# Smoke test



## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

I don't have a machine, so I directed a good customer to a larger company that could do a smoke test. Bad sewer smell in the whole house, it's getting into return air.

What is the procedure when doing this test. This company told him they would have to open up walls for test...,

In my mind you would plug building drain CO, plug all roof vents.... Am I missing something


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## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

redbeardplumber said:


> I don't have a machine, so I directed a good customer to a larger company that could do a smoke test. Bad sewer smell in the whole house, it's getting into return air. What is the procedure when doing this test. This company told him they would have to open up walls for test..., In my mind you would plug building drain CO, plug all roof vents.... Am I missing something


I think that covers it. No pun intended


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

redbeardplumber said:


> I don't have a machine, so I directed a good customer to a larger company that could do a smoke test. Bad sewer smell in the whole house, it's getting into return air.
> 
> What is the procedure when doing this test. This company told him they would have to open up walls for test...,
> 
> In my mind you would plug building drain CO, plug all roof vents.... Am I missing something


Too bad you didn't ask here before turning work away....
http://www.upfrontprice.com/galleryimg/smoker_intro.htm


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## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

Cool redwood....

That's ok about lost work.... More than a machine, I need TIME. Lol


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## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

Yep. Plug all openings and insert smoke. U can use a smoke bomb and shop vac too


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## O.C. plumberman (Nov 21, 2008)

I remember the first time we did a smoke test with a small commercial company I worked and trained with back in 2001. We took care of Disneyland resort in Anaheim Ca and one of the hotels there was getting a "bad smell" coming from a room on the 9th floor. After we plugged all the vents with rags and tape on the roof. We used a smoke machine that we picked up from a supply house down the street and pumped the smoke down a vent. They had me and another guy go stand in the halls of floor 9 to let them know where the smoke was coming from and when the smoke started coming out from the room that had a "bad smell" people started running all over the place yelling "fire!!!"........Oh, the memories..........


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## Turd Chaser (Dec 1, 2011)

We always tape off all vents but 1. Then we use the 4 minute burn time smoke bombs and use a shopvac to blow the smoke into the one open vent, now taped shut with the shopvac hose in it. We use a small coffee canto put the smoke bomb into before placing it into the vacuum.


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## plumberpro (Jan 1, 2013)

I made my own smoke machine using a blower motor off a leaking power vent wh eliminate psi switch . wire power to the off on switch on blower then built a box for it to sit sideways got a liquid smoke machine put it at the intake of blower and hook up exhaust to flex line to drain in house could make smoke all day worked great never had to open a wall just to test only if I found a leak to repair.


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## HSI (Jun 3, 2011)

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> Yep. Plug all openings and insert smoke. U can use a smoke bomb and shop vac too


I did a smoke test on a restaurant using a five gallon bucket, bucket style vacuum, pot holder, small pan, smoke bombs and a few PVC fitting to connect to a clean out. Total cost around $150. Worked great.


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## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

plumberpro said:


> I made my own smoke machine using a blower motor off a leaking power vent wh eliminate psi switch . wire power to the off on switch on blower then built a box for it to sit sideways got a liquid smoke machine put it at the intake of blower and hook up exhaust to flex line to drain in house could make smoke all day worked great never had to open a wall just to test only if I found a leak to repair.


All you need now is some meat and a roadside stand

Edit: and a business license.


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

Before doing my first smoke test one of the suggestions I read while doing research was to notify the fire department beforehand. Of course, I didn't. And, when the smoke started coming out of the manhole in the middle of the street I was sure glad no one was out and about in the neighborhood.


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## Turd Chaser (Dec 1, 2011)

I have found the bucket head vacuum from Home Depot works great. Just snap it onto any bucket and away you go.


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