The Benefits of Debris Caps
The industrialized and bustling cities of modern day are filled with mazes of pipes and valves, water mains, and powerful electrical lines. All of these pieces must fit together in a perfectly constructed and efficient puzzle to keep the city moving. However, these complex systems are due to malfunction at some point in time, and when that does happen, emergency response crews and utility workers are first at the scene. Their safety is priority and one way to help ensure that is by using debris caps.
A debris cap is an effective tool to keep cities' water and gas utilities running smoothly. The cap is a simple device that can be placed on the end of a gas valve or water pipe. The installation is as easy as placing the cap inside the pipe and turning the securing handle. These caps keep dirt, grime and foreign objects from entering these pipes that transfer water, gas, or other necessities to houses, schools and businesses. When these elements are kept out of the pipes, the efficiency will be greater as well. Corrosion will not occur as quickly, meaning the pipes will have a longer life span to help keep the city going.
These debris caps are also a great way to help underground utility locators track down pipes in case of an emergency. A leaking gas pipe can be a ticking time bomb and a broken water pipe will continue to cause damage until the water stops running. Debris caps can be fixed with locator coils, which can be traced by locating devices. This means that workers responding to emergencies can get in and out of the dangerous area by being able to quickly access the broken or leaking pipe.
The water mains that firefighters use to take down fires depend upon debris caps as well. When a locating device is affixed to the cap, they can also be set up with a locking mechanism. This tool helps to stop unauthorized persons from turning off water mains gas lines. This is critical when it comes to the work of emergency response workers. Imagine if a fire crew responded to a fire and had their system in place to take water from a hydrant. If someone had turned off the pipe without authorization, the firefighters would have wasted valuable time in attaching their hose to a line that didn't work.
When emergencies do occur, a debris cap is an important safety tool. It might sound like extra time and money to have these installed, but the investment is well worth keeping utility and emergency workers safe. The safety feature of the cap comes from its ability to stop a large amount of toxic gas or damaging water from leaking. The cap has the power to control the amount of whatever substance flows into the pipe. This means that during a break or leak, the amount leaving the pipe will be less then if there was no cap.
The benefits of debris caps can be felt all across a city, no matter how large or small. By keeping dirt from entering pipes, less time and resources will be spent in maintaining lines. When emergencies do occur, the caps will keep emergency and utility crews safe. The locating coils and locking tool will help a dangerous situation for all involved, to become safe in a short amount of time. Investing in a debris cap is worth it and everyone in the city will gain from it.