| Today I am going to give you some tips on how | | | | Always begin your annual maintenance check in |
| to maintain your boiler this winter. Maintaining a | | | | the spring and summer seasons. These are the |
| boiler or central heating system is a very | | | | best times to complete needed welding and |
| important part in your house maintenance . It will | | | | refractory repairs and replacements before the |
| be a nightmare if a boiler or central heating | | | | next heating season begins. Your inspection |
| system fails to work. | | | | program should include: |
| Maintaining Your Boiler System | | | | * a check for leaks in goosenecks, mud legs, stay |
| Soot Functions as an insulator, and its presence | | | | bolts, horizontal and vertical seams and tube |
| reduces the efficiency in which fuel is burned. The | | | | replacements. |
| slightest buildup of soot impedes the transfer of | | | | * a check for disintegrating refractory in the |
| heat to the waterside of the boiler. When heat | | | | combustion chamber(s), repair or replacement of |
| transfer is reduced by soot buildup, the burner is | | | | refractory may be needed. |
| forced to fire more frequently, thereby wasting | | | | * re gasket all front, rear and chamber doors to |
| more fuel. Simply stated: the more soot in your | | | | prevent leaks. |
| system, the more fuel is burned and that means | | | | * replace all broken studs and bolts on all doors. |
| higher energy costs. | | | | Tip 5 |
| To increase heat transfer and the efficiency of | | | | Overhaul the burners. Inspect regularly the color |
| the boiler's operation, soot buildup in the boiler | | | | of the burner's flame. It offers telling signs of oil |
| tubes and sections should be removed on a | | | | and air mixture problems. If the boiler is giving off |
| monthly basis. In addition, before and after the | | | | a dark orange or black smoke, there is too much |
| heating season, a complete major cleaning of the | | | | oil and too little air. If the flame is very pale, then |
| entire heating system should be performed. | | | | there is usually too much air and too little oil. Also |
| Tip 1 | | | | conduct a combustion test to determine the fuel |
| Sign a maintenance contract with a reputable | | | | efficiency. Check belt motors and replace them if |
| boiler cleaning and boiler repair company. With a | | | | worn. Check the accuracy of your fuel oil gauge, |
| maintenance contract, you will receive scheduled | | | | and finally calibrate necessary controls. |
| boiler cleanings and guidance in measuring the | | | | Tip 6 |
| boiler's efficiency. When a consistent relationship is | | | | Maintain a boiler log on a continuous basis. A log |
| developed with your boiler contractor, you will be | | | | serves as the basis for assessing how your boiler |
| assured that emergency repairs are handled | | | | is running and what is being done to keep it in |
| promptly. | | | | good shape. The log should be maintained on a |
| Tip 2 | | | | daily, weekly and monthly basis so that annual |
| Keep the interior of your boilers clean. If tubes | | | | cost projections for fuel and maintenance costs |
| and sections are free of soot, the boiler fires less | | | | may be accurately calculated. For an Official |
| frequently, therefore using less oil. The more a | | | | Robert L. Teitelbaum, Inc. Boiler Maintenance Log |
| burner fires, the more fuel is used. | | | | Please Email: LogReport @ Boilers-Compactors dot |
| Tip 3 | | | | com |
| Keep you heating systems and controls clean. As | | | | Tip 7 |
| soot continues to build up in the tubes or sections, | | | | Make some final heating system checks: |
| it inevitably spills out and invades controls and | | | | * Record stack temperatures. Rising stack |
| other sensitive equipment areas. Not only does | | | | temperatures may indicate increased soot, poor |
| this cause needless repairs and costs, but it often | | | | efficiency and potential ignition or burner failure. |
| occurs at unpredictable times. Valves too, must | | | | * Blow down the low water cut off and check |
| be kept clean if they are to operate properly. As | | | | the water feeder and gauge glass. |
| you prepare you boiler for the heating season, | | | | * Check out return lines, flush and clean out mud |
| wipe down the burner parts and sweep the boiler | | | | legs. |
| room clean. | | | | * Check the air vents on all the mains, risers and |
| Tip 4 | | | | radiators in every room, office, apartment etc.. |