A broken or malfunctioning commercial boiler system can cause a lot of potential problems and disruptions for your business. Whether you rely on hot water to heat an entire office building, to run your commercial dry cleaning and laundry service, or you offer professional cleaning services, it’s important to ensure that your commercial boiler system is always in tiptop condition. Routine maintenance and fixing minor commercial boiler issues before they progress into worse problems is the best way to do this.
Commercial boilers, for the most part, are very well constructed and capable of handling large water loads. But with that said they can still break down if something goes wrong. Here are six of the most common commercial boiler problems you should be aware of so that you know how to fix them and can take preventative measures.
Low or no heat production can be caused by a number of potential commercial boiler problems, ranging from minor to significant. On the less serious side, low or no heat production could be the result of dirty burners that block sufficient amounts of heat from getting through. For your own safety and convenience, it’s important to check your boiler’s burners on a regular basis and ensure that they’re cleaned frequently. Dust and debris that get trapped in the burners can pose a serious fire hazard.
Other potential causes may include a faulty ignition, broken or inaccurate thermostat, a broken pump, or a safety switch that’s causing automatic turnoff. Regardless of the type of commercial boiler problem you’re experiencing, there’s no way to know for sure what’s causing it until you call an expert to come and take a look.
No matter what they are, leaking fluids from your commercial boiler system are never a good sign. Water that’s leaking directly from your boiler tank is a guaranteed sign that the inside of your boiler tank is most likely severely corroded. If this is the case, then the only solution is to replace the hot water tank completely. Unfortunately, this isn’t the most cost-effective solution, but it’s the only feasible one.
Less serious reasons for water leaks could be condensation (which is normal) or a broken pressure relief valve or expansion tank. Luckily, these commercial boiler problems can be repaired fairly cost-efficiently.
Sometimes, you might notice that your boiler system is distributing heat unevenly throughout your workplace. Certain areas might have noticeable cold spots while other areas might be unnecessarily or unbearably warm. Uneven heat production and distribution can very likely be corrected by simply adjusting the settings of the zone control systems in each area.
The necessary settings of the zone control system will vary depending on the layout, design, and additional features of your workplace. For instance, if one section of your office space is carpeted but other sections have hardwood flooring, then the zone control systems in each location should be adjusted accordingly. Carpeted environments typically require less heat than non-carpeted areas.
Steam leakage is one of the primary causes of low or loss of system pressure. Over time the more steam your boiler loses, the more inconsistent the water pressure and heat distribution system will be. Low or loss of pressure can also be an indicator of a faulty or damaged feed pump or steam trap, so be sure to check those on a regular basis as well.
If your boiler sounds like a whistling kettle or like someone is pounding their fists against its interior, then you could have a serious problem on your hands. Strange noises like these indicate one of two things:
Both scenarios force your commercial boiler system to work much harder than it needs to and can eventually lead to internal pressure buildup over time. Make sure the gas pressure, gas piping, air intake, and exhaust are working properly to prevent potentially cost-prohibitive damages and repairs.
There are several reasons your boiler system may automatically shut off seemingly by itself. It could be that the thermostat isn’t working properly and giving inaccurate temperature readings or that it’s entirely broken and simply won’t give any readings at all. Another reason could be due to a significant loss of air pressure, a damaged pump, or blockages in the vale.
If your boiler system is shutting off on its own or simply won’t turn on in the first place, then you should schedule a service appointment with an experienced HVAC and heating system expert to identify and fix the problem.
Your business, your employees, and your customers all rely on your commercial boiler system to maintain their warmth and comfort throughout the year. To that end, it’s important that you do everything you can to keep your boiler system operating smoothly and efficiently at all times. Plus, taking care of your boiler system will save you money in the long run. Here are a few ways to prevent commercial boiler issues for your business.
These are all simple, but crucial preventative steps you can take to keep your boiler system operational for as long as possible without having to replace it. Of course, as the years wear on, certain parts will need to be repaired or replaced and your system will need to be properly cleaned on a regular basis to prevent fire hazards, but the cost of maintenance and repairs is insignificant when you look at the cost of purchasing and installing a whole new boiler.
At MDM Mechanical, we take great pride in providing top-quality boiler maintenance and repair services to our clients across Toronto and the GTA. As a family-owned and operated business, we’re the very definition of friendly and reliable service that you can count on. Book your consultation today!
Winter is still a few weeks away, but many parts of Ontario including Toronto and the GTA have already begun to experience lots of snow and frigid temperatures. While most dwellings are equipped with furnaces to keep our interiors toasty and warm, not all furnaces are created equal. As a homeowner, you may have a single-stage, two-stage, or variable capacity furnace to heat your home.
What’s the difference between a single stage furnace, a two-stage furnace, and a variable furnace? How do you know which one is more energy- and cost-efficient for your home?
Keep reading for cost, performance, and compatibility comparisons between all three types of furnaces. Just be aware that these varieties only apply to gas furnaces, so if you have an oil or electric unit, then this might not apply to you.
Single-stage furnaces are designed to heat your home during the absolute coldest months of the year in your region. As a result, they typically run at the highest possible capacity whenever they’re in operation, regardless of what the temperature and whether is like outside. The reason they’re called single-stage furnaces is because they only have one setting when in operation. One of the few benefits of a single-stage furnace is that the upfront cost is comparably lower than two-stage or variable furnaces.
Since single stage furnaces only have one setting, they don’t distribute heat evenly throughout your home which means that you’ll notice a lot of cold and very warm spots throughout your home. Not only does this impact your monthly energy bills because your furnace is constantly running at full capacity, but it also affects your comfort level throughout your home.
Single-stage furnaces are now becoming obsolete and the government is requiring homeowners to install furnaces with 95% efficiency or higher.
Two-stage furnaces are the opposite of their single-stage counterparts in that they feature two settings instead of one. That means they don’t automatically always operate at full capacity. As the name indicates, two-stage furnaces have two heating outputs: high and low. The high setting is appropriate for extremely cold temperatures and climates, whereas the low setting is used for milder temperatures, such as early autumn days.
Considering the two-stage heating system typically runs at the lower capacity of about 70-80% in most households—depending on how cold it gets in your geographical region, of course—it’s usually classified as the more cost- and energy-efficient option of the two. The low capacity allows many homeowners to keep their two-stage furnaces running for a longer period (usually early October-late April) and they also provide more even heat distribution than single-stage furnaces. Depending on your needs, the benefits of a two-stage furnace outweigh those of a single-stage furnace.
A variable capacity (also known as variable speed) furnace is arguably the most versatile option out of the three. Variable capacity furnaces feature a strong indoor blower motor which can operate at multiple settings and be adjusted according to your specific needs rather than only producing single or dual speeds. Therefore, variable capacity furnaces can more accurately control heat and distribute it evenly throughout your home.
Variable capacity furnaces also have the ability to automatically adjust the blower settings based on certain factors in your home that may restrict air flow, including dirty filters, the location of your furnace, the design of your ductwork, etc.
Not only do variable capacity furnaces provide a more consistent temperature throughout your home to eliminate cold spots and automatically adjust according to the temperature of the house, but the blower motor will still function even when the furnace itself is turned off. Effectively, what this does is it continues to improve the air quality and circulate clean air throughout your home, which reduces the amount of dust and allergens that you and your family breathe in.
Here’s a brief comparison chart of the three furnace options:
| Type of Furnace | Cost | Efficiency | Maintenance | Repair Cost |
| Single-stage furnace | From $2,800 to $4,000 pending BTU input and difficulty of job | Not very efficient
|
Annually | Relatively low due to less efficiency
|
| Two-stage furnace | From $3,000 to $6,000 pending BTU input and difficulty of job
|
About 95-97% efficient depending on the capacity | Annually | More expensive than single-stage furnaces due to more intricate parts |
| Variable capacity furnace | From $3,500 to $8,000 pending BTU input and difficulty of job | 95-98% efficient | Annually | Costs the most due to the high-tech parts |
The answer to this question is simple. Single-stage furnaces have a much lower upfront cost—and that’s pretty much where the advantages end.
Single-stage furnaces are only ideal for homeowners who are looking to save money on purchasing a furnace or who aren’t planning on spending much time in their homes. So, is a single-stage furnace a good investment? That depends on what you’re looking for and what you can afford to spend.
You’re better off spending a little extra money on the upfront and installation costs of purchasing a two-stage or variable furnace to heat your home. Two-stage and variable capacity furnaces have the capability of increasing your comfort level throughout your home by distributing the heat as evenly as possible throughout every room and you can adjust the temperature according to your preferences.
Between the low-end single-stage furnace and the high-end variable capacity furnace, a two-stage furnace is a perfectly moderate compromise in that it gives you the best of both worlds.
MDM Mechanical is a family-owned and operated furnace installation, maintenance, and repair company that provides high-quality heating and cooling services throughout Toronto and the GTA. We’re committed to providing our customers with the best possible service according to their needs. Contact us today to book a consultation with one of our specialists.
