The Importance Of Industrial Stack Inspections
Regular industrial smoke stack inspections are crucial to keeping them in working order. If they are allowed to fall into disrepair, it could not only cause safety issues for the facility and surrounding area, but also health hazards to staff. Regular stack inspections make sure that production can continue unhindered, without any failures shutting down the facility.
Industrial chimneys are such large fixtures, that often times we forget to pay them much mind. They fade into the background, just as skyscrapers in a city do when your around them long enough. However, it’s important to remember that these structures are as prone to damage and wear as any other machine or structure. Most issues can’t be seen from ground level, the interior of the stack, ducts, and ports can all degrade without regular repair. This makes industrial chimney maintenance is crucial, so that all hard to see spaces are accounted for and cleared.
Without regular care fines and penalties can be incurred, as stacks are an important part of plant emission systems. As such they are subject to state and federal emission guidelines and laws. Always take care to ensure that your plant meets or exceeds these directives so that your company isn’t fined, or at worst, shut down until corrections are made.
Wear And Tear
Industrial chimney stacks undergo enormous stress and wear. Between extreme temperatures, chemicals, wind and rain, cracks can begin to form, especially in concrete fixtures. Additionally, steam can cause wear and rusting on the interior of the stack. This can extend to deterioration of masonry, and thinning of plastic or fiberglass linings. If left unchecked, this can create leaks of carbon monoxide, and even the potential for fires to break out.
Customized Smoke Stack Inspections
Since they are such an integral part of industry, smoke stacks should always have a customized inspection plan created specifically for your needs. Always make sure a certified technician conducts these inspections, as some issues can be hard to detect without the proper training. For instance, thinning of metal stacks can be nearly impossible to detect until the damage is severe, and even then the root issue could lie with the stack liner. Unless you know what to look for, this could go undetected until a failure occurs.
Additionally, cracks and wear can be best discovered but a visual interior inspection. Inspection services that include rope access techniques are a valuable asset when it comes to finding and fixing these potentially devastating issues. By scheduling regular inspections you can save money, and time, by preemptively repairing any issues that are found. This helps keep production running, without the worry of shutdown due to costly smoke stack failures.
Hiring A Team
If you want to ensure your plant continues running efficiently, contact a smoke stack inspection service and set up a consultation. From there you can tailor a regular inspection schedule to ensure that no failures can occur in the future. Keep in mind to make sure the service you hire is capable of utilizing all the techniques needed to service your smoke stacks. Likewise, don’t hesitate to ask for any needed clarification so that you know you’re getting exactly what you need.