Industrial HVAC Contractors Handbook: Common Problems With Steam Boilers
Steam boilers are one of the trickiest components in any HVAC system, and only the most experienced industrial HVAC contractors should be trusted to repair or maintain them. There are many common problems with steam boilers, many of which can be avoided or remedied with proper system maintenance. If your HVAC system utilizes a steam or hot water boiler, it is important that you work with an industrial HVAC contractor that focuses on proactive maintenance, so that you can avoid costly repairs and frustrating downtime.
One of the most common problems to arise in steam-boiler-based systems is “water hammer,” otherwise known as banging pipes. This occurs when the condensed water meets the steam, causing the pipes to expand and contract in rapid bursts. The effect is a distinct hammering sound, as if someone were banging on the pipes. There are a few reasons why this might happen. There could be a problem with the system’s ability to return condensate water to the loop and eventually to the boiler. Water hammer may indicate that a strainer or trap is plugged with sediment, restricting the return of condensate water. This can lead to a serious problem, as the automatic water feeder will continue keeping the water level in the boiler, eventually flooding the mains. Fortunately, this can be easily avoided with the proper devices. If your industrial HVAC contractors offer a proactive maintenance plan, they should keep the return piping system efficiently returning water to the boiler, preventing both water hammer and flooding.
Regular maintenance from an industrial HVAC contractor is also necessary to prevent total dissolved solids or “TDS” from building up in the boiler. This buildup occurs when a blow-down of the boiler is not done on a regular basis; dissolved solids that are caught in the steam ultimately settle in the boiler, causing performance problems, reducing efficiency, and creating potential safety hazards.
Finally, carbonic acids can build up and begin to eat through the hydronic piping used to rout heated water. This problem can be addressed by water treatment or by venting oxygen and carbon dioxide. Like many other problems, this issue should only be addressed by professional industrial HVAC contractors.
John Brown is a industrial HVAC licensed contractor who has work experience with steam boilersIndustrial HVAC Contractorsr
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