The Most Common Commercial Boiler Faults

Just like in your home, when a commercial boiler is working normally, you shouldn’t even notice that it’s there. It should do its job with minimal intervention. The problem is when something does go wrong with commercial heating equipment, it can be a real headache to get it fixed fast, not to mention having to deal with the disruption that it can cause to the building and its occupants.  

So without further a-do, let’s explore the most common problems that we here at Bensons Gas Engineering tend to come across and what you can do when you find faults with your commercial heating system.

This is probably the most common fault that we encounter and is probably the fault that has the broadest of causes. Commercial boiler and plant installations are complex and often have much more equipment to go wrong than a standard boiler. Just because there is no heat, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the boiler is faulty. It could be a secondary pump not working, low system pressure due to the pressurisation unit not working, or maybe a problem with the controls not sending the correct signals to the boiler. Obvious things to look out for are fault lights or error codes showing on the appliances, that no water is leaking or escaping from somewhere it shouldn’t be (pipework, boiler, pump etc) and whether there are any unusual noises coming from any of the equipment. If any of these issues are found, it’s best to call your commercial gas engineer and have them check it out for you. Many commercial heating systems have redundant systems built into them which means with a few modifications, the system can be made to work again whilst awaiting repairs, but again – your gas engineer will be able to advise you on this. 

One of the key things that can help prevent situations such as those above is to have a thorough maintenance schedule in place as this can help with issues that might appear over time and will minimise the risk of a breakdown happening. As a minimum, you should have any gas equipment serviced and tested annually. In some circumstances, it’s also a good idea to have an inspection carried out every 6 months in addition to the annual service and tests.

Hearing noises coming from a plant room is not unusual, especially if your commercial boiler or associated equipment is of a certain vintage. However, the key here is to listen to anything that sounds unusual or different to how it used to sound. Things to be concerned about are noises such as banging, bubbling or gurgling, clanging or clattering, metallic grinding noises or excessive vibrations. Any of these types of sounds could indicate that something has or is about to fail.  

Don’t hesitate to get things checked out if you hear any of the strange noises outlined above and are concerned. Finding out the cause and fixing it promptly could prevent a catastrophic failure from happening and will be much lighter on the pocket in the long run.

Over the 60 years that we have been trading, we’ve come across quite a few leaks in our time. These vary from leaks coming from heat exchangers, pumps, pressurisation units, valves and pipework to leaks coming from the boilers themselves. Sometimes a leak may only be a slight drip or weeping at a joint or seal. Other times, it can be a sudden loss of a large volume of water. Seeing water coming from your commercial boiler can be unnerving to say the least and it might not be anything serious, but it’s always best to have it checked out sooner rather than later.  

Letting a system lose pressure and/or too much water can do damage elsewhere in the system and could become even more costly to put right so if you discover a leak on your heating equipment, get it checked out as soon as possible.

Here at Bensons Gas Engineering, we’ve spent decades working on various commercial gas appliances in various locations. Whether it’s a commercial boiler in a care home or a commercial water heater in a leisure centre, we have experience in it. Our engineers can identify, diagnose and fix faults quickly, helping you get your premises back to normal in the shortest possible timeframe. If you need help or advice with any of the topics raised in this article, feel free to get in touch and we’ll be happy to help in any way we can.