Getting a Jump on Winter Boiler Maintenance




Building operators are often stretched for time to accommodate daily issues as they arise. Its difficult to plan days or weeks ahead, let alone a whole season. But planning ahead for an upcoming heating season will payback in the end with a smoother transition for your building, and less disruption for occupants.

Commercial boiler maintenance

There are a number of relatively simple items that can be checked out with some simple observations:
  1. Check for cracks, holes and other water leaks. Visually inspect for any water or steam leakage locations. Any sign of past leaks should be repaired before winter season rolls around.

  2. Recheck for leaks upon startup. Fire up the boiler and look again for any small leaks. Recent cracks might not have left sufficient evidence until the unit is running.

  3. Check the pressure gauge. Once at operating temperature check the pressure gauge to verify it is at its design condition. This information can be found in your owner’s manual.

  4. Check the burner. Inspect the burner and verify that a  consistent flame is being produced. Any flame movement or fluctuations could be caused by clogged injectors.

  5. Test safety devices, stroke valves and verify interlocks. All pressure relief valves and control valves should be checked to verify operation. Stroke all valves verify that interlocks are working as intended.

  6. Check exhaust pipes. Proper venting of exhaust gasses is critical to building occupant safety. Make sure all exhaust pipes are in good conditions and carbon monoxide sensors are powered and functioning.

Control System Verification

Depending on what type of control package is included with your boiler system, there are a number of additional items to verify including:
  1. Outdoor reset controls – Reset controls are important to have functioning on day one of operation during the heating season when loads are relatively low. Verifying these controls work ahead of time will reduce calls of overheating on that first cool day.

  2. Heating plant staging – For multi-boiler systems proper staging is necessary for proper system operation. Verifying that the correct boilers fire as needed is a critical check.

  3. Staging or modulating burners – Turn-down can introduce issues if the fuel or airside components have issues tracking each other. Verify that low-load operation is functioning properly before heating season highlights any deficiencies.
Heat-Timer® boiler controls are an example of a robust solution that can actually cut down on the maintenance headache in a number of ways. First, they provide a useful stream of data and alarms pushed right to a phone or through a BMS/EMS system that can help spot operational issues before they become maintenance emergencies. Secondly, systems that use Heat-Timer® controls, run much more efficiently, extending the useful life of equipment. That’s good news for your maintenance costs long term, not to mention your energy costs short term.

Professional Boiler Maintenance

The checklist above is a solid foundation to make sure a boiler is ready for winter season. If in doubt about any of the procedures or operation of your boiler system, don’t hesitate to reach out for professional assistance by a licensed HVAC technician.

Building Operators Trust Heat-Timer®

Heat-Timer® is dedicated to providing the highest quality heating controls on the market. Our team of technical experts can help you implement the right heating control system that will save you money on heating costs and maintenance.

Contact us today or visit our website at https://www.heat-timer.com.

Original content posted on https://www.heat-timer.com/getting-a-jump-on-winter-boiler-maintenance/

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