leaking steam trap

Around the world, hundreds of thousands of steam valves are leaking or malfunctioning. Mechanical contractors are fixing, replacing or just simply attempting to help their client maintain the valve to keep it going. Valve failures vary. Some of these failed valves have a buildup of tuberculation or debris, or the operating nut will not turn in either direction. Perhaps your gate valve is leaking between the body and the bonnet, which is usually a pretty quick fix by tightening the bonnet bolts and nuts. What is the one thing that all these valves have in common? The insulation is missing… More

According to the United States Department of Energy, “In steam systems that have not been maintained for 3 to 5 years, between 15% to 30% of the installed steam traps may have failed—thus allowing live steam to escape into the condensate return system.” In other words, your facility is losing money because the costly steam that has been produced is not being put to use!

In turn, more steam has to be produced to make up for the steam that escaped through the leak. In this article we’ll discuss the most common causes of a leaking steam trap and how to prevent and diagnose a steam leak. We’ll also provide additional information to assist you in calculating the cost of your lost steam… More