Many of today's maintenance managers and property owners use boiler maintenance checklists to bolster the longevity of the building's heating system. However, ensuring proper boiler maintenance affects much more than reliability.
Conducting regular checkups also minimizes operating and energy costs, bolsters equipment life, and improves safety.
In the end, it makes dollars and sense to regularly inspect your equipment. Best of all, you don't have to wait for your annual inspection to begin. You can use daily, monthly, and periodic boiler maintenance checklist to ensure your equipment is performing as efficiently as possible.
It's also important to have your boiler inspected at least once a year or at startup by a certified & factory-trained technician.
In the meantime, use the following boiler maintenance checklist as a general guide for preventative maintenance.
SEE ALSO: An Extremely Detailed Boiler Maintenance Checklist (Beyond the Basics)
Daily Boiler Maintenance Checklist
When it comes to boiler maintenance, it's the little things that count.
While most people think boiler maintenance is a once a month or twice a year event, you can use the daily boiler maintenance checklist each day to get the most from your equipment.
- Inspect around and under your boiler equipment for leaking water.
- Make sure the area around the boiler is unobstructed and free of materials that may cause obstruction.
- Check temperature readings and/or pressure readings to make sure all are within the designed range.
- Closely watch for any error codes or service codes on the display panel if at all applicable.
- If you notice any error codes, jot them down and give it to the service contractor.
- Make sure the vent termination is not obstructed or blocked with debris, ice, or snow.
- Inspect the combustion air opening for blockages.
- Always listen closely for any unusual vibrations or noises from the equipment.
Monthly Inspection Boiler Checklist
In addition to the daily boiler maintenance checklist, you can conduct a more intensive inspection once a month. During the monthly inspection, make sure to:
- Visually inspect the combustion air piping and flue gas vent piping for any indications of leakage, deterioration, or signs of blockage.
- Examine the relief valve discharge pipe and boiler relief valve for any noticeable signs of leakage or weeping.
- Investigate the condensate drain line, PVC fittings, drain system, and drain trap for any types of blockages if the system is a condensing boiler.
Periodic Maintenance Checklist for Boilers
While conducting daily and monthly inspections on your boiler equipment will help, you should also conduct more intensive inspections quarterly or every other month. A few of the most essential periodic maintenance checklist items are to:
- Visually examine boiler hydronic piping for leaks.
- If at all possible, inspect burner flame. Anytime the flame looks different from the norm, you should take corrective action.
- Schedule to have your low water cutoff tested to make sure it's working properly. The low water cutoff is used to make sure the water levels inside of the boiler do not fall below levels recommended by the manufacturer.
Start-up or Annual Service Boiler Maintenance Checklist
Once a year or at start-up, your boiler should be maintenance by a service agency or a qualified installer licensed and trained to perform maintenance on your boiler or combustion related equipment. During this comprehensive inspection, the technician should:
- Rigorously inspect the heating system and rectify any problems.
- Clean and inspect the heat exchanger of the boiler.
- Ensure all boiler connections and wiring is intact.
- Make sure water pH levels are within the proper range.
- Inspect condensate system and clean and flush the system as necessary.
- Examine and clean flame sensors, ignitor, and burner assembly.
- Scrutinize the venting system for deterioration, corrosion, or blockage to ensure all pipe and joint connections are secure.
- Survey the vent terminations and air inlet to make sure they're unobstructed and clear.
- Check control settings as well as test safety controls and operating controls.
Before the technician leaves, they should ensure the equipment is functioning properly.
Caring for Your Boiler
One of the keys to successfully maintaining your boiler is to read the owner's manual for the equipment. In this process, make sure to pay attention to any specific instructions from the manufacturer about your unique boiler. If possible, keep a copy of the startup/inspection manual for your boiler on file, so you can always refer to it at a later date.
If you notice any problems or have any concerns, you should immediately report the problem to the service technician. In any case, the annual service should always and only be performed by an experienced service agency or qualified installed licensed to perform maintenance.
Contact Applied Technologies of New York
At Applied Technologies of New York, we are the combustion and boiler room product experts. We provide state-of-the-art boiler room and combustion equipment from the leading manufacturers in the world. By delivering equipment from best-in-class manufacturers, our products achieve optimum performance and superior efficiency.
We bring decades of experience customizing state-of-the-art solutions for a variety of industries, including:
Don't hesitate to contact us for any inquiries or questions you may have. And be sure to fill out the form below for a free consultation.
