How to Clean Gas Boiler Burners – Maintenance

Posted on January 9, 2010 by Richard Ashworth

How to Clean Gas Boiler Burners – Maintenance

The Burners under this small boiler are round and extend under the boiler

Before beginning boiler maintenance or repair including cleaning the gas boiler burners on any boiler it is important to follow all safety procedures. Turn off the gas to the boiler at the gas cock located on the gas line and turn off the gas valve on the boiler. Additionally turn off the main power to the boiler at the circuit breaker.

Periodically it helps to check and clean the gas boiler burners for a couple of reasons. First of all it ensures the burners are in proper mechanical order and that the burner will reliably do the job of properly and evenly burn the gas in the combustion chamber of the gas boiler. It also adds life to the gas boiler burners if the burners are properly cleaned. So the benefits of cleaning the burners helps keep the boiler running and adds life to the gas boiler system. This article DOES NOT apply to condensing boiler systems and it is recommended that you hire a plumbing or HVAC professional to perform periodic maintenance on condensing boilers as condensing boilers are more complex than the atmospheric boilers referred to in this article. Additionally, Pulse type gas boilers will also require the attention of a trained professional for periodic maintenance. Continue reading “How to Clean Gas Boiler Burners – Maintenance” »

Types of Boilers

Posted on October 4, 2008 by Richard Ashworth

There are many different types of boilers in the boiler room today in a variety of heating applications. There are two main categories of boilers among the different types of boilers and those two categories are steam and hot water boilers. Either of those categories can be fueled by oil, gas, or electric (although electric is uncommon for steam boilers). They have different designs and piping configurations as a steam boiler system is designed to turned the water into steam and uses gravity and pressure to deliver the heat and the hot water boiler systems are designed to simply make hot water to be circulated (by a circulator or pump) through a piping system to provide heat. Typically, hot water boilers are more efficient than steam boilers for a few reasons. First, there is less heat loss throughout the hot water piping and the shell of the boiler because the hot water boiler operates at a lower temperature than the steam boiler. This means there is less heat loss throughout the entire boiler and piping system. Secondly, because the hot water boiler operates at a lower temperature, it requires less fuel or energy to convert into heat. What kind of boiler do you have in your boiler room?

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Boiler Reviews Boiler Efficiency Options

Posted on September 5, 2008 by Richard Ashworth

Boiler Reviews Boiler Efficiency Options

High Performance HVAC wants to help you understand your next boiler purchase better. To do this we want to break down all the different types of boilers, boiler components, and various options and features that you may find when seeking a boiler for purchase. Typically you want to find a like replacement for the boiler you currently have installed or if you are buying a new boiler you want a boiler that will handle the load and is durable. The most important feature about a boiler purchase is usually the fuel efficiency of the boiler.

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Commercial Boiler Stack with Economizer

Posted on January 24, 2008 by Richard Ashworth

Commercial Boiler Stack with Economizer This is not a normal commercial boiler stack in this boiler room. It has a bypass stack for an commercial hot water economizer. All boilers have make-up water to make up for water lost in the systems especially for domestic hot water use. This hot water boiler system also served the domestic water needs for the local community where these boilers provided heat. Notice the dampers on the stacks (both the vertical and the horizontal stacks). These are controlled by a direct digital controller, located in the boiler room, and cause the hot gas to be diverted to an commercial hot water economizer instead of outside. Inside the boiler economizer were coils where the cold water supply water from the city was routed. This cold water supply was for domestic hot water use. Domestic hot water use is hot water for showers or the sinks for washing dishes or your hands. The water supplied from the city was typically fifty degrees Fahrenheit. After running through this cold supply water from the city through the boiler economizer the water was almost ninety degrees Fahrenheit. This system saved the organization money by using the heat from the gas stack gases. Instead of dumping it outside where it would be dissipated into the outside air it was routed through the commercial hot water economizer where it pre-heated the cold water supply for domestic hot water use. The commercial hot water economizer will help pay for itself and many other things by making the boiler room more efficient. Continue reading “Commercial Boiler Stack with Economizer” »

Natural Gas Properties and Furnace Heating Efficiency

Posted on July 6, 2006 by Richard Ashworth

Natrual Gas Regulators

Natural is a popular fuel used for heating systems in America and other countries. If we look at the properties of natural gas and the heating efficiency of natural gas furnaces we will see that natural gas furnaces lose efficiency because of what is contained in natural gas as it is delivered to your home for consumption by your natural gas furnace. Natural gas in its raw form coming straight from the ground needs to be refined to remove impurities that should not be contained in natural gas. As you read below you will see that in the refining process moisture is removed from the natural gas however during the refining process some of the moisture in the natural gas remains and therefore this affects the efficiency of your natural gas furnace. Condensing furnaces always have a drain on them to drain away one of the byproducts of combustion which is water/moisture contained in the gas. This is why it it is called a condensing furnace simply because it condenses all the moisture from the gas during the combustion process. I am certain there are people who have had a problem with a leaking furnace in the winter time where the drain became clogged or plugged and required someone to clear the condensation drain to clear the drain. This is the water that is condensed from the natural gas during the combustion process along with moisture contained in combustion air. Any moisture in the gas will affect the efficiency of the furnace. The less impurities in the natural the more efficiency you will get from the gas furnace.

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