Signs Your Factory's Old Boiler Needs Replacing

If your factory depends on an older industrial boiler to heat the facility and provide hot water for your equipment, you may worry that its advanced age means that it could break down at any time or that it no longer operates efficiently enough to operate at maximum capacity. If so, look for the following signs that your factory's old boiler needs replacing

Boiler Requires More Fuel to Operate

Because your boiler is getting older, it may not be able to operate as efficiently as it did when it was newer. As a result, it may require more fuel to keep itself operating and meeting the heating demands of your factory.

If you have noticed that the boiler is starting to burn more fuel than it did before, the equipment will cost you a lot of money. If you continue to run the old boiler instead of replacing it, your fuel consumption costs will only increase.

Water Takes Longer to Heat

Even with the increased fuel consumption, you may start noticing that the boiler is taking a long time to heat the water. When a boiler is newer, it typically starts heating up the water almost immediately, providing you with the heat you need for your factory.

However, even when the boiler has been running constantly, the water may never heat to the temperature that it once did. Parts such as the burner, airflow intake, and thermostat may be worn out to the point that they can no longer meet the demands of your factory.

Eventually, one or more of these parts will need replacing. If this happens when you are not prepared, you could end up losing time and money waiting for repairs that may not even work. You would then waste even more time and money waiting for a new one to be installed.

Burner Flame Turns Yellow

Normally, your boiler's burner flame should burn a bright blue with perhaps a tint of yellow in the fire. However, if your old boiler starts burning straight yellow, this is a sign of a serious problem with the fuel and oxygen exchange inside the boiler.

When the flame turns yellow, this color change means that the boiler is burning off more fuel than it is consuming. Not only does this waste fuel, but it also means that the boiler is giving off large amounts of carbon monoxide.

If your factory's industrial boiler is showing the above signs of wear and is possibly on the verge of breaking down, you should have it replaced as soon as possible. However, while you are waiting for your new boiler to arrive and be installed, consider contacting a company that offers rental boilers to have a temporary one installed so you can keep your factory going until then.