Trap States
The platform continuously evaluates each steam trap and keeps its condition current as new sensor data arrives. Each trap holds exactly one state at any given time. When the state changes, the platform fires a notification and a webhook — state changes trigger alerts, not individual readings.
All Trap States
| State | What It Means | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|
| Good | Trap is operating normally; condensate is draining properly and no failure indicators are present | No action required |
| Blowthrough | Trap has failed open; live steam is passing continuously through the orifice | Prioritize for immediate repair — this is the highest-energy-loss failure mode |
| Intermittent Blowthrough — Light | Occasional steam pass-through detected; low frequency and volume | Monitor; schedule inspection at the next available opportunity |
| Intermittent Blowthrough — Medium | Moderate intermittent steam pass-through pattern detected | Plan inspection within your normal maintenance cycle |
| Intermittent Blowthrough — Heavy | High-frequency steam pass-through approaching continuous failure | Prioritize for inspection; heavy intermittent blowthrough carries significant energy loss |
| Leaking By | Trap is not fully closing; partial steam is passing when the trap should be sealed | Schedule inspection — leaking by wastes energy and typically worsens over time |
| Unexpected Cold Condition | Steam stopped flowing during a period when the trap is expected to be operational | Investigate promptly — this may indicate a trap that has failed closed, a blockage, or an unannounced process shutdown |
| Failed Cold | Trap has been confirmed failed in the closed position | Repair or replace; the trap cannot discharge condensate and risks waterlogging |
State Transitions and Notifications
The platform fires a webhook event and an email notification only when a trap's state changes — not on every sensor reading. If a trap is already in Blowthrough, additional readings confirming that condition produce no new alert. A new notification fires only when the state moves to a different value (for example, from Blowthrough to Good after a repair).
This means your inbox reflects meaningful changes in your trap population, not a firehose of repeated confirmations.
Notes on Specific States
Unexpected Cold Condition has additional eligibility logic — the platform only creates this event if the trap's operation type is Continuous (or Seasonal and within the configured date window), no Customer Steam Shutdown is declared, and no open Unexpected Cold event already exists for the trap. See Unexpected Cold Events for the full decision logic.
Blowthrough and Leaking By states accumulate energy loss costs over time. The platform calculates the estimated financial impact based on orifice size, inlet pressure, and your configured steam cost. See Cost of Steam Analytics for details.