pH Levels in Commercial Boilers: Tips to Extend the Life of Your Boiler System

Your commercial boiler is essential to running your property and keeping your tenants happy. Did you know that pH levels in commercial boilers can cause your boiler to fail long before its natural lifespan or can extend the life of your boiler system? Here’s an overview of why pH is so important to your boiler and how it’s regulated for optimum boiler performance.

What Is pH Anyway?

Measuring acidity and alkalinity

Before we get into further discussion about how to adjust your commercial boiler’s pH, it’s helpful to review exactly what pH is. Short for “potential of hydrogen,” pH is simply the logarithmic measure of the strength of a weak acid. In other words, it’s a way to quantify how acidic something, like a liquid, is.

There is a scale used to express pH, which goes from zero to 14. A pH of 7, in the middle, is considered neutral. Anything between zero and 7 is acidic, while substances with a pH between 7 and 14 are considered alkaline (also known as basic). Because pH is denoted on a logarithmic scale, a pH of 3 is 10 times more acidic than a pH of 2, for example.

Why Is Your Boiler’s pH So Important?

Boiler efficiency and lifespan

Pure water has a pH of 7. However, water is almost never pure because it has chemicals in it that make it either basic or acidic. Boiler systems run into trouble when the water they hold and distribute becomes too far to one end or the other of the pH spectrum. Typically, too much acidity is a common problem that can shorten the lifespan of a commercial boiler, but very high alkalinity can also cause boiler disasters.

Boiler water acidity should be avoided because it’s corrosive. Over time, this corrosion can wear holes into your boiler tank and plumbing, causing leaks and significant wasted water, which in turn costs property owners money. Below a pH of about 8.5, an acid attack can occur, leaving your boiler pitted, which is often the first sign that worse damage is to come.

New York City’s municipal water leans toward the slightly soft side. But it’s worth noting that even slightly hard water can be worse for your boiler if it’s also acidic. Water with a low pH tends to form mineral scale encrustation that precipitates harmlessly out with more alkaline water.

Extremely high alkalinity can lead to a caustic attack. This can also corrode the boiler via gouging or cracking (also known as embrittlement). This is just as bad as an acid attack and can result in you having to replace your boiler years before you anticipated. High alkalinity can also cause foaming, which can lead to inefficient steam production or even having to shut down your boiler – also undesirable.

What Is the Ideal pH Level for a Commercial Boiler?

Avoiding excess acidity

Commercial boiler pH levels should lean toward alkalinity and avoid acidity. There are different pH ranges suggested, usually between 8 and 10.

How Do You Control Your Boiler’s pH Level?

Water treatment options

Treating your boiler’s water is the key to achieving the correct pH level. Water treatment can entail removing impurities that alter the pH or adding chemicals to neutralize acidity. Some of the compounds used most frequently include:

  • Sulfites (oxygen scavenger) to remove dissolved oxygen that comes from aerated water supply but causes corrosion
  • Phosphates to counteract calcium compounds that cause excess hardness
  • Sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide to reduce the production of carbon dioxide and increase alkalinity
  • Amines to protect steam return lines

But how do you know what the pH is before you start? Water testing should be performed before creating a water treatment regimen. For the greatest accuracy, cold water from the boiler feeder should be the testing source for boiler tank water.

In the old days, building managers used litmus paper to test pH levels. Then came portable handheld pH testers that are still in use today and are handy if you also wish to test the pH of the water in your cooling towers. The most sophisticated boiler systems have pH monitoring integrated into their automated boiler controls. They not only test pH regularly but also adjust treatment accordingly based on the results, freeing up manpower and giving property owners more peace of mind.

These kinds of monitors are also available now to monitor the pH of your condensate that’s returned via your steam traps. Your steam return lines extend the life of your boiler, so you want to make sure they’re not subject to corrosion either.

The steam in your system may not be the same pH as your boiler tank water. Why? Carbonates and bicarbonates in the water break down in the boiling process, becoming first carbon dioxide and then carbonic acid in the steam system. Carbonic acid removes the thin protective layer of rust in most steam pipes, subjecting them to corrosion.

If you suspect your boiler needs a pH adjustment, or if you would like to automate the pH regulation process for greater efficiency, Calray Boilers can help. Call us at 212-722-5506 or reach out online to schedule a service call. Don’t wait until the wrong boiler pH puts your system in jeopardy. Get in touch today.


Our Privacy Policy

Omnia Mechanical Group(the “Company”) strives to ensure the highest standards for property listings and customer information privacy. Please review the following statement to learn about our company practices and policies. Please be aware that our Privacy Policy is subject to change at any time.

1. Purpose.

This Privacy Policy (“the Policy”) provides information on how the Company uses your personal information. By agreeing to the Policy, you agree to our collection and use of your personal information as described in the Policy. This Privacy Policy is effective for all new users of Sanitaryplumbing.com.

2. Personal Information.

You can browse some areas of omniagroup.nyc (“the Website”) without being a registered user. However, certain activities do require registration. (You consent to the transfer and storage of your information by registering with omniagroup.nyc).

3. Use of Information.

Our primary purpose in collecting personal information is to provide you with a safe and user-friendly experience. For example, the Company may use your personal information to:

  • Improve our services and the Website’s content and layout;
  • Provide the services and necessary customer support you request;
  • Resolve disputes, collect fees, and troubleshoot problems;
  • Track and record customer satisfaction with our services;
  • Protect the Company against error and fraud;
  • Inform you of special promotions and announcements;
  • Enforce our agreements, terms, conditions, and policies; and
  • As otherwise described to you at the time of collection.

We may occasionally ask you to complete optional surveys. These surveys are used to improve and customize your experience with Sanitaryplumbing.com.

The Company always provides you the ability to opt-out of further communication such as promotions and surveys; see the Opt-Out section below.

The Company does not share any of your personal information with outside organizations, companies, individuals, etc. The only exception to this standard is if such a disclosure is reasonably necessary to respond to any and all legal processes.

4. Links to Other Sites.

The Website may have links to other websites that may collect personally identifiable information about you. The Company is not responsible for the privacy practices of the content of those linked websites.

5. Safety & Security Precautions.

The Website has strict security measures in place to protect you and your information from fraud. Once your information is provided to Omnia Mechanical Group, we strive to ensure the confidentiality of your identity and information.

6. Opt-Out.

The Company provides you with the opportunity to opt-out of receiving promotional and other non-essential, marketing-related communications from Omnia Mechanical Group. If you would like to opt-out of these select communications, please see any of the Company’s email communications and follow the directions indicated.

7. Account Protection.

Your password ensures the security of your account. When choosing a password, the Company suggests using various characters. It is highly recommended that you do not disclose your Sanitaryplumbing.com password to anyone. (If you do disclose your password or your personal information with others, you are responsible for all actions taken in the name of your account.) If the security of your password is compromised for any reason, please contact the Company immediately.

8. Accuracy of Information

The Company does not guarantee the accuracy of information for any and all of its properties on the Website, and is not responsible for any errors or misrepresentations (made by Renters, the Client, or otherwise).

9. Cookies

The Company may place a small cookie on your computer’s hard drive. This allows us to personalize your use on the Website. In order to maximize the functionality and usability of the Website, you must set your browser’s preferences to allow both permanent and temporary cookies.

10. Changing Your Personal Information.

Should your personal information change, please immediately update your information on the Website. This will ensure the accuracy of our records. The Company does retain personal information from closed accounts in order to comply with law and collect and disburse any fees owed.

11. Third Parties

This Privacy Policy addresses only the use of information we collect from you. Since omniagroup.nyc does not control the privacy policies of third parties, you are subject to the privacy policies of those third parties. It is advisable that you consult with the management of third parties before you disclose your personal information to others.

12. General

We may amend this Privacy Policy at any time by posting the amended terms on the Website. All amended terms are immediately effective after they are initially posted on the Website.

13. Privacy Policy Questions & Concerns

Questions and/or concerns regarding the Policy should be emailed to the following email address: info@omniagroup.nyc.