Smoke Testing Frequently Asked Questions

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

• View the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the materials used »

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.

Contact the crew working in the area.
Open windows and doors for ventilation.

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.

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

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

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

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.

Call Jesse Ryan at Hydrosturctures, 757-631-7989, or LaMonte Banks at Chesapeake Utilities, 757-382-3417, to discuss any questions related to smoke testing sanitary sewers that you may have.