CHICAGO — “It’s very easy not to think about a boiler until something goes wrong.”
This statement from Daniel Orr, general manager, National Combustion Co. (NATCO), is an unfortunate truth and a reminder to industry members that ignoring or overlooking this central piece of equipment can only have negative consequences for a laundry/linen plant.
Like much of the other technology that makes a plant run, boilers must be thoroughly monitored and maintained by any business that relies heavily on their safe and smooth operation.
American Laundry News consulted a number of boiler manufacturers that have advice for operators on how, when and why to give a boiler proper TLC, not only for safety reasons, but for overall plant efficiency.
INSPECTIONS
Regular inspections, of course, should be a key part of an operator’s boiler maintenance and safety schedule, the experts say.
Those interviewed agreed that an annual inspection is a good place to start, but that there are checks to be done in other time intervals, too.
“Local codes dictate how often a boiler needs to be inspected,” says Mike McLean, laundry/drycleaning sales manager at Fulton Boiler Works. “As the manufacturer, we recommend a water-side inspection be done at least once a year.” This involves draining the boiler and removing all hand holes, and letting a local inspector verify the thickness of the vessel or the condition of the tubes. Checks for corrosion and the removal of any scale build-up should also be performed, and the inspector may ask to inspect the fire side of the boiler as well, according to McLean.
Keep in mind while scheduling an inspection by a professional service technician that there is not a “one-size-fits-all” inspection checklist, says Josh Reasoner, South regional sales manager at Hamilton Engineering, because much of the recommendations will be manufacturer-specific.
“If you start doing a few of [the maintenance tasks], they’re all kind of going to be the same, but you’ll notice one asks for a little bit different from what someone else asks for,” he says.
More inspections beyond the annual one might be warranted, according to Michael Leeming, national sales manager, Parker Boiler Co., if poor conditions were an issue at any point.
BENEFITS OF MAINTENANCE
Keeping consistent watch on a boiler’s performance is not only smart, it also can have a positive impact on your daily operations and your business’ bottom line.
“If a boiler is undersized and can’t maintain pressure when the plant is running at full capacity, [that] will only hurt the efficiency of the workers as they have to wait for the proper pressure of steam, or [it] could even impact the quality of the product they are putting out,” says McLean.
A boiler with lower efficiency could end up consuming more utilities, too, driving up costs, Reasoner says.
Orr suggests that operators with boilers that run on fuel oil as opposed to natural gas should make the switch as soon as possible “for financial reasons.”
“A maintained, efficient boiler meets the heat demand more reliably and more quickly than a boiler that is inefficient or needs constant maintenance,” he says, adding that the reliability of a boiler is its most important feature.
Check back Wednesday for the conclusion!
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Matt Poe at [email protected].