by Thomas A. Westerkamp
Planning, productivity and compliance link up to ensure reliable and efficient performance.
For more on the compliance issues involved in plumbing system, see the accompanying article.
Looking for trouble
Steam traps, strainers and other steam fittings also can suffer from the combined effects of corrosion, erosion and wear, which together cause costly leaks. Boilers that do not return a large percentage of steam condensate to the makeup water in a closed system lose not only the water and heat value but also expensive water treatment chemicals. Sending condensate to the sewer adds unnecessary load and cost to the waste water system.
Managers should consider several possible tactics designed to prevent or reduce these problems, including inspection, cleaning and minor adjustments. A regular inspection and prevention program is the place to start to maintain code compliance and maximize system efficiency.
Areas of the facility to pay the closest attention to are rest rooms, piping runs, sprinkler system runs, heating and ventilation mechanical rooms, pump rooms, air compressor rooms, and boiler rooms.
The inspection and prevention process should start with an inventory of the areas with trouble spots and the equipment in them. From maintenance history records, inspectors can determine the exact location of the most frequent trouble spots. They then can reorganize the list of trouble spots into an inspection route - a sequence that can be followed with minimum travel and backtracking.
The manager or planner can determine how long it will take an inspector to travel this route and assign it as a regular weekly inspection assignment.
This important first step is the way to detect problems before they become serious or disrupt building operations. As potential problems are discovered, inspectors can comment in the checklist as to the exact action needed and its exact location. The list is turned in daily to the maintenance supervisor or ~planner. From this list, work orders are written to correct deficiencies or code violations.
Major vs. minor repairs
Frequent inspection and adjustment of packing gland nuts will extend wear life. If the sleeve is not worn too badly where soft packing is used, inspectors can tighten the packing nut until fluid leakage stops, back off the nuts to the point where the recommended amount of fluid leaks, then hand-tighten the nuts.
This step takes only a few minutes and can be done during the inspection to prevent a continuing problem. Mechanical packing, which contains a spring-loaded seal in a self-contained unit, requires disassembly of the rotating element to replace it. Once excessive leaking starts, you will have to replace the assembly during a scheduled shutdown. This should be written on the inspection checklist for later repair.
Threaded pipe fitting leaks can sometimes be corrected by disassembling the joint, cleaning the threads, applying thread compound and tightening the fitting. If that doesn’t work, the fitting and the adjacent piping with bad threads are replaced. Leakage at flanged joints can usually be corrected by replacing the gasket after thoroughly cleaning the flange faces. Never re-apply a used gasket even if it looks good. Gasket material gets brittle and cracks with age so reusing it will result in joint leaks and frequent repair of the same joint.
Some plumbing problems occur due to thinning of pipe walls from corrosion, erosion, normal wear or blockage due to material clinging to the pipe walls. It is best to know this is happening before a leak starts and damages buildings. Ultrasonic thickness testing, or use of a test specimen inserted into the pipe, can measure the rate of wear so the pipe can be replaced before it ruptures.
If a great deal of this kind of wear occurs or frequent replacement is needed, an analysis of the makeup of the fluid may indicate that some treatment of the pipe walls is needed to extend pipe life.
Steam traps are kept in good condition by cleaning the strainer. A strainer should be installed before every trap to ensure that foreign matter does not cause trap operating problems. The trap itself should be cleaned periodically and inspected during operation to ensure it is cycling properly. The trap should be disassembled and moving parts should be checked at least once a year. Worn or sticking parts should be replaced for trouble-fkee operation.
As any of these repairs are planned, the existing setup~ should be checked against code. Non-code arrangements may have been in place for a long time. They might have been due to poor design, poor or incomplete installation, or modifications in the code after the building was built. A required repair is an opportunity to comply with the code.
Ensuring efficiency
Plumbing codes require color coding of all piping. Standard colors for different types of piping speed troubleshooting of complex systems and finding the source of the problem to its source. Piping should be clearly labeled with the name of the fluid contained so that untrained users do not operate the system unsafely.
Efforts are continuing to standardize the plumbing code internationally. These efforts draw attention to the importance of proper code compliance and will ensure continued code improvement.
Motor Insulation Testing
The UPC, published by International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, is the most widely used in the world. Each area has its own local code, so managers should check with a local municipality’s building inspection department for information on these.
Managers also must be sure to keep in mind other codes and standards, including unpublished trade practices, energy conservation codes, manufacturers’ installation and maintenance instructions, and new materials not yet covered by the latest codes. Information about this latter group of materials may be researched by obtaining copies of material safety data sheets (MSDS) from the manufacturer.
Plastic pipe and fittings codes, for exafnple, are changing rapidly and can have quite different local codes. Many codes now include such materials as acrylonitrile-butadiene- styrene (AB S) drain, waste and vent fittings. Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) is a rustproof water pipe that is impervious to electrolysis, so it can be buried underground.
Inspection walk through
Managers will use any means necessary to increase the efficiency of facility systems and, at the same time, hold down their inspection and repair costs. Generally, achieving this goal requires some combination of planning and experience.
When the system in question is a facility’s plumbing equipment and fixtures, the specific challenge includes determining the components most likely to become trouble spots, taking action to ensure system performance, and keeping up to date with key changes in codes and standards.
Among the most likely trouble spots in plumbing systems are leaks at fittings, fixtures and joints. Some of the causes are faucet washers, toilet valves and packing glands on valves and pump shafts.
Inspectors might want to handle major, urgent repairs discovered during the inspection route as soon as they discover them. If repairs are routine and take too long, however, the rest of the inspection may be ignored, leading to more problems later.
Inspectors should do only minor adjustment or repairs - for instance, anything that takes less than one-halfhour. Whatever the time allotted for the repair, it should be clearly understood by inspectors. In the case ofa packing, excessive water or steam leaks can lead to scoring and early seal and sleeve wear. The situation enables more fluid loss and exaggerates the problem.
While plumbing codes are concerned foremost with life-safety issues, they also address system efficiency considerations. So following the code helps keep the system operating cost-effectively.
An example is insulation. Good insulating practices will increase efficiency of hot water, steam and air conditioning systems. In air conditioning systems, proper insulation eliminates condensation of water on the piping exterior, preventing corrosion, extending piping life and ensuring efficient cooling.
The challenge of code compliance for facilities’ plumbing systems is heightened by the large number of codes managers must be aware of in monitoring compliance. Among the plumbing codes that managers must monitor:
Finally, the local building inspector provides the final word on code compliance in any given location, so this department is the best source for code changes. Request a copy of the building inspector’s procedures. Knowing what an inspector will check for can help managers develop a checklist to ensure that renovation and new construction projects are up to code.
Generally, inspection procedures are modeled from those listed in the Uniform Building Code (UBC). These inspections cover seven areas in the following inspection sequence:
Above article appeared previously in the June Issue of Maintenance Solutions
First published September 1999
