First Posted: 4/21/2010

The Borough of Clarks Summit will be smoke testing most areas of their Sanitary Sewer lines during the week of April 26.
According to Borough Manager Virginia Kehoe, smoke testing in plumbing is used to find places where pipes will spill fluid. Smoke testing of sanitary sewer systems is primarily used to find places where ground water and storm runoff can enter the sanitary sewer system.
Non-toxic smoke is used to find leaks in plumbing and sanitary sewer systems. Artificially created smoke is forced into the pipe or container. Plumes of smoke form where there are defects. It is particularly useful where completely sealing the system is not practical such as ventilated sanitary sewer systems.
Individuals with respiratory problems should be removed from the premises prior to the tests. Others, such as house confined invalids, sleeping shift workers and locked in animals should be identified and evacuated before the test.