Annual boiler maintenance is a critical factor that not only preserves the expected life span of the heating system; it may help to extend system life span, too. Learn why the service provides a high value from the relatively small investment, and what boiler maintenance entails.
An investment that pays off
Boiler maintenance involves a multitude of steps designed to keep the system clean and in good operating condition. Just like any other mechanical device with moving parts and that uses water, wear and tear, sediment buildup and dirt are some of the system’s primary enemies.
For instance, the buildup of sediment within the tank creates a barrier between the heating element and the water, decreasing the boiler’s overall performance, and costing you more in terms of energy dollars spent. Eventually, that buildup also corrodes components within the boiler, causing parts to malfunction or even a possible system malfunction. This usually happens before the expected life span of the unit expires, which is generally about 20 years for boilers.
Boiler maintenance tasks
By scheduling regular boiler maintenance, you can largely bypass wear and tear and system failures, such as the accumulation of dirt or high operating pressure, due to neglect. These are just some of the essential tasks your HVAC contractor will perform during boiler maintenance to ensure that your boiler operates efficiently, and beyond its expected life span:
- Clean the fireside component of the boiler as required.
- Inspect and fix the seal on doors and heat exhangers as necessary.
- Check controls such as the low water cut-off.
- Flush out sediment.
- Clean the feedwater tank and/or test water makeup valve.
- Check and clean the pilot and burner, and confirm no gas leaks.
- Inspect the pilot electrode and flame sensor if necessary.
- Clean the damper and blower if necessary.
- Check the pump and related components.
- Test the burner’s combustion process, and check for proper venting.
- Check the condition of all safety components and valves.
- Adjust the boiler’s fuel-to-air ration as necessary.
- Test the system’s pressure.
- Test the expansion tank for proper pressure and water/air leaks.
- Advise on water-treatment systems when hard-water conditions and/or other water conditions are deemed to be detrimental to the boiler or other system components.
If you’d like to schedule boiler maintenance, or for answers to your most pressing heating and cooling questions, contact Arpi’s Industries Ltd. today. We’ve served greater Calgary homeowners since 1963.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Calgary, Alberta about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about boiler maintenance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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