Busy building services managers always have a lot on their plate. The job of keeping a commercial premises warm in the winter, cool in the summer, well-maintained, clean, hygienic, safe, effective and compliant with numerous regulations is a highly responsible and challenging one. When all goes as it should, nobody thinks twice about it, but if there’s a problem, it can cause issues ranging from a minor inconvenience to serious financial and reputational losses.
The boiler is one of the most important appliances in any premises. Without it, offices and schools can’t keep people warm or provide hot water. Hospitals, which have to be kept at a certain temperature, might be forced to cancel operations, manufacturing processes may have to be shut down, and hospitality venues can’t produce food, wash up or do the laundry.
Keeping commercial boilers in optimum condition is therefore a real priority, and savvy premises managers will, over time, get to know their boiler’s particular ‘personality’. Although a boiler can go wrong out of the blue, there are often warning signs in the preceding weeks which shouldn’t be ignored. Here are three to watch out for:
Inconsistent temperature
If you find your commercial boiler is not keeping the building as warm as it should, or the temperature is fluctuating, there could be a drop in water pressure due to a leak, a defective pressure relief valve, or a build-up of ‘sludge’ – debris which can accumulate over time in the pipes and radiators and clog them up. Limescale build-up can also cause a boiler to struggle when it collects on the surface of heat exchangers, and there is also the possibility of wear and tear on components such as the thermostat or pump.
Unexpected noises
A commercial boiler should sit quietly in its corner and not draw attention to itself, but occasionally it may decide to give a musical performance. Whistling, clanking, gurgling, hissing and knocking noises can all herald a problem – and there are quite a number of possibilities as to the cause. It could be mechanical, the result of air becoming trapped in the system, or the boiler’s pressure being too high. Limescale build-up or a malfunctioning pump can also be reasons for strange noises, or ‘kettling’, a sound a bit like a kettle coming to the boil, which can indicate an obstruction or restriction in the water flow. In summary, if your boiler’s talking to you, you need to listen!
Leaks
Commercial boiler leaks should be acted on as soon as they’re spotted, as they’re never a good sign. It could be that a gasket or seal has degraded, metal corrosion has arisen due to a reaction with water or another substance, or a pressure valve has developed a fault. If a leak is spotted, it’s important to turn off the water supply to prevent damage to both the boiler and the surrounding area.
These are just three of the most common boiler issues to be on the alert for, but there are plenty of others which can be equally problematic. Regular maintenance and servicing are crucial, of course, but however meticulous you are about it, there will always be a time when something out of the ordinary occurs.
A boiler shutdown for emergency maintenance can be a major crisis for any business, and it always seems to occur at the worst possible time. Calling in an engineer is the immediate step, but this won’t guarantee an instant fix if it turns out to be a serious problem. So how can you ensure the seamless provision of heat and hot water if your commercial boiler goes wrong?
The ability to hire a temporary commercial boiler as soon as it’s needed is an option which has rescued many organisations from disaster. At Ideal Heat Solutions, we’ve helped numerous businesses carry on uninterrupted with our state-of-the-art temporary boilers. We are ready to come to the rescue at any time, but what we always recommend is to have a contingency plan in place to ensure minimal loss of productivity.
One of our fully accredited engineers makes a site visit, free of charge, to check issues such as access, available space, position of power sources, the layout of your site, health and safety considerations. Once this has been done, we’ll draw up a plan for your particular requirements, and a temporary boiler can be installed as soon as you need one because any queries have already been dealt with.
If you think an advance plan for temporary commercial boiler hire would be a practical move for your business, why not contact us. We’ve built an excellent reputation in the industry for delivering temporary boiler solutions, and our team of experienced staff are on hand 24/7 to provide assistance and support.
