In order to attain long term energy efficiency in your HVAC systems, you need to pay close attention to a number of factors including proper system maintenance and operator experience. When it comes to boilers, its operation and maintenance are two closely tied factors that you cannot possibly separate if you want efficiency.
Good boiler operation means daily and periodic maintenance while low maintenance costs will depend on the quality of the operation control.

The Personnel Component

It’s normal to give the boiler technology much attention when looking for energy efficiency, however, this can at times be at the expense of the personnel component. The reality is, the training and the experience of boiler operators will determine to a greater extent the efficiency of your system.
The boiler operator is the person who plays the custodial role when it comes to the welfare of the boiler system because he gives a high degree of attention to the instrumentation and equipment throughout the operation cycle. For instance, each time the boiler is pressurized to 15 psi and above, the operator must be present each day for 24 hours throughout the week. This is why most institutions hire more than one operator and puts them on a revolving schedule.

Optimal Efficiency

The efficiency of the boiler depends on a number of factors amongst them:

• Time and temperature – For the boiler to achieve efficient operations, the entire furnace system must be raised to operating temperature and the fuel burning rate maintained so as to produce the desired pounds of steam to run the turbines.
• Turbulence – Turbulence is required for efficient boiler operation. This can be achieved by introducing drafts through large volume air handlers.
• Oxygen – The supply of oxygen during the combustion process comes from volatile constituents drawn from the fuel as well as the air supply.

The boiler operator ensures that these characteristics are balanced for efficiency.

Boiler Maintenance

Regular maintenance of boiler system is important for smooth operations. The person in charge of the system must be able to predict when maintenance should be done. Through continuous logging of information collected, it becomes much easier to detect problems at the earliest stage possible. This means lower operation costs as well as reduced utility bills.

When selecting a boiler, some of the important characteristics to bear in mind include the availability and cost of the fuel needed, the space required by the system, the capacity conditions required by the end user and other preferential considerations. As a rule of thumb, the fuel required should be low in ash, moisture and sulfur content. To ensure the system serves you right without failure, you need to have it installed properly, regularly inspected, and the information logged to allow for preventive maintenance.