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1. Is the smoke harmful?

No. It may make you cough, but it is not harmful to your health and will not harm your clothing, drapes, or furniture.

• Smoke Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) Information - Hurco (PDF)
• Smoke Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) Information - Lubspar (PDF)

2. What can you do to prevent smoke from entering your house?

When you receive a notice that smoke testing will take place, you should check to see that all traps under basins, washing facilities, and floor drains have water in them. Pay particular attention to sinks and drains which receive little use. Pour water in garage floor drains, spare bathrooms, and mop sinks. This smoke will enter any defective seal or pipe.

3. What do you do if the smoke gets into your house or business?

First, there is no cause for alarm; identify where it is coming from, such as under a sink, around a toilet, or through a wall. Open windows and doors. This smoke will dissipate quickly. Then contact numbers on the flyer (PDF).

4. What is the purpose of smoke testing?

To find possible leaks in the sanitary sewer system and roof drain connections. Smoke testing can help locate bad connections that home owners or occupants are not aware of.

5. I will not be at home during the smoke testing and have pets in the house. What should I do?

If you must leave your pets unattended, proper ventilation should be provided in the event any smoke enters the building.

6. If smoke gets into the house or business, how long does it take for the smoke to dissipate?

This will depend upon how much smoke enters the building and how much ventilation you can provide.

7. Can smoke stop up the sewer?

There is no way smoke can stop up a sewer. The smoke is made up of a vaporous substance.

8. What happens if you find a bad sewer or lack of traps in a building?

This information will be documented and given to appropriate City and State agencies, and it will be incumbent upon those agencies to determine what steps are necessary to remedy the problem.

9. What about...?

Call Jesse Ryan at Hydrostructures, 757-631-7989, or Chris Scheible at Chesapeake Utilities, 757-644-7499, to discuss any questions related to smoke testing sanitary sewers that you may have.