Boiler Installation Pitfalls Part 6: How to Have a Successful Boiler Startup

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Boiler startups can be nerve-racking. We get it. A failed startup can ruin your day—and many that follow—while you attempt to address whatever went wrong. So, before you endure another “Please Don’t Fail Me Now” moment, we have a few simple recommendations to ease your mind and help ensure a successful startup.

Review the project with your boiler representative before installation begins. Ideally, you should review the plans with your rep before the equipment ships and then again at the job site before the boiler is piped, wired, and vented. In both these instances, the boiler representative will:

• Ensure the hydronic piping is correctly sized and designed for the specific boiler.

• Verify that the venting is sized correctly and made of appropriate materials for the application.

• Make sure the design allows for sufficient combustion air.

• Confirm that the gas piping is the proper size and the gas regular is the appropriate size and type.

• Review the controls, especially the control sequence of the boilers and pumps.

Arrange to have the boiler representative inspect the boiler installation. The representative will verify that the boiler is appropriately vented, wired, and piped. This walk-thru inspection can occur any time after installations are complete but before the startup scheduled. It's the perfect opportunity to verify the boiler is ready for startup.

Require a factory-authorized startup. This ensures the startup is conducted with a qualified technician trained and certified on the specific boiler. Remember that most boiler manufacturers require this type of authorized startup to uphold the boiler warranty.

During startup, the technician will:

• Conduct a combustion analysis to confirm that the boiler is firing within the factory's recommendations; this analysis measures oxygen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxide.

• Check the gas static pressure and dynamic pressure.

• Inspect the vent for proper size, configuration, and clearance.

• And check many, many other things.

The boiler representative should include this information in the startup report and give it to the owner as necessary documentation. Here is an example of a typical startup report.

There! You feel better already, don’t you?