How to Clean Commercial Boilers

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How to Clean Commercial Boilers

Commercial and Industrial boilers require regular cleaning. Several issues can occur in a dirty boiler. On the fireside, thick layers of soot can accumulate. Soot is highly flammable and reduces efficiency. On the waterside, scale is a major issue, reducing heat transfer efficiency.

Fireside Boiler Cleaning Checklist

The fireside of a commercial boiler is where the combusion of fuel occurs. Soot is leftover as a byproduct of this.

Soot Causes
Low ratio of air to fuel
Clogging/dirt
Mechanical problems
Ignition Issues
  • Turn off the boiler.
  • Remove all access ports.
  • Brush and vacuum the combustion chamber and the outside of the boiler.
  • Make sure to collect the soot and dispose of it properly, according to local regulations.

Quality Fireside Boiler Cleaning Instruments

  • Goodway Ram-4X-KIT Heavy-Duty Turbine Firetube Boiler Cleaning System. This system allows you to brush and vacuum simultaneously. The brush cleaning system has a 1HP motor.
  • Goodway SAM-3 Firetube Boiler Cleaning Kit. This also includes a vacuum and brush. The brush, Goodway Soot-A-Matic, is handheld and is a popular option.
  • Elliott Soot Buster. This brush is a portable system. It is pneumatically actuated and propels itself in and out of the boiler tube.

Waterside Boiler Cleaning Checklist

Cool water is heated or turned into steam on the waterside of an industrial boiler. Oxygen, heat transfer, and water deposits are all factors to consider here.

Boiler Tube Cleaning Methods Pressure Washing Brushing Vacuuming
  • Turn the boiler off.
  • Close the valves for the steam gate and boiler feed water.
  • Drain the water out of the boiler.
  • Open capped ports, manholes, and hand holes.
  • Utilize high-pressure water and spray the waterside of the boiler, making sure to do it through all ports. Debris (including scale) should begin to come off.
  • Brush this loosened debris and then vacuum it.

Proper Waterside Boiler Cleaning Instruments

  • Goodway Ram-4X-60 Heavy Duty Boiler Cleaner. It can be utilized wet or dry, when wet the water flushes out deposits while the brush loosens it at the same time. It is electrically powered.
  • Goodway AWT-100 Tube Cleaner. This air-powered version is highly portable and can flush this system as the brush removes debris.

Safe Time on Cleaning with Regular Maintenance

Does Your Boiler Have
Downtime? 
Efficiency Issues?
Cleaning Labor Costs?

Always have a dirty commercial or industrial boiler with scale and corrosion? Do you need to spend significant time getting your boiler clean, just to have to do it again shortly after? You should consider chemical water treatment and regular maintenance. In addition to saving time, you will save money too. Chemical water treatment for boilers significantly decreases the energy costs. A large part of this is due to the heat transfer surface not having corrosion or scale layers impeding it. Additionally, untreated water is not as efficient at heat transfer. Both factors will save you a significant amount of overall energy costs.

Chardon Labs Scale Free Guarantee

The Solution
Chardon Labs Preventative Maintenance
(380) 224-7395
sales@chardonlabs.com

We can handle all your chemical water treatment maintenance service needs. We are so confident in our ability to prevent scales that we offer a Scale-Free Guarantee. For this, you will need to meet our minimum equipment requirements (which we can help upgrade if necessary). Prevent your boiler from getting dirty in the first place and book a free Chardon Labs survey today! You can book that by utilizing our contact form here or call us at (380) 224-7395.

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Matt Welsh

Matt Welsh is the Vice President and Water Consultant at Chardon Labs. He helps consult a wide range of customers utilizing various methods of water treatment, from chemical to chemical-free approaches, large and small applications, and across a wide range of geographical influences. With 20 years of water treatment experience, including a wide range of troubleshooting and service in potable water and non-potable HVAC and industrial applications, he is an expert in water treatment chemistry for cooling towers, boilers, and closed-loop systems.

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