For a commercial food processing facility, keeping boilers operational is essential. They generate steam used for cooking, processing, sanitizing, and packaging product. When a boiler fails, or needs to be shut down for a significant amount of time for repairs, the business suffers. In most cases the business has to halt plant production.
In the following article, we share a recent example of a customer whose boiler tubes needed to be replaced unexpectedly. We were able to remove the failing tubes, custom fabricate new ones, and get the system up and running – all over a single weekend. Plus, we share some of the disadvantages of a complete boiler shut down.
Situation
Bay City Boiler recently helped a food processor customer in the Central Valley that had leaking boiler tubes where simply plugging the leaks was not an option. Because of this, the only solution was to replace several of the boiler tubes. However, it needed to be done in a way that would minimize downtime; every hour without their functioning boiler would cost this business significant loss of revenue.
Solution
Whereas most boiler service companies would have needed to outsource the manufacturing of new boiler tubes, introducing weeks of delay into the process, this is not the case for us. We were able to get this customer back up in one weekend. How did we manage this? Take a look:
- Bay City Boiler planned a shutdown on a Friday
- We cut out and removed 5 failing boiler tubes the next morning
- We brought these boiler tubes down to our fabrication facility in Fresno where an overnight shift:
- Laser-mapped a sample tube pulled from the boiler
- Precision-cut and bent new boiler tubes
- Our team then Installed the newly-fabricated boiler tubes and started up the boiler on Monday.
What made this possible is the unique set of capabilities that we have assembled at Bay City Boiler. We have:
- Exclusive relationships with top boiler equipment manufacturers
- A large team of boiler experts, including boilermakers and service technicians
- In-house fabrication, including precision CNC tube bending equipment
Result
For what could have easily taken another boiler company weeks to pull off, we managed to accomplish with only a few hours of downtime. The customer saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost productivity and they protected themselves from future, unplanned, downtime if the boiler had failed.
Disadvantages of a Complete Boiler Shut Down
In this case, we were able to help the customer proactively replace leaky boiler tubes in a planned way. Had the damaged tubes deteriorated to the point of an untimely failure, the situation could have resulted in additional negative outcomes.
Safety hazards
A commercial boiler shut down can cause hazards in a wide range of areas, including:
- Explosion: This can be caused by a low water level in the boiler. If level controls are improperly installed or fail, and the boiler is allowed to drop to an unsafe water level, the boiler can overheat and risk catastrophic failure.
- Leaks: Failed components on the boiler can lead to both water and gas leaks leading to unsafe working conditions.
- Burner Backfires: Incorrect burner settings or failed safety devices can cause burners to experience delayed ignition, risking backfires and bodily harm.
Loss of heating and hot water
One of the major disadvantages of a commercial boiler shut down is that you lose heating, hot water, or steam used in production processes. This can not only be inconvenient but also pose health and safety hazards.
- If your heating system stops working in the winter months, your building will become colder than usual, posing a risk to your employees and customers or at least impacting comfort and productivity (see below).
- If the boiler isn’t working, you won’t be able to supply hot water for use in cleaning.
Loss of productivity
A commercial boiler shut down can cause a drop in productivity for your employees. If your heating system stops working, it can make it uncomfortable for your employees to do their jobs. This can lead to employees leaving earlier than expected or struggling to remain productive because of the cold temperatures in the building.
A drop in productivity can cause a financial burden on your business, as you’ll need to hire more staff to cover the work that can’t be completed by your current employees. This can increase your costs and lead to a loss in revenue.
Repairs and replacements
A commercial boiler shut down can cause a significant amount of damage to your property. For example, a leak can result in water damage to your building structure. Aside from leaky boiler tubes, read more about common boiler issues here.
Conclusion
A commercial boiler shutdown can affect your business in a number of ways, from causing safety hazards to leading to financial burdens and damages. To prevent unplanned downtime, be sure to invest in preventative boiler maintenance and consider a comprehensive boiler maintenance program.
Bay City Boiler Can Help
Northern California commercial and industrial facilities have relied on us for Boiler Rentals, Boiler Equipment Sales, and Repair & Maintenance Services since 1976. Please contact us today for a no-obligation consultation about your boiler room needs.