5 Things You Should Know About Retrofitting Industrial Heating Equipment

1. It Involves a Lot of Planning Ahead

Retrofitting a piece of equipment or an existing industrial heating system can be very challenging, but it can be especially frustrating if you haven't planned well ahead of time. You'll want to be sure that you've done your homework to ensure that retrofitting the piece of equipment you have in the way you have in mind is actually possible.

If it is possible, you'll want to work with the appropriate engineers to figure out exactly what it will entail, how much it will cost, what impact it will have on operations, etc.  

2. Consider Warranties and Follow-Up Service

If you find yourself in a situation where one company is retrofitting another company's equipment, you may want to pause to think about equipment warranties and follow-up service needs. While they may not seem like immediate concerns, they will be important to have sorted out and in order as you move forward with your updated piece of equipment.

You'll want to determine the answers to the following questions:

• Will the work you're having done void any existing warranties?
• lWho will be providing a warranty on the final product?
• lWill there be a warranty on the final retrofitted system?
• lWho, if anyone, will provide service on the retrofitted system?

If you think the answer to any of these questions may change your mind on how you'd like to handle your equipment update, be sure to get the answers ahead of time, before work gets started on the upgrade.

3. It Can Impact Efficiency

Retrofitting a piece of equipment or changing its function can impact the efficiency with which it operates. While some retrofit adjustments are intended to make systems more efficient, others that change the function of a piece of equipment may not have the same effect.

Ideally, efficiency will improve, but in some instances that’s not the case. Whether your goal is increased efficiency or not, you'll want to be well aware of how efficiently your system was working, and have a good sense of what its efficiency will be after the adjustments are made.

4. Sometimes a Retrofit Is Not Possible

While retrofitting can be an appealing option when it comes to your goals and your budget, there are times when retrofitting a system just is not feasible. Whether it's from a facility layout perspective or an operational standpoint, retrofitting is not necessarily an option in every scenario.

As you're approaching a solution to the problem you hope to solve by retrofitting, try to keep an open mind and understand that there may be a better alternative out there.

5. There Are Times When An Industrial Heating Retrofit Is Not The Best Option

Even if retrofitting your existing industrial heating system or one of its components is possible, it still may not be the best option for your specific scenario. There are many ways why a new industrial heating system will benefit your facility, and those factors are important to consider when you're looking at your options.

While new systems can be more expensive up front, in the long run they may end up saving your facility money. And if you're looking to retrofit a piece of equipment to perform a specialized function or process, a new customized system could be a better bet long term.