The Complete Commercial Boiler Maintenance Checklist

A commercial boiler is a vital component of commercial or industrial units, particularly in colder regions such as the UK. It may include an office building, a multi-tenant commercial space, a hotel, a warehouse, or any other property used for commercial activity. An uninterrupted and continuous functioning of a boiler is crucial for the successful business and commercial operations of all such commercial or business units.

Regular maintenance of a commercial boiler is critically important for the safety and energy efficiency of businesses. It is also highly important for compliance with regulatory requirements, per the prevailing laws in the UK. A well-maintained and regularly serviced commercial boiler can go a long way in saving costs by way of a reduction in energy bills. Side by side, it also prevents huge extra costs in the case of a major breakdown, by extending the useful life of the entire heating system. 

Unlike a boiler installed in a residential property, a commercial boiler has to work a lot more, based on the size and nature of the business. That’s why it needs an extra bit of care and maintenance, for which the businesses are required to follow a carefully crafted action plan. 

Main Uses of a Commercial Boiler

A systematic action plan is critical for the maintenance of a commercial boiler, but before we jump into the workable and practical maintenance checklist, it is important to understand what its main uses are and how it becomes an important component of a business.

Here are some of the major purposes and uses of a commercial boiler:

Space Heating

It is one of the major purposes of a commercial boiler to provide space heating, which may include:

• Maintain comfortable temperatures for workplaces in an office building.
• Provide a warm atmosphere for customers in shopping malls and retail stores.
• Maintain a warm environment in classrooms and lecture halls of Schools and educational institutions.
• Ensure the regulated level of warmth as per the requirement of the patients in hospitals and health care units.
• Maintain a warm and comfortable temperature in common areas and guest rooms of hotels. 

Supply of Hot Water

Another main purpose of the installation of commercial boilers is to ensure a consistent supply of hot water, as under:

• Ensure a consistent supply of hot water for cooking, cleaning, and dishwashing in restaurants and other catering businesses. 
• Maintain regular hot water supply for showers swimming pools and gyms.
• Laundries & Dry Cleaners – Supply of hot water for steam presses or washing machines in laundry and dry-cleaning units.
• Round-the-clock supply of hot water for the bathrooms of hotels and wellness facilities.

Generation of Steam for Commercial and Industrial Purposes

Steam generation is an important process in many industrial and commercial units for different purposes, which is done through commercial boilers. It may include:

• Food processing, including cooking, pasteurization, and sterilization. 
• Fermentation and distillation process in breweries. 
• Steam is used for sterilizing the pharmaceutical equipment and manufacturing of different drugs.
• It is also used in the sterilization of various medical equipment in hospitals.
• Steam is also used in dyeing and other treatments in the textile industry. 

Maintaining Humidity Level 

Maintenance of a perfect level of humidity in different commercial and business units plays an important part in their overall success, such as:

• Various pieces of art and crafts need a certain level of stable humidity. This is important for Museums and Archives. Boilers help protect such artifacts by providing stable humidity.
• It prevents condensation and fungus growth in indoor pools. 
• Regulate temperature and moisture levels for plants in greenhouses. 

Complete Commercial Boiler Maintenance Checklist

A commercial boiler plays a vital role in the success of a business. Regular maintenance of a commercial boiler contributes to its perfect functioning and enhances its useful life. Typically, the useful life of a Commercial Boiler is 10 years. However, if it is not regularly serviced and maintained properly, it may start malfunctioning well before that. 

A commercial boiler has to perform extensively throughout the working hours; hence, a proper care and maintenance schedule must be in place and needs to be followed without fail. 

Here is a complete checklist for Commercial Boiler Maintenance, which every business must follow: 

Maintain Daily Log of Critical Settings

Maintaining a daily log of the critical settings of a commercial boiler is very important. It is a routine checking of settings such as operating temperatures, water levels, and flue gas temperature. The nominated person needs to record these readings in the daily logbook. It helps the maintenance engineers to have a track record of the performance of a boiler. Any other critical issue, if detected, should also be recorded in the logbook for review and reference by the engineers. 

Apart from this, periodical maintenance is also required, on a daily, monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, and yearly basis. Additionally, seasonal servicing and maintenance are also critically important.

Daily Check List (to be conducted by Onsite Staff)

• Visual inspection of the boiler and allied pipework.
• Check and ensure that the boiler’s temperature, pressure, and exhaust temperature are all within the specified range.
• Check for any unusual vibration and extraordinary noise. 
• Check for any water leaking out of any part of the boiler.
• Check and clean the area around the boiler for debris.
• Check the flame to find any signs of soot. 
• Check the panel to note any error code appearing there. This is very important. If any error code appears, immediately call the boiler engineer to fix it.

Weekly Check List (By Onsite Staff)

• Visual inspection to detect any gas or water leak, or any damaged or rusty parts. 
• Check for abnormal vibrations and noises.
• Check the boiler pressure. Typically, it should be somewhere between 1 to 2 bars. Anything lower or higher than that is abnormal and needs urgent attention. 
• Ensure that the pilot light is blue. A yellow or orange colored flame is an indication of faulty gas combustion, which needs immediate resolution.
• Check and confirm that the water temperature is correctly maintained.
• Check for any abnormal smells, like those of burning or gas leakage. 

Monthly Check List (to be conducted by Property Manager or Engineer)

• Check ventilation and air supply. Ensure that vents are free from any blockage or obstructions.
• Check the level of feed water. 
• Check for any leaks, damage, or rust appearing in any of the pipework
• Check that the safety valves are functioning perfectly, especially the pressure release valves.
• Check and confirm that the thermostat is accurately adjusted at the correct temperature setting.
• Check and ensure that the fuel usage is correct. 
• Check the exterior of the boiler to detect any abnormal hot spots, which are an indication of overheating.
• Check and clean the filters, if required.

Quarterly Check List (Conducted by Property Manager or Engineer)

• Check the moving parts of the boiler and lubricate them, based on the manufacturer's requirements and instructions. 
• The flame color of the burner should always be clear blue. It should be steady as well. Any deviation in color or unstable flame is an indication of a fault. It needs to be reported and fixed instantly.
• Check for any signs of corrosion, erosion, rust, or leaks in any of the pipework. If detected, it should be fixed immediately. 
• Check and test the boiler lockout and reset functionality.
• Review gas supply pressure. This must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer. 

Half-Yearly Check List (By Property Manager or Engineer)

• Perform a water treatment test. It is important to avoid corrosion or the accumulation of limescale.
• In the case of more than one boiler functioning in the building, proper synchronization should be done to ensure balanced operation.
• Check the backup systems by testing fail-safes and emergency shut-offs.

Annual Checklist (Must be done by a Gas Safe Registered Engineer)

Annual maintenance is an important step. It is also called the Annual Professional Servicing; hence must be conducted only by a Gas Safe Registered Engineer. It also leads to the issuance of a Commercial Gas Safety Certificate (CP 42). 

• Perform flue and combustion tests to ensure that carbon monoxide emissions are within safe limits.
• Look for any signs of cracks or corrosion in the heat exchanger.
• Remove soot to optimize fuel efficiency by cleaning and adjusting the burner.
• Check electrical connections and wiring for any loose joints or connections.
• Replace the seals and gaskets if worn out.
• Remove sludge and debris by flushing the system. 
• Verify timers and thermostats to ensure the safety of the boiler.
• Conduct annual gas safety inspections and obtain a commercial Gas Safety Certificate (CP 42).

Seasonal Inspection and Maintenance

In addition to the above schedule, a seasonal inspection of boilers is also required, which includes:

• Before Winter – It includes bleeding of radiators, insulation of pipes to avoid freezing, and a full professional check to ensure that the boiler performs uninterrupted at the time of peak usage. 
• After Winter – Once the peak winter is over, review for any signs of wear and tear, check for accumulation of sludge or limescale and fully evaluate its performance to see if any repair work is necessary.

IMPORTANT

• Keep a record of all service and maintenance conducted periodically.
• Keep a record of Commercial Gas Safety Certificates for at least two years.
• Keep a record of the engineer's visits and their findings and actions.
• Don't hesitate to call a Gas Safe registered engineer if, at any time, any abnormality is noticed in the performance of the commercial boiler. Remember, only a Gas Safe registered engineer is officially authorized to work on commercial boilers.

Conclusion

A commercial boiler is a vital component of a commercial or industrial facility. Primarily, it provides hot water and heats the spaces. Additionally, it is used in numerous commercial and industrial processes. Due to its high utility, especially during the colder months of the year, it needs to be well-maintained at all times, as an abrupt breakdown during peak season can be costly. 

Hence, commercial boilers need regular maintenance and servicing. Accordingly, a well-planned strategy needs to be in place, which may include daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly maintenance schedules. 

Businesses should always follow the schedule of maintenance and servicing of the boilers only by a registered Gas Safe engineer. A checklist of all periodical servicing and maintenance would be quite handy for the property managers. Remember, a well-maintained boiler saves you a lot not only on energy bills but also on unwarranted expenses for repairs and replacement.