Daily, Daily Blowdown, Weekly, Three Month, As Required, Annual

DAILY MAINTENANCE

1. Check around boiler for steam or water leaks. If any leak is found, shut down the boiler immediately, allow boiler to cool and repair leak(s).
2. Check that boiler water level is correct and that water is clear. Watch the boiler for a few minutes and verify that the pump is coming on to maintain the correct water level.
3. Check water softener to be sure it is operating. If in doubt, check water hardness using test kit.
4. Check for proper water treatment. For manual systems, was chemical added today? For automatic systems, is the chemical reservoir full and is the dispenser pump working?
5. At the end of the day, blow the boiler down.
   

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Daily Blowdown Procedure

1. Close the steam discharge valve.
   
2. Close the manual main gas valve.
   
3. Turn off the electricity.
   
4. Open and close the blowdown valve under the water column and 2ND LWCO control if used for 3 seconds.
   
5. Open the bottom blowdown valve completely, then open the quick blowdown valve and allow boiler to completely drain. On multiple bank boilers (25, 40, 60 & 90) open each bank’s blowdown valves separately to verify flow, then open all valves and completely drain.
   
6. Close the bottom blowdown valve and turn on electricity to refill boiler with water.
   
7. When the boiler is filled with water
   a) To secure for the day: turn off electricity.
   b) To return to operation: open the manual gas valve to “ON” and open steam outlet valve.
   

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WEEKLY MAINTENANCE

1. Before firing boiler in the morning, purge pump inlet strainer by opening strainer purge valve and collecting contents in a small bucket.
2. Before firing boiler in the morning, open the access door and check for rust, scale, or signs of water on the floor. Check burners are clean; clean as required.
   

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THREE-MONTH MAINTENANCE

1. Before firing boiler in the morning, lift boiler lid and examine outside of handhole plate for signs of steam leakage. If signs of leakage are present, replace handhole gasket.
   

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AS REQUIRED

1. Always repair steam or water leaks immediately. Failure to do so will result in further damage to your boiler.
2. Have the boiler inspected and the barometric damper adjusted by a qualified service once a year.
   

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ANNUAL INSPECTION PROCEDURE
9.5, 10 , and 15 BHp
20 BHp or larger

Any high pressure steam boiler pressure vessel should be inspected annually for signs of scaling, corrosion and other damage. This inspection should be carried out by a licensed boiler inspector or a qualified boiler service engineer. In most states and jurisdictions, annual inspection by a licensed boiler inspector is mandatory by law. Even if the boiler is exempted from mandatory annual inspection, it should be properly inspected once a year to be sure that the pressure vessel is in good condition.

Scaling not only causes tubes to burn out prematurely, but also acts as an insulator, causing the boiler to burn more fuel. If scaling is evident, have a water treatment specialist troubleshoot and fix the water softener.

Corrosion causes premature failure of the water tubes and steam drum. If corrosion is evident, review the water treatment process with a specialist and correct the process.

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BOILER INSPECTION PROCEDURE FOR 9.5, 10 AND 15 HORSEPOWER BOILERS

STEAM DRUM

Visually inspect the inside of the steam drum through the hand hole opening to see if any scale is starting to form or is already present.

If scale is present, consult a qualified service organization for the best way to clean the boiler. Limited scale formation on the internal surfaces of the drum is not necessarily a problem but it is indicative of heavier deposits inside the water tubes and the flow passages inside the drum, both of which can be very serious problems.

WATER COLUMN

Newer boilers (1998 and newer) are equipped with a water column which acts as a housing for the stainless steel water level probes. Where used, remove the plug from the inspection port and view the probes. If the probes are scaled, remove and clean them. Probes should be removed one at a time, cleaned and replaced to avoid mixing them up. For water columns with no inspection port, simply remove the probes one by one, inspect, if necessary, clean and replace.

MCDONNELL & MILLER CONTROLS

Older boilers are equipped with McDonnell & Miller float type water level/pump controls. These controls are assembled using an eight-bolt gasketed, flanged joint. To inspect the control, remove the eight nuts at the flanged joint and lift off the head assembly. Inspect the float for scaling and/or signs of damage. Inspect the inside of the float chamber and remove scale build up. Pay special attention to the horizontal pipes on which the control body is mounted to the boiler drum. These pipes must be free and clear of any scale or other obstruction.

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BOILER INSPECTION PROCEDURE FOR 20 HORSEPOWER AND LARGER BOILERS
(EXCLUDING LN MODELS)

These boilers are equipped with external steam drums.

STEAM DRUM

Visually inspect the inside of the steam drum through the hand hole opening to see if any scale is starting to form or is already present.

If scale is present, consult a qualified service organization for the best way to clean the boiler. Limited scale formation on the internal surfaces of the drum is not necessarily a problem but it is indicative of heavier deposits inside the water tubes and the flow passages inside the drum, both of which can be very serious problems.

WATER COLUMN

On boilers equipped with a water column, see above. More recent external drum boilers incorporate an internal water column. Probe inspection is accomplished by removing probes. Column internal inspection is achieved by removing the whole probe assembly.

MCDONNELL & MILLER CONTROLS

Older boilers are equipped with McDonnell & Miller float type water level/pump controls. These controls are assembled using an eight bolt gasketed, flanged joint. To inspect the control, remove the eight nuts at the flanged joint and lift off the head assembly. Inspect the float for scaling and/or signs of damage. Inspect the inside of the float chamber and remove scale build up. Pay special attention to the horizontal pipes on which the control body is mounted to the boiler drum. These pipes must be free and clear of any scale or other obstruction.

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