Update: A foreman in Kansas City told me his crew never uses a torque wrench on boiler flanges

He said they just go by feel and have never had a leak. That's crazy to me. I've seen a 600 psi steam line blow a gasket because bolts were uneven. My old shop in Detroit made us torque every single one to spec, no excuses. It takes five extra minutes per flange. Why risk a shutdown or someone getting hurt to save a tiny bit of time? Has anyone else worked with crews that skip this step?

2 comments

2 Comments

beth_anderson7d ago

You mentioned the Detroit shop making you torque every single one. I mean, that's the thing, right? It's not just about leaks now, it's about the next guy ten years down the road. If you have to retighten or replace something, you have no clue what you're dealing with. That "feel" is different for every person, so you're leaving a mess for future crews. Idk, maybe it's just me, but that seems pretty selfish.

martin.tyler6d ago

My first foreman in St. Louis had that same "feel" method. I over-tightened a flange so bad we had to cut the bolt. I guess my feel was more of a panic.