Residential boiler market changing significantly

BY GEORGE HUNT

There is a major change afoot with the manufacturers of residential boilers. Manufacturers are asking specific questions. “How do we protect our new boilers from damage due to corrosion and scale? Also, what do we do about the clogging of small passageways in our boilers?”

When cast iron and black pipe were king, these kind of worries were not considered. Now, with aluminum HX (heat exchanger) and the tiny tube diameters, this has become a concern for manufacturers.

The small tube diameters are presenting problems for new boilers when replacing old boilers in a very fouled system. The answer to this worry is to thoroughly clean the existing system and treat it to prevent a reoccurrence.

The other area of concern is aluminum HX. Modern boilers are the rage, but they need to be treated differently than a CI (cast iron) boiler. Aluminum is an efficient way to pass heat from the HX to the water in the boiler. The problem: Aluminum is very susceptible to low or high pH. That’s right, both high or low pH can destroy an aluminum HX’s ability to perform at design efficiency. To make matters worse, use the wrong glycol and you can eat up a boiler in no time. The answer to these two dilemmas is to use aluminum-rated glycol and a treatment product, which will maintain a solid pH of about 7.5 to 8.5. The treatment should also protect the aluminum from corrosion or scale. Other metals found in the various system components should also be protected.

A year or so ago there was very little mention of these potential problem areas. People like myself and the glycol folks warned of the changes that these new boilers would require in order to get the high efficiency for which they were being installed. The glycol manufacturers were making similar statements as to using the correct glycol in boilers with aluminum HX.

After talking with several prominent boiler companies, the maintenance of these new boilers is coming to the forefront.

They do not want to see their fine products become victims due to lack of care. They do not want their equipment to be rendered less efficient by problems that are easily preventable. Basically, they want to eliminate problems, period. They want their contractor-clients and the home-owner-end-user to enjoy trouble-free comfort and better fuel bills.

The concerns they are now talking about are new to them and old hat to those companies that have supplied the industrial markets. Preventive maintenance — cleaning and treatment of boilers — has been an established practice for a long time. Now the boilers being sold for use in the home or small business situation will need to be cared for with the same eye to problem prevention.

There are several good reasons that these boilers will need to be cared for in a far different manner than the old CI boilers. The first and most important reason is poor care will cause loss of efficiency, resulting in higher fuel bills. In this day of rising fuel costs, this should be reason enough to institute a regimen of timely care for this new breed of boiler. Another reason is the new boilers can literally be destroyed if the wrong glycols or chemicals are used. These problem areas can be prevented. The customers are entitled to care-free use and lower fuel bills.

Contractors who are installing the new boilers are discovering that they need to go back to school to properly set up the boiler. They have to learn how to program the computers that come with them. They will also be forced to learn how to care for them with respect to cleaning and treatment.

The cast-iron boiler practices will not be sufficient for this new heating world. The auto industry experienced this same learning curve when they began to go high-tech. Look at the owners manual of any new car. Each auto company is specific about what needs to be done to care for their brand of car. A similar situation is taking place in the boiler industry.

Lack of training and knowledge will be the culprit when new boilers fail to live up to their higher efficiency and even better fuel bills. All of these new generation boiler companies have instituted the necessary training to install their boilers for optimum operation. This author predicts that they will also be adding cleaning and treatment to their instructions, and to their installation manuals.

This is not a new idea. As stated before, the industrial world long ago accepted that preventive maintenance was worth the effort, and, in the long run, saved money. The homeowner market is becoming aware of the need for a different level of care for this new generation of boilers.

I work for a company that services both the industrial world and the homeowner market. The needs for both, in this modern age, are much the same. Tlc is worth the money expended as it comes back in trouble-free operation and lower energy bills. Those contractors that do not acquire this critical knowledge for new-age boilers are destined to find poor operation of the heating systems and very unhappy customers. The customers will feel that they are not getting what they were promised; and they will be correct.

These various concerns are all preventable and with the proper training can be addressed. Heating systems are similar to cars. They both need care. In the case of autos, the problems show up quicker when maintenance is neglected. Heating systems take a little longer to show lack of care.

A plan that includes care of the heating system will make for low energy bills and prevent untimely breakdowns or repairs. The law of Murphy is alive and well in home heating. It is almost an absolute that any system problem will happen when it is most inconvenient. Mechanical breakdowns happen. Chemical problems can and should be prevented.
Doing what is right for the customer is also good business. Happy customers are terrific sources of new business, either by referrals or something they themselves want to have done. Do yourself a favor and ask your boiler company what they are now suggesting for the care and maintenance of their boiler.

Let them know that you are aware of the need for a different maintenance plan than the CI boilers needed. You must be advised what they recommend in order to maintain the good health of their boiler. Most of the well-known boiler companies are now cognizant of the need to provide guidance in this area. Let them know that you want this important information. It is in your customer’s best interest that you know what to do and put it into action. It is a win-win situation that this potential problem area be resolved before these preventable breakdowns are allowed to show up. Money being saved and happy customers will be good for you, as the contractor and for quality growth of your business. A lower energy bill is in everyone’s best interest.