Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

APM Steam to Offer Steam Trap Surveys to Colleges and Universities

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/21/24

American Plant Maintenance (APM Steam) recently announced the launch of steam trap survey services, which a news release reports can document the operational status of and provide repair recommendations for steam traps in a facility’s steam system. The survey can increase operational integrity, energy efficiency, and safety in a steam distribution system. The process creates a full inventory of steam traps, uncovers any issues that prevent the delivery of heat and removal of condensation, and can identify failing traps, according to the news release.

The surveys use ultrasound and temperature differentials to test and document the traps’ operational status. Evaluated elements include isolation valves, inlet strainers, strainer blowdown valves, outlet check valves, trap station bypasses, test valves, and sight glass flow indicators. It also evaluates safety features that allow technicians to perform maintenance without exposure to live steam flow.

The final data offers “a complete trap inventory and extensive system information in a detailed report outlining findings and recommendations, a synopsis of results, and a return-on-investment calculation that compares replacement costs with losses associated with failed traps. The report also includes trap application problems and specific recommendations for trap and trap station improvements,” according to the news release.

The survey also provides a return-on-investment calculation incorporating the cost of the survey, any necessary replacement steam traps, and the estimated cost of labor to install them. These costs are presented alongside the potential financial losses of traps found to be failing or leaking. Finally, it details trap application problems and any specific recommendations for trap and trap station improvements.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Academy of Classical Education Breaks Ground in Louisiana

    Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) recently announced the groundbreaking of a new public charter school in Covington, La., according to a news release. The Academy of Classical Education at Covington will enroll students in grades K–8 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026, just in time for the new school year.

  • UNT Dallas Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for $100M STEM Building

    The University of North Texas at Dallas in Dallas, Texas, recently celebrated the opening of its new, $100-million STEM Building, according to local news. The ceremony on Dec. 2 preceded the first day of classes in the facility on Jan. 12, 2026.

  • Stanford Completes Construction on Graduate School of Education Facility

    Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., recently announced the end of construction on a new home for its Graduate School of Education, according to a news release. The university partnered with McCarthy Building Companies on the 160,000-square-foot project, which involved two major renovations and one new construction effort.

  • Indiana Wesleyan University Schedules Grand Opening for New Welcome Center

    Indiana Wesleyan University recently announced that it will soon open a new Welcome Center on its campus in Marion, Ind., according to a news release. The facility will serve as the home base for prospective students and their families to learn more about the university and student life there. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for February 19.