The majority of our investigations involve piping systems which are insulated, and therefore we require its removal at locations where testing is to be performed. Typically we require the removal of a 9 – 12 in. section.  Procedurally, the insulation is sliced open and moved to the side, ultrasonic testing is performed, and the same section if insulation is then replaced and the cut seams taped. While our technicians can remove standard fiberglass insulation at each test location if necessary, we are not insulators and will not be able to replace it or make repairs.  Where the insulation is wet, deteriorated, or damaged, replacing the same insulation may be impossible, and we will not have exactly that size and thickness on hand.  Any roof level insulation will be protected by an outer vinyl or aluminum jack which requires special tools and effort to remove and replace – preventing our testing unless removed in advance. Most importantly, any effort our technicians spend on insulation removal will take away time which was designated for testing and may inevitably reduce the number of test locations we are able to address.  In order to not impede the testing progress strongly suggest allocating building engineering…

All piping systems have different corrosion related vulnerabilities and are typically installed with different materials with somewhat predictable lifespans.  Any condenser water system is a top priority for inspection, and with the lower quality of today’s pipe, newer buildings are raising the same concerns as those 40 years older.  Older galvanized steel pipe, whether installed for domestic water or sanitary waste, has a useful life of about 65 years; newer galvanized steel pipe far less.  Cast iron at older properties was typically extra heavy and capable of providing 85 or more years of reliable service. Steam systems traditionally corrode at low and very uniform levels.  Wet fire sprinkler systems once provided very extended service – thereby making its date of installation a major factor.  The widespread use of thinwall schedule 10 and schedule 7 pipe for fire service has dramatically reduced expected service life.  Of the various systems, dual temperature piping presents likely the greatest threat due to the potential for catastrophic property damage.  Almost all such systems, installed with many hidden deficiencies, are reaching the end of their useful life and are immensely expensive to replace.

That is possible, maybe.  We have a written procedure for field testing in explicit detail, which, if followed by the UT tech, will provide us the necessary data in a format enabling us to produce a more informative piping assessment report.  However, virtually all past efforts have failed due to the raw data provided being inaccurate, due to other requirements of our procedure not being followed, or to other flaws or omissions in the information provided.  In the event we are able to work with a local UT company to assist with interpretation of data, CorrView International would not be held liable toward the accuracy of UT measurements or report.

The answer depends upon the piping system, its condition, layout and configuration, pipe material, and many other factors.  Generally, a full day of investigation during which 50 or more examples of pipe from one single piping system can be addressed will provide a very thorough assessment of piping condition for one piping system.  Another important consideration is the need to prove an issue beyond debate, and to produce a report showing clear direction to follow.  Wherever dispute exists regarding the condition of a piping system, and especially where litigation is even a remote possibility, additional testing should be planned in order to eliminate all possible debate to the results by all parties involved. In a past investigation in San Francisco, one day of planned testing at a 32 story office building was insufficient to test every floor of a package unit based condenser water system.  We provided building management the suggestion to choose even or odd floors in order to cover the full length of the property in the one day of allotted time, which we did.  A report was presented two weeks later on all even numbered floors showing every single 3 in. threaded take off connection…

Yes.  Although one or a few pieces of removed pipe will not provide a representative view of the entire piping system, it is often a good first place to start an investigation.  Generally, ultrasonic testing is no longer required once the pipe is removed and access to its cross section and interior is available for a direct dial caliper measurement.  Nevertheless, we can still provide an analysis showing the same predictive information provided in a full report. Fees are fixed at $150 per pipe sample.  For further information and detail on submitting pipe for testing please contact CorrView.  We will provide provide recommendations related to saving samples, protecting them during shipping, and will provide a street address for shipping.  Pipe samples will not be accepted by our Post Office Box address.

We have fixed daily fees generally dependent upon site location and travel distances.  Discounts are provided for larger investigations requiring multiple days of investigation.  Our basic rates consolidate the field testing, travel expenses, and time spent back in our office to analyze the data and produce the final report into one single fee.  Once outside the NJ / NY local area, additional charges for travel time and all travel expenses apply.  We typically provide a per day quote which incorporates two technicians, all travel costs, and the additional 4-5 days of data analysis and report preparation.  Where requested, we can provide a line by line breakdown of labor and fixed costs if needed. Obviously, fees increase with distance, with projects in San Francisco carrying a higher fee than those in Boston or Chicago.  Still, a typical fee to travel to San Francisco and provide one day of field testing and address 50 examples of condenser water piping will likely equal the cost to physically cut out and metallurgically test just three actual pipe samples.

In approximate order based upon our experience, the most troublesome piping systems are: Condenser water  Perimeter dual temperature or chill water Dry and pre-action fire sprinkler Galvanized domestic water Old cast iron sanitary waste pipe New No-hub cast iron pipe Steam condensate We find far lesser problems at: Wet fire sprinkler Steam Chill water mains Hot water heating Copper domestic water Natural gas / fuel oil…

Investigative time is directly related to the physical accessibility and location of the pipe, building size, external conditions, material, insulation, high operating temperatures above 200 °F,  specific security or safety delays and whether testing is localized to one area of the property or spread throughout multiple areas or properties.  Investigating a dry fire room having 4 zone valves would require far less time than a single high pressure steam line traveling within an underground steam tunnel system across multiple campus properties.  Centralized HVAC systems generally require less investigation than packaged heat pump units having varying conditions and different piping sizes and layouts.  Galvanized steel pipe, due to the very random nature of its deterioration, often requires additional scanning to identify its characteristic random localized deep pitting. Generally, we can address approximately 40-50 individual examples of pipe within a full day of field testing, and often more.  Where the pipe is localized to one area such as a parking garage fire system, inspection of 80 or more examples of pipe is often possible within a single day.  It requires approximately 8-10 minutes to perform UT measurement, photograph the pipe, and enter all data relating to its location and function into a…

No. Ultrasonic testing requires direct contact with the pipe requiring excavation.  While alternatives exist in the form of ultrasonic “pigs” that travel inside the pipe, many issues exist including a high cost.  Additionally, guided wave can be used to inspect underground pipe, however the length of scanning ability can be greatly reduced by pipe and ground conditions. There is an alternative called “pigging,” which sends a large device through the pipe itself and is the only option for riser piping behind walls or underground pipe.  Limitation exists relative to pipe size, and substantial preparations are required, including the temporary removal of the piping system from service.  Clean pipe benefits its accuracy, and for that reason a high pressure cleaning prior to testing is often advised – itself a time consuming process.  We can provide further information on pigging and guided wave upon request.

Yes, but special procedures must be followed.  High pressure steam lines at near 425 °F will slow any investigation considerably.  Pressurized high temperature hot water presents a similar issue.  First is the need to remove up to 6 in. thick and potentially hard formed insulation, followed by working in close physical proximity to such hot surfaces and the need to actually touch the pipe with the surface probe.  Metal expands beyond its normal wall thickness at higher temperatures – therefore requiring an additional effort to perform calibration of the equipment to standards at the same temperature. High temperatures will destroy the sensitive and fragile ultrasonic transducers.  Therefore, they must be allowed to cool at intervals, which in turn slows any investigation. Overall, additional time should be planned for any high temperature investigation.  Lower temperature piping systems such as hot water, reheat, and domestic hot water present far fewer issues of concern.