one type of steam trap Valves uses temperature to open and close the valve and regulate the amount of water in the system. Steam is very hot, so when the trap is full of steam the fluid inside the Valve expands and closes the valve. As the steam looses its heat to the building, the condensed water follows gravity to the bottom of the trap. The condensed water is colder, so the fluid inside the valve cools and opens the drain. The water flows out, is replaced by steam, and so the valve closes again.

Pretty neat systems, right? Right. But lots can go wrong. Valves can get stuck, fluids can leak, impurities in the steam can eat through the delicate parts of the steam traps, and a thousand and one other things can lead to the death of a steam trap. When steam traps die, one of two things happen: they seal shut, or they lock themselves open. If they seal shut the steam system will stop providing heat to an area of the building and the maintenance team will notice and fix the broken trap.

If, however, the steam trap seals open, there is no obvious way to notice. Steam will still flow through the system and heat the building. It will just also flow through the condensate return system and be wasted.

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