A water level sensor fail on a steam boiler is extremely dangerous. The low water cut of should be tested daily. If the sensor fails the boiler could turn all the water into steam, leaving the boiler dry. Without water in the boiler the flame from the burner would heat up the heating surface to extreme temperatures and would crack and damage the inside of the boiler. But that’s not the dangerous part. If water added to boiler while it is extremely hot. Once water touches the extremely hot heating service, water would immediately start to evaporate into steam. When water evaporates it expands 18x it’s original size. The boiler would explode from the sudden increase in pressure from the inside. Some in some cases, boilers that have exploded out of a building and have landed 100s of feet away.
If the boiler burner fails or is faulty, then your boiler is not going to be able to generate heat efficiently, or in the worst case not at all . As industrial boilers are in almost constant use they are built to be very robust and last for decades, nevertheless they can still have problems with broken burners from time to time. Burner pumps, heads and nozzles can all cause problems but a swift replacement should limit your down time.
Missing insulation reduces the system’s efficiency. Insulation helps hold heat in the system, and when the heat can dissipate, more fuel is needed to maintain proper temperature and pressure.
Since missing insulation may not be visible, the best way to detect it is with a thermal imager. If you don’t have a thermal imager as a part of your building’s operations, a plumber or other professional likely will carry one. If your energy costs have increased without a rise in the amount you use the boiler, suspect missing insulation and call to have the system inspected with a thermal imager.
Not inspecting it often enough can lead to minor issues being missed, which can lead to major issues later and possibly injury.
Not checking a boiler system could have catastrophic results in the form of a boiler explosion. Fuel may explode due to unfound problems. The high temperatures generated by the boiler can also cause problems if the water level drops too low and the trip switch fails.
Regular inspections can identify and correct faults in the safety systems that are designed to prevent accidents.
When it comes to regular maintenance, the cost of the inspections and repairs will be dramatically lower than the loss of time and profit from a broken boiler that requires replacing. Don’t let maintenance fall by the wayside. Schedule it at even intervals throughout the year.
Normally a boiler is provided with two independent sensors for emergency low water level burner cut-outs. So this would never happen. However, if it does, don't take any chances! Shut off the burners immediately!
Before you start raising the level in the boiler you have to find out if any part of the furnace walls has been overheated. If you raise the level over a glowing steel-wall then the boiler might produce more steam than the safety valves can handle and a nasty explosion would be the result.
Soot on the heating surfaces. Even a thin layer of soot will reduce the boiler efficiency. Not the right fuel for the burner. For instance, diesel oil to a rotary cup burner wouldn't do. Too low feed water temperature.
The condensing boiler burns carbon-based fuel with oxygen in order to produce steam and carbon dioxide. The gases that escape this process (through a chimney) as exhaust are called flue gases. The major advantage is that they offer up to a 90% improvement in terms of efficiency when compared to standard gas boilers. Overall, condensing boilers are considered much more efficient in contrast to non-condensing gas boilers, a major consideration for any business running on a budget.
