood preservatives leaving the wood vulnerable to decay. Suppose moisture levels of the timber become higher than 25%, the potential for decay arises becoming a precursor to pole failure. During an Accelerated decay test (ENV807), a Polesaver protected sample showed less than 25% moisture content at the critical ground line level after 48 weeks. In direct comparison, the unprotected sample showed levels of saturation higher than 150% in the same area. As decay set in, the respective samples experienced weight loss due to decay as a result. The Polesaver protected sample showed no deterioration in the sleeved zone and no weight loss.

In contrast, the unprotected timber showed between 30 and 40% weight loss at the critical ground line level. Furthermore, an independent 20-year field test (EN252) using Scots pine sapwood stakes showed that some unprotected samples failed after eight years. In contrast, all of the Polesaver protected stakes suffered from zero decay after 20 years. Thanks to its air and watertight seal, the Polesaver total barrier protection system excludes moisture, fungi and other wood-decaying organisms from the timber. 

Large Utility – Field Test

In 2012 we were approached by a large U.K. based utility who were planning ahead in case of a future ban on the use of creosote wood preservative. The utility had put in place a plan to look at alternative options to find the best option to match the lifespan of Creosote protected poles. They had already experienced issues with ground line decay in poles treated with waterborne copper wood preservatives and viewed the use of barrier sleeves as a potential solution when used in conjunction with this type of wood preservative. Having examined the options in detail, they were aware of possible issues such as wet band decay at the top of partial barrier systems. To gain independent assurance that this would not happen when using total barrier sleeve, they started pole tests at three different U.K. test sites. The objective of the test was to monitor the moisture content at the ground line or top of the sleeve for four different pole options as follows; Creosote treated poles (benchmark) water-based copper treated poles, water-based copper treated poles fitted with a partial bag type barrier sleeve, and a water-based copper treated pole fitted with a Polesaver full barrier sleeve

The three locations across the U.K. incorporated a variety of conditions including Poles set in tarmac, wet and boggy soils with a water table around 20cm (8″)  and dryer ground. A time period of 4 years was allowed before taking measurements to allow moisture levels to reach equilibrium. Moisture content levels were taken using a calibrated pin type moisture meter across all samples with pins inserted to a depth of 6mm. The creosote-treated poles had an average moisture content of 26% just above the ground line. The poles treated with water-based copper-based wood preservative had an average moisture content of 32% (>50% at the start of the test) just above the ground line. The poles treated with water-based copper-based wood preservative and fitted with a partial bag type barrier sleeve had an average moisture content of 43% just above the top of the bag (>50% at the start of the test). The poles treated with water-based copper-based wood preservative fitted with a Polesaver full barrier sleeve had an average moisture content of 20% just above the top of the sleeve ( >50% at the start of the test). The test results show that a pole fitted with a Polesaver sleeve is effective at reducing moisture content in the sleeve over time.

What About Termites?

As well as being an impenetrable barrier to decay, Polesaver sleeves also provide protection against termite attack. Let’s look at the termite test results carried out by the  Mississippi State University. This test was conducted using ten cubes of Polesaver coated and non-coated wood. The cubes underwent two tests. Firstly a two-choice test where termites had the option of coated and non coated timber. The results show that the termites did not eat Polesaver protected wood. A secondary analysis was then conducted where termites only had Polesaver covered wood as a single food source option. In the second test, the Polesaver coated blocks were not fed on at all by termites despite the absence of any alternative food source demonstrating that the non-toxic Polesaver barrier was repellent to termites. As shown in our earlier blog termites are generally attracted to decaying wood as this is easier for them to digest than non-decaying wood. By preventing ground line decay, Polesaver can also greatly reduce the likelihood of termite attack.

Test Data Information 

Our test data has provided the information we need to calculate the expected lifespan of a treated pole with a Polesaver sleeve. Based on our 20-year accelerated field test, stakes dip treated with wood preservative started to fail after eight years. The test samples protected by Polesaver showed zero failures after 20 years. From this, we can calculate a minimum pole life increase factor when using Polesaver. If we take the total test time frame of 20 years and divide it by the length of time it took an unprotected pole to fail (eight years), we achieve a minimum pole life extension factor of X 2.5. Assuming a pole lifespan of 20 years for a standard treated pole, we can by calculation conclude that a Polesaver protected preservative-treated pole should have a  minimum expected pole life of 20 x 2.5 = 50 years. If you are interested in seeing any of the test data, then please go to the downloads section or send us an email and we will send it to you.

If this life extension is to be achieved, it is critical that the sleeve also continues to provide a barrier to the causes of decay for 50 years or more. Polesaver sleeves are made from costly, high-quality materials which have a proven long term track record when used as in-ground barriers. For instance, the film material we use is highly U.V. stabilised and has been in use in critical in-ground barrier applications for over 60 years without problems. The thermoplastic meltable liner also has a proven long term track record for both in-ground and timber protection applications.

It is this data that allows us to offer a 50-year sleeve guarantee with confidence. 

In the next blog article, we will be looking at the financial case for using barrier sleeve products. In the meantime, for those of you in Europe who currently use Creosote treated poles, we will be posting a short blog giving an update on changes and a brief look at the alternative options.