Boiler Maintenance 101: How To Effectively Maintain Commercial Boilers

If you are a New York City property manager or building owner, you know how vital boilers are for heat and hot water, whether in an apartment or an office building. These systems aren’t terribly complicated from an engineering perspective, but because of the high demands placed on them, there are lots of ways they can malfunction or break down. Here are some tips on boiler maintenance, so you can stay on top of one of your property’s most essential physical components. 

Understand How Your Boiler Works

Boiler Function

It can be hard to decipher strange noises and other malfunctions if you don’t understand how your boiler works. Or perhaps you’re intimately acquainted with your boiler, but your new staff are not.

It’s a smart move to take the time to figure out how your particular boiler works. Go through any manuals, learn where all the elements are, and teach employees the basics. Most gas boilers work basically the same way, but each model is slightly different. Time spent understanding how your boiler operates is well worth it.

Know When to Inspect Your Boiler

Seasonal and Periodic Maintenance

You want to conduct a major inspection of your boilers once per year, ideally during the summer months of June to September, when the heat is off. This is easier if you have multiple boilers and use separate boilers for heat and hot water. You should have a professional boiler service do this rather than attempting a DIY evaluation.

Actions you want experts to take annually include:

• Completing a combustion analysis
• Check for leaks
• Checking and testing all valves
• Assessing controls and recalibrating as needed
• Checking low water cut-off
• Inspect all electrical terminals
• Check the flue and chimney for leaks and proper draft
• Tune components for optimal operation

In between visits from the pros, there are things you can do more routinely:

• Monitor all temperature levels
• Flush and drain low water cut-offs
• Monitor for leaks
• Check smoke alarm
• Assess burners and combustion

Recognize Common Boiler Problems

In Between Inspections and Maintenance

Sometimes problems crop up when you do your own regular evaluations of the boiler or in between professional maintenance service visits. It’s important that you not let little boiler problems morph into bigger, costlier, and more disruptive ones. Some of the more frequent issues we see with large building boilers include:

• Oxidation: Checking the volume and quality of water going into the system can usually prevent oxidation, which will manifest as buildup on the boiler parts or changes to the metal itself. Sometimes water needs to be treated before it enters the boiler. Water should be tested periodically as well.
• Improper installation: This can result in a host of boiler problems. Inspection by a professional boiler company can identify and fix installation errors that cause chronic boiler malfunction.
• Poor education when switching from oil to gas fuel: Going green is great, but malfunctions can cause explosions. If you’re thinking of making your boiler fuel more efficient and less expensive, talk to experts first.
• Tube leaks: Dirty tubes can leak and cause further problems downstream in the system. If you have leaks in even one tube, it often means they should all be replaced.
• Carbon monoxide production: Carbon monoxide (CO) is a byproduct of combustion, but it can be deadly when present in excess amounts where people can breathe it in. One sign of CO poisoning is superintendents falling asleep in the boiler room. Know the signs of CO inhalation and what to do in an emergency.
• Decaying gaskets: Gaskets can dry out and shrink over time, losing their effectiveness and causing leaks. They should be replaced before they become a source of wasted energy or worse, boiler breakdown.

Going too long between service visits can often account for some of these issues, as well as not having staff sufficiently trained in the subtleties of boiler operation.

Call the Experts at Calray Boilers for Help

With the proper attention and maintenance, the typical boiler used in New York City apartment buildings will last about 20 to 30 years. There are some boilers in the city that have been running for nearly a century! That’s why it’s important to call in professionals for annual inspections and any necessary repairs.

At Calray Boilers, we’re pros at keeping New York’s buildings humming without problems by providing top-quality boiler maintenance and education. Don’t wait until you have a boiler malfunction to call us. Reach out today for scheduled maintenance or an information session with your staff, so you can stay on top of your building’s most vital components.