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It’s that time of the year again when the cold, crisp air is slowly starting to lose its kick. You know that when the air doesn’t make you feel as cold as it does during winter highs, summer is about to begin. A lot of things need preparation for the summer. If you often get summer blues once the change of weather kicks in, you know what I mean.
Aside from one’s health, the things we utilise daily need preparation, too. If there’s one thing that the majority of the world relies on every cold season, it is steam boilers. Steam boilers serve as people’s refuge, safe place, and lifesaver every winter season. Without it, can you imagine what days in winter would be like?
Steam boilers put out great performance for cold months without rest. Now that summer is about to begin again, it’s the perfect time to prepare them for the warm days. If the main purpose of your steam boiler is for warm temperatures only, take this opportunity to have them thoroughly checked.
Even if you utilise steam boilers in process industries and for businesses, this can be the best time to inspect them as well. To get started, here are some easy tips on how to prepare your steam boiler for the summer.
1. Inspect before you dissect
One of the common things that steam boiler owners would do after winter is to ‘dissect’ the boiler. Not literally, but technically. Instead of checking the boiler or booking a maintenance check-up, they try to do things on the steam boiler all on their own.
If you are a steam boiler expert, there’s nothing wrong with that. No doubt, you know what you’re doing. But, if you have zero knowledge about boilers, it’s better to ‘inspect’ than to ‘dissect’ it without proper knowledge of if you’re doing it right or not.
Before you remove the valves or do something with them, inspect and check thoroughly. If you find something unusual and you don’t know what to do, book a check-up with a boiler professional.
2. Give it a good cleaning
Most boilers are huge and take up a lot of floor area. If you have a fire tube boiler, you can relate to this. Regardless of whether you own a water tube boiler or other commercial boiler types, it’s important to clean them regularly.
We understand that during winter, it’s hard to move around and push ourselves to make the extra effort. Once the cold starts to subside, take the time to clean your steam boiler. If you don’t know how to manoeuvre the boiler’s inspection manway, pumps, and valves, that’s okay.
You can start with the outside. Clean its exterior and remove any soot and oxidation that can lead to rust. Steam boilers are prone to rust, especially if you have older models. If you have a boiler room, this is important. If you have items that are not needed and related to the boiler, take this time to relocate them.
Allocate the boiler room for all boiler-related equipment only. If yours started to become a stock room, it’s time to fix that. Also, the boiler room is a hazardous area. If you have any other stuff that might put the boiler at risk, remove them. Start the cleaning from the outside, to begin with.
3. Keep an eye on leaks
One rule of thumb for steam boilers is to never shut them down during winter. This is vital because once it’s down, the boiler will freeze and won’t be able to operate. As the weather starts to get warmer, leaks from vents, pipes, and valves are common.
You might be mistaken that the small drops of water you see from your steam boiler’s pipe or valve are just moisture. Make sure to keep an eye on any moisture-like leaks. If your boiler has one, have it checked immediately. Check your mainline vents, too.
Usually, those small leaks are a sign that your boiler has had this ongoing problem for quite some time now. If you happen to see some alarming leaks and think that it is not moisture-related, have your boiler inspected right away.
Your valve controls and sensors might need some time to adjust as well. It might take some time for them to operate and have a bit of downtime as they adjust from the cold to summer.
4. Check the water condition to see if it needs to be changed
Some steam boiler manufacturers recommend having the boiler’s water changed once to thrice a year only. Some would recommend doing it regularly. If you’re unsure whether to follow the latter or the former, here’s the answer: based it on your steam boiler’s condition.
If you happen to have your boiler cleaned, consult with the professional to see if your water needs to be changed or not. Also, ask them how often the boiler’s water should be changed. That way, you can do it accordingly regularly.
Some insist that changing the water often triggers rust. While some recommend doing so to prevent any mould. Whether you own a fire tube boiler or a water tube boiler, it’s best to consult and ask a professional on how regularly the water should be changed.
Here’s one thing to keep in mind. People recommend based on their boiler type and model. If their recommendation is based on an old boiler type and design, it surely doesn’t apply to yours if you have a recent one. That’s why it’s best to ask your manufacturer and to familiarise yourself with the boiler guide and manual.
Start with these simple tips and work on the technical ones with an expert
As you welcome the warm air, follow these simple tips to prepare your steam boiler for the new season. If you need your boiler for business, allot at least a day or two for it to be assessed and cleaned. This way, your steam boiler can work perfectly fine even during the summer. It’s a great prevention for small boiler issues from leading to big, stressful ones.
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