Knott Laboratory provides forensic engineering and animation, Civil & Structural, and Fire & Explosion Investigation services to reconstruct accidents.


Get an Expert to You Can Trust

Knott Laboratory is your trusted, multi-disciplinary engineering firm specializing in complete forensic analysis and civil reconstruction projects.

Knott Lab engineers have extensive education and experience enabling them to duplicate real-world scenarios and conditions.

Experience the benefit from our specialized non-destructive and destructive examination and reporting for all your testing needs. We routinely examine a variety of plumbing parts , household and commercial appliances, and specialty items.

Our lab is equipped to determine the cause-of-loss, including manufacturing defects, maintenance defects, installation defects, user/operator error, or long-term wear-and-tear. We can test these parts for defects related to water losses, fires, and other personal or property damage. Knott laboratory has competitive turn-around times and can often accommodate expedited requests.

Our lab is situated conveniently in Denver, CO for easy shipping and receiving of your parts.

When hiring an engineer from Knott Lab, you will feel secure that your engineer is fully dedicated, experienced and has the top-level professionalism in order to deliver industry leading work our clients have come to expect.

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Following is a partial list of items we test:

All Plumbing related parts
Boilers
Commercial HVAC Units
Cook Tops
Cracks & Fractures in Plumbing Parts
Dishwashers
Dryers
Electric Wiring
Filters
Freezers
Furnaces
Gas Ovens
Ice Makers
Microwaves
Natural Gas Grills
Pipe and Quick Connections
Toilets
Valves
Washers
Well Pumps
Plastic Components
Plumbing Supply Lines
Pressure Reducing Valves
Propane Grills
Refrigerators
Residential HVAC units
Sump Pumps
Stoves
Water Heaters
Water Control Valves

Collection, Preservation, and Transfer of Evidence

For clients who wish to engage our laboratory testing services, please consider the following, which will greatly aid Knott Laboratory in providing you with timely, accurate answers:

– Document the scene with ample photographs of the as-installed condition prior to removal of the component

– Provide copies of scene photographs and any documentation (i.e., plumbing report, fire reports, statements regarding actions at the time of loss, etc.)

– Carefully document the condition of the component before, during, and after removal (i.e., fastener locations, control knob positions, piping configuration, etc.)

– Where possible, do not disturb connections. For an item like a faucet, this may not be practical during removal. For an item like a pipe fitting, it is likely practical to remove an additional six or more inches of pipe on either side of the fitting/connection to preserve the subject item and provide sufficient material to perform testing.

– Use a paint pen (or similar) to index parts which must experience a change in position to remove or send. (Ex. If a sprayer hose must be disconnected from the faucet supply to remove the assembly from the since, index the connection before removal and document it, so it can be test as closely as possible to the as-installed condition.)

– Carefully package the component for shipment to avoid damage in-transit to Knott Laboratory

– Photograph and document the condition of the item prior to shipment

– It is recommended to request liftgate service for larger items requiring freight delivery.

– If a pallet is being used, securely fasten the component to the pallet to avoid damage from vibrations and movement during shipping

– Avoid stacking appliances and components during transportation

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We want to help you and your firm find a great,  multi-disciplinary forensic engineering firm in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain region that you can trust.

Knott Lab engineers have extensive education and experience enabling them to duplicate real-world scenarios and conditions.

We handle your physical testing of plumbing, household and commercial appliances and believe our process can benefit you all.

Our lab is equipped for a quick turnaround (about 3-5 days) to determine the cause of loss, including manufacturing defects, maintenance defects, installation defects, user/operator error, or long-term wear and tear. We can test these parts for defects related to water losses, fires and overall property damages.

Our lab is situated conveniently in Denver, CO for easy shipping and receiving of your parts.

When hiring an engineer from Knott Lab, you will feel secure that your engineer is fully dedicated, experienced, and has the top-level professionalism in order to deliver industry leading work our clients have come to expect.

Some but not all of the parts that we test here are:

  • All Plumbing related parts
  • Boilers
  • Commercial HVAC units
  • Cook Tops
  • Cracks & Fractures in plumbing parts
  • Dishwashers
  • Dryers
  • Electric Ovens
  • Electrical Wiring
  • Filters
  • Freezers
  • Furnaces
  • Gas Ovens
  • Ice Makers
  • Natural Gas Grills
  • Pipe and Quick Connections
  • Plastic Components
  • Plumbing Supply Lines
  • Pressure Reducing Valves
  • Propane Grills
  • Refrigerators
  • Residential HVAC units
  • Sump Pumps
  • Stoves
  • Toilets
  • Valves
  • Washers
  • Water Control Valves
  • Water Heaters
  • Well Pumps