How Do You Maintain Your Commercial Boiler?

How Do You Maintain Your Commercial Boiler? Image of boiler pipes being serviced.

With winter weather knocking at the door, now is the time to ensure your Illinois boiler is operating at optimum efficiency. The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts bone-chilling temperatures in the months ahead—let’s do everything to keep your Chicago building cozy and comfortable.

Our team at Amber Mechanical specializes in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) solutions for commercial buildings of all sizes. Whether you want to install a zone control system or find ways to improve your building’s indoor air quality (IAQ), give us a call today for a free consultation on your next project.

Boiler Maintenance in Chicago

A well-maintained boiler provides you with many years of comfort. It also provides clean and dust-free heat, reducing the number of allergens stirred up by forced-air and other modern heating systems.

The key here is to keep up with maintenance. Annual inspections allow our Amber Mechanical team to uncover minor issues before they turn into costly and untimely repairs.

Here are a few tasks you can expect from our professionals:

  1. Checking exhaust pipes for proper venting. That includes checking carbon monoxide (CO) sensors to keep everyone in your building safe from dangerous exhaust gases.
  2. Testing all pressure relief valves and control valves to ensure interlocks work correctly. The pressure relief valve automatically opens if the pressure gets too high inside your boiler.
  3. Inspect the burner to verify a consistent flame.
  4. Checking the pressure gauge to verify it is operating correctly.
  5. Checking for cracks, holes, and leaks.

Between service visits, we encourage building owners to keep an eye out for water or fuel leaks. Also, be sure to listen for any odd noises—such as a loud banging sound that could indicate problems with the heat exchanger.

What is Kettling?

Kettling is a term used to describe unusual popping noises that can sound like a boiling kettle. It can be unsettling—imagine listening to loud boiler noises while trying to conduct business in your building.

Kettling interferes with your boiler’s ability to heat your Chicago building sufficiently. The cost of your heating bills will go up, and your building may experience uneven temperatures.

Low water pressure, a water temperature setting that is too high, and a leaky system also may contribute to boiler noise.

What Causes Kettling?

Limescale is corrosion that results from calcium carbonate deposits in water—it could likely be at the root of your boiler’s kettling noises.

Limescale can build up on the heat exchanger and make it harder for the component to heat the water around it. As a result, the boiler’s burners work harder, and the heat exchanger ends up becoming too hot. The water becomes too hot and starts kettling.

Boilers are not designed to boil water. The system heats water below the boiling point before sending it through pipes to heat your Illinois building. A malfunctioning boiler thermostat could also cause the burners to remain on longer than necessary, causing the heat exchanger to overheat.

Avoid Kettling Through Maintenance

Maintaining your heating system is key to extending its service life and improving its performance. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) says regular preventative maintenance should at least include an inspection of the pressure tank, tests of the pressure-relief valve and the high-limit control, and thorough heat exchanger cleaning.

If your boiler is more than 15 years old, you may want to consider replacing it with a high-efficiency model that takes advantage of the latest technology.

Maintaining Your Domestic Water Supply

Many commercial boilers handle two jobs: heating your building and providing a domestic hot water system (DHW). The domestic hot water system supplies hot water for your kitchen and bathroom sinks and other appliances.

The same boiler can supply both heating and domestic water as long as the two water systems do not mix. In many cases, a stand-alone water heater tank heated by your boiler will supply the domestic water.

Our team at Amber Mechanical will always check these connections to keep your building warm while ensuring your domestic water supply is safe.

Call Us Today to Maintain Your Commercial Boiler

At Amber Mechanical, we understand how to keep your Chicago, IL commercial boiler system running strong throughout the winter. Call us today at (800) 592-6237 or request service online to learn more about our products and services.

Contact Amber Mechanical, Inc., for Commercial Service and Industrial Mechanical Contracting Needs