Here are some pointers that will let you know when it’s time to replace your commercial boiler.
Inefficient combustion
This is the most obvious reason to consider replacing your existing commercial boiler. A boiler that’s not completely combusting its fuel will generate CO2, which can prove lethal to on-site workers if precautions are not taken. This is why we recommend always installing a CO2 detector on every boiler room, no matter how new the equipment actually is.
During servicing, the engineer must check for CO2 leaks, and clean all the dirt that might prevent the gasses to mix optimally inside the boiler. If there’s a dirt buildup the flame will likely appear as yellow, instead of blue.
Leaking commercial boiler
Age can create cracks on the body of your boiler or simply corrode it to the point that there’s a leak. Besides leaking harmful CO2, it can also leak water and create water damage on the boiler room and the adjacent rooms as well.
Strange banging and bubbling noises inside your commercial boiler
There are a few reasons while a boiler might be doing strange noises, here are a few of them.
A blockage within the system can create a pressure build-up which generates all sort of noises within a boiler or the pipes.
A poorly performing water pump can also introduce air bubbles to the system, which makes it work a lot harder.
As soon as you hear an unusual noise contact your maintenance crew. Early detection usually makes a problem repairable. But sitting on it may lead to a catastrophic failure, which may leave your boiler out of commission.
Age and obsolescence
Most boilers are designed to work for 15 to 20 years. If your boiler is beyond this threshold it is probably due for decommissioning and replacing.
Otherwise, the maintenance cost will slowly increase until its more expensive to keep it running than to actually replace it.
Even if it’s working perfectly fine and no repairs have been needed, a 20-year-old boiler is vastly inferior to newer more efficient boiler technology. Upgrading to a newer model could be worth it to save money on daily use, like power or fuel.
Reliability of your commercial boiler
If your boiler is increasing its downtime it’s probably just letting you know that it’s on its last legs. A malfunctioning boiler may make you have to stop your whole operation. Keeping it may eventually cost you more than replacing a boiler that’s increasingly out of commission. Don’t wait for it to fully die on you to start looking into replacing options since that can make your company close its doors for a long period.
Availability of spare parts
If parts are increasingly hard to find, it may be a sign that you are working on an obsolete model. Parts for a boiler can usually be found up to 5 years after the model has been discontinued. After that, you are going to have to Macgyver your way into keeping it working. At that point, it’s better to upgrade your boiler rather than risking a catastrophic failure.