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Sewer Smoke Testing

Sewer Smoke testing is the fastest way to locate all sources of inflow and infiltration

Find Sources of Inflow & Infiltration Fast!

Sewer smoke testing is the most cost effective method to find sources of surface water inflow & infiltration - the leading cause of wet weather SSO’s. Fast and easy to do, smoke testing produces immediate results that can be acted on quickly - often at minimal expense to the municipality.

Still today's industry standard, thousands of municipalities in all 50 States and around the world have used our method of sewer smoke testing with great success. Hundreds of millions of feet of sanitary sewer mains have been smoke tested using Superior® Smoke Candles, Smoke Blowers, & Smoke Fluid, eliminating countless faults - and the SSO’s that would result from them.

Common sources of sewer inflow & infiltration include:

Roof Downspouts
Roof downspouts causing sewer inflow
Broken Lateral
Sewer inflow due to broken lateral
Broken Mainline
Broken sewer main causing sewer inflow
Open Cleanout
Open cleanout causing sewer inflow
Yard Drain
Yard drain causing sewer inflow
Cellar Drain/Sump Pump
Cellar drain causing sewer inflow
Leaking Manholes
Leakng manhole causes sewer inflow
Cross Connected Storm Sewer
Improperly connected storm sewer causing sewer inflow
Abandoned Sewer Lines
Abandoned sewer line contributing to inflow

The Superior® Smoke Testing Technique

The diagram below illustrates how the smoke from a smoke test moves throughout a collection system. In theory, the only place where an operator SHOULD see smoke is out of the roof vents of buildings connected to the line. Visible smoke from any other area indicates a fault where surface water can infiltrate the system.

Diagram showing how smoke testing reveals sources on inflow in a sewer system

An Introduction to Smoke Testing

Product Overvew at WEFTEC

How Sewer Smoke Testing Works

Sewer Smoke Testing Procedure

Learning How to Smoke Test

→ Watch a Presentation on Smoke Testing
 → The Superior® Smoke Testing Technique
 → How to Smoke Test Flyer
 → Calculate How Many Candles are Needed
 → Calculate How Much Fluid is Needed
→ Smoke Candle Information

 

Smoke Testing Resources

Educating Homeowners About Smoke Testing

Door Hangers for Notification

Sample Notification Letter

Information for Homeowners

 

Superior® Smoke Testing Equipment

We offer both Smoke Candle and Fluid based systems!
Learn More: Smoke Fluid vs Smoke Candles for sewer smoke testing

Superior 25-S Smoke Blower for sewer smoke testing

Superior® Classic Smoke Candles & Blowers

Superior® Classic Smoke Candles quickly and efficiently produce a dense white smoke ideal for sewer smoke testing. Disposable and simple to use, Smoke Candles require no external power or heat source. Due to its high visibility and excellent persistence, Smoke Candles provide the best results, allowing you to locate difficult leaks at greater distances when smoke testing. When paired with a genuine Superior® Smoke Blower, the most popular smoke blower in the industry, you have the best tools in the business to get the job done right!

→ Superior® Smoke Candles
→ Superior® Smoke Blowers

Superior 30-L Liquid Smoke Blower for Sewer Smoke Testing

Superior® Smoke Fluid Systems

Superior® Smoke Fluid systems are safe, inexpensive and easy to use. Superior® Smoke Fluid is a proprietary blend, specially formulated for optimum performance in Sewer Testing. Superior® Smoke Blowers are engineered to maximize dry smoke output, eliminating the wet smoke and mess typical of other liquid smoke systems. Superior® Smoke Fluid Systems use micro-control flow valves, custom-machined stainless steel injector nozzles, and custom-welded insulated heating chambers to generate the maximum volume of dry smoke.

→ Superior Fluid and Liquid Smoke Systems

Sewer Pipe Plugs

Pipe plugs used in sewer smoke testingPipe Plugs are ideal for blocking lines while Smoke Testing. Cherne Plugs have been the professional contractor's choice for over 50 years, and remain the most trusted in the industry. Designed to work with a variety of systems from residential plumbing to municipal storm and sanitary sewer pipe, there is something for every application, and any budget. Cherne Plugs do it all—and Superior Signal offers a broad selection of these products to assist in Smoke Testing, and related jobs.

→ Sewer Plug Kits