Smoke Testing

Smoke testing is the simplest collection system assessment test. It requires the fewest labor, time and equipment resources, so it’s also the most affordable.

Service Overview

Think of smoke testing as providing a rough overview of your collection and distribution system: It’s an easy way to locate any issues in the main lines and laterals, without having to clean and televise the pipes.

Problem

Smoke testing is best used to locate defects in main pipelines that are allowing water infiltration, and to discover otherwise hidden laterals that should not exist or be in service, such as unauthorized roof downspouts, yard drains, slab drains, and stormwater drainage systems, as well as defective connections.

Another great use of smoke testing is on areas where pipes are so deteriorated, it’s unclear which direction it’s currently oriented underground.

Determining how far a stormwater structure, such as a roof drain, goes before ending is also an effective application for smoke testing.

Solution

A smoke test can be performed by just a couple technicians, using a fairly straightforward, inexpensive process.

Result

This allows customers to pick and choose where you wish to take a more granular look at your system with a CCTV camera. Especially if you have budget constraints but suspect a problem, this is a great first option.

Tools and Methods

Our crews will set up a smoke testing machine at a sewer main manhole, which generates smoke from a safe, non-hazardous liquid. The machine forces smoke to flow through connected pipes and up through any voids. Ideally, these voids would only be other nearby manholes. However, if there are any pipe cracks or other defects, uncapped lines, or utility hole breaches, the smoke will escape through there and rise to the surface through the soil. It can sometimes also enter buildings, which is why the smoke must be non-toxic.

When the smoke test is completed, we create a document or spreadsheet report, complete with photos, for our customers. These photos cover the length of the pipe from one manhole to the other, showing any smoke coming out of the ground where it shouldn’t. There, we do a measurement to indicate where the smoke is seeping out between manholes. This is a proven way for asset owners to assess how they can most effectively and economically address the problem.