Professionals Needed for a Proper Boiler Inspection

Government regulations and insurance company generally dictate required inspection schedules for boilers. The types and frequencies of inspections may vary. But for safety sake, we recommend biannual inspections. We suggest that you do the internal/external inspection while the boiler is off, not running, with all doors open and inspection plates removed no less than once a year. The external inspection (while the boiler is under pressure) should be performed approximately 6-months after the internal/external inspections to best minimize the time between inspections.


Who Is Involved in a Boiler Inspection?

At a minimum, there are three people that take part in an inspection:

  • the boiler owner or operator
  • a water treatment specialist
  • certified and licensed boiler inspector

Each person has a role to play in the inspection:

  • The inspector should have professional training and certification. He performs the inspection and makes recommendations at the conclusion of the inspection.
  • The owner/operator should inform the inspector of any operation problems that have occurred since the last inspection.
  • The water treatment consultant or the owner/operator should provide the inspector with chemical data for water treatment that has been performed prior to inspection. The water treatment consultant also performs deposit and metallographic analyses as the needs arise during the inspection.
  • The owner/operator and the water treatment consultant both help identify root causes of problems found by the inspector. They are also the ones who make the needed adjustments to the boiler management program after the inspection.

Inspection Results

At the conclusion of the inspection, the inspector should have a conversation with the owner/operator and water treatment consultant, if available, to compare the general conditions observed in the inspection to those of previous inspections. The inspector should also provide a written report to the owner/operator that gives a chronological list of cause and effect problems and constructive action to take to avoid recurrence.


About BTG Boiler Training

The key to safe boiler operation and inspections is boiler operator training. BTG offers boiler training classes, boiler water treatment classes and we also create custom boiler operator training classes for companies. For a class near you please check out our class schedule here. BTG is a part of Boiler Supply Company. Boiler Supply company specializes in new boiler systems by Cleaver Brooks, Parker Boiler and more. They also provide boiler repair and boiler parts to companies across the Southeast U.S.