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IR Inspections for Sewer Systems

In regions with older infrastructure, sewer system integrity is often a primary concern. Under the right conditions, thermography can often detect sewer leaks or voids surrounding the system that can lead to sinkholes.

In the case of sewer systems, thermal imaging is usually employed during evening hours after a sunny day. During the inspection, the thermal imager is maneuvered over the pathway of the subject sewer system looking for unusual thermal patterns. The imager may be operated on foot, from a motor vehicle or an aircraft.

Sewer system defects which may be detectable include leaks to surrounding soil and voids around sewer piping. The detectability of these defects will be largely dependent upon:

• Depth of sewer system
• Amount of loss
• Pipe construction
• Soil type and ground cover

One should be aware that a negative finding does not necessarily mean defects are not present; they simply may not be detectable by thermal imaging. Conversely, positive findings can be caused by conditions other than leaks. Therefore, it will be necessary to verify all thermal data by visual inspection.

The topic of infrared inspections of buried piping systems is covered in depth in our Level I Certified Infrared Thermographer^® training course. For more information on class locations or our Distance Learning program, visit www.infraspection.com or call 609-239-4788.