Boilers require regular maintenance and inspection to ensure that they operate at optimum performance. Regularly checking for signs of trouble is essential because it prevents expensive repairs necessary for the future. The most noticeable symptoms that your boiler is undergoing problems include a noticeably lower temperature than usual. The water should be lukewarm, not hot when testing the temperature. An adequately maintained steam boiler will have its water temperatures taken at random intervals; if the boiler has trouble staying within this range, you should immediately set an appointment to check your boiler.
Monitor the Temperature
The boiler must also be regularly tested to see how well it is able to maintain boiler efficiency. This is achieved by monitoring the water pressure and temperature of the boiler feedwater, checking the steam purity and looking for any other impurities such as limes or filings. In addition, you can test the air purity of the room where the boiler is located using a HEPA filter. If you are having trouble with boiler reliability, it could be due to the boiler feedwater or the venting system failing.
Clean Regularly
If the steam purity is low, then this could be due to a build-up of impurities. To maintain boiler efficiency, the water temperature should be monitored, and the burner should be fired when sufficient water pressure is available and not before this. Boilers usually have a solids feed; this means that all the burnt fuel would come from burning off the solids in the feedwater. Overfiring can cause several issues, including corroding, burning up, or even explosive fuel in the feedwater. To prevent these problems, the water carried over the feed pipes must remain below atmospheric pressure.
Annual Service
To carry out boiler maintenance, it is necessary to have an annual power check carried out, and this should take place regularly. The annual check will allow the boiler to be checked for the amount of fuel that has been burned and will also identify any cracks in the flue pipe. You will then know how much water pressure is available in the system to carry out your routine maintenance. The heating element will need to be switched off before carrying out the annual check. You must then dismantle the flue, place all the parts back together and reinstall the heating element back into the boiler.
Check for Leaks
If there are noticeable signs of corrosion or some minor leaks around the heating element, then this is a sign that boiler maintenance is required. Grease build-up is often the cause of these tiny leaks. One of the best ways to deal with this type of corrosion is to use a ferrous or stainless steel scrubbing pad. This will help to loosen the grease, which is blocking the passage of the water supply. Another way of dealing with corrosion is to carry out an oil change every year. The oils used during the transition will significantly increase the life of the heating element and prevent minor leaks.
