Boiler Blog | Nationwide Boiler Inc.

Learning and performing proper water treatment will protect your boiler system from tube damage and corrosion, and can also contribute to maximizing boiler efficiency. In this edition of Boiler Basics 101, we will discuss the consequences of improper water treatment and how to implement a proper water treatment plan.

If feedwater is not treated properly before entering the boiler, a chemical imbalance can initiate the formation of scale. Scale is the accumulation of mineral deposits, primarily calcium and magnesium, on the internal surfaces of the boiler.  These minerals have the potential to precipitate from the water and bond to surfaces, creating a layer that may result in harm to boiler tubes, reduced boiler efficiency, and potential for ruptures. Proper water treatment methods, such as the use of water softeners and deaerators, reverse osmosis, and chemical additives to condition the water, must be employed to prevent scale formation.

1. A water softener will remove the calcium and magnesium content in the boiler’s water supply. This effectively “softens” the water before it enters a boiler and removes the minerals that are often the cause of scale in a boiler.
2. A deaerator should be utilized to mechanically remove oxygen from the water before it enters the boiler. This will prevent boiler tube failure.
3. Reverse osmosis can also be used to aid your boiler. Reverse osmosis is a process that can be used in boiler water treatment to purify and condition the water by using pressure to filter out any hardness and impurities.
4. Chemical treatment is also necessary to ensure proper water conditioning alongside the mechanical treatments listed above. Typically, the chemicals used for treatment purposes are an oxygen scavenger, scale inhibitor, and an amine to treat the steam system piping.

It is important to note that from a rental perspective, it is the customer’s responsibility to maintain the water treatment conditions of their rental boiler to avoid equipment damage and additional repair charges that can result from improper water treatment procedures. It is recommended that the services of a reputable boiler chemical consultant are retained in order to supervise the water treatment conditions on a regular basis. Weekly tasks should include maintaining daily boiler logs, conducting chemical treatment tests, providing a report from the chemical treatment consultant, and sharing maintenance records with your rental boiler supplier.

All boilers are subject to damage if proper water treatment procedures are not followed. This is an important consideration both during operation and when the boiler is idle. Maintaining a water treatment plan will not just extend your boiler’s lifespan and the durability of its components, but it will also facilitate long-term cost savings. It is an investment that pays off in the form of lower energy costs, fewer repairs, reduction of costly down time, and compliance with regulations; all contributing to long-term cost savings.

Make sure to explore our earlier Boiler Basics 101 articles and keep an eye out for the upcoming edition!

Promoting a sustainable future is the focus now more than ever in the boiler industry, and Nationwide Boiler has been at the forefront of identifying and supplying reliable ultra-low NOx solutions to industry for more than three decades. Today, we can proudly state that we have achieved 5 ppm NOx performance with a recent ultra-low NOx burner/boiler package - and the outlook is bright for this ultra low NOx burner. 

With half of the state covered in forests, it is no surprise that Washington is one of the country's largest lumber and plywood producers. Exterior Wood is a leader in the industry for pressure treated wood products and is in the same business park as Nationwide Control Solutions, a division of Nationwide Boiler Inc. Facing operational issues with their existing 700 HP CB boiler, Exterior Wood consulted Nationwide Control Solutions to evaluate their system and recommend the best solution to address each of the problem areas.

The problem areas that were identified included: (1) the burner head assembly constantly getting burnt out and replaced, (2) the combustion air fan motor which was rebuilt many times without a like-in-kind replacement option, and (3) stack temperatures at low fire were so low that the stack gases would condense in the stack and rain down corrosive condensate on the boiler tubes. Plus, the boiler tuning was becoming increasingly difficult to meet their local emissions requirements due to the age and condition of the existing burner controls. After a thorough review of existing equipment, site conditions, and natural gas usage reports, we concluded that the boiler was greatly oversized and that continuing to replace and rebuild components was not a viable solution for the longevity of the system.

Based on these results, our team offered a new 250 HP Superior package firetube boiler with an Oilon LN30 ultra-low NOx burner that was capable of not just meeting but exceeding their NOx emissions requirements of 12 ppm. Upon start-up and source testing, the ultra-low NOx capabilities of the Oilon burner were proven with the impressive results of 5 ppm NOx and 0 ppm CO output. Plus, the LN30 recently completed additional testing on a boiler from Nationwide's stock inventory, with results that prove it to be a reliable 2.5 ppm option.

Built upon cutting-edge technology, this new Superior Boiler/Oilon burner package will provide Taiga / Exterior Wood with many years of low maintenance and reliable operation. And, with a commitment to sustainability and efficiency, this solution ensures future emissions compliance to help minimize environmental impact.

Check out Nationwide Boiler's recent press release for additional information. If you would like to learn more about how you can achieve ultra-low emissions requirements, contact us or call 1-800-227-1966.

Every year and in many countries across the world, the month of June is recognized as National Safety Month. It is a reminder to organizations and individuals to prioritize safety not only in the workplace, but in their everyday lives. National Safety Month aims to raise awareness about potential hazards and educate people on how to prevent accidents, injuries, and illness.

What are we doing at Nationwide Boiler to make sure that our workplace is safe for employees? We ensure that employees understand the emergency procedures and respond in the right way. Some of the procedures that we have implemented at Nationwide Boiler are:

Emergency & Evacuation: We have guidance procedures for active shooters, bomb threats, earthquakes, fires, gas leaks, workplace violence, and more.

Accident Investigations: We have procedures on what to do if an employee is injured, how the accident is investigated, and investigation hints.

Hearing Conservation: We have a Hearing Conservation Program that is designed to protect employees from hearing loss caused by hazardous noise. This includes identifying these noises, using hearing protection, and audiometric testing every year.

First Aid & CPR: First Aid training is offered to NBI employees and training is provided by an accredited trainer every two years.

Injury Illness Prevention: One person is given the responsibility to implement this program, and that is our Health & Safety Coordinator. The program includes a system where employees comply with safe practices, have a form readily understandable on safety and health, and know procedures for identifying workplace hazards.

Safety in the boiler industry is of top importance due to the nature of boiler operations. At Nationwide Boiler, we take every precaution to ensure that we are adhering to all standards and keeping our employees safe. How do we do that? We adhere to safety regulations mandated by CAL-OSHA/OSHA guidelines specific to our industry. Throughout the year, Nationwide's shop team holds regular safety meetings twice a month, covering 40-50 topics. These meetings serve as platforms to discuss safety protocols, address concerns, and reinforce best practices.

It is also important that each employee has the right gear for the position that they are in. Every shop employee is equipped with appropriate PPE based on their specific job roles. Safety glasses, fall protection gear, respirators, safety toe boots, Tyvek suits, sand blast suits, hoods, and gloves are among the PPE enforced at Nationwide. Employees are responsible for maintaining the cleanliness and effectiveness of their PPE, and they are trained to recognize when their equipment requires replacement so they can request new gear accordingly. The Health & Safety Coordinator also conducts biannual checks to ensure PPE compliance.

Proper housekeeping is also enforced to minimize risks associated with slips and falls. We implement safety protocols for handling chemicals, conduct regular fire safety drills, address electrical hazards promptly, and provide ergonomic training to prevent injuries. An ergonomically designed workspace reduces muscle fatigue, increases productivity, and reduces injuries. And to promote physical well-being, Nationwide employees engage in stretch and flex exercises regularly throughout each day. This routine helps warm up bodies and prevent ergonomic injuries.  

Lastly, our facility in Fremont, CA adheres to Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) requirements to ensure environmental safety. The SWPPP identifies all industrial operations conducted at our facility and identifies pollution control practices that will implement and minimize pollutants from reaching Stormwater runoff. Nationwide Boiler’s SWPPP committee meets regularly to review plan requirements, analyze test results, and determine next steps for ensuring continual compliance.

At Nationwide Boiler, safety is an important part of our company culture. By encouraging a strong safety mindset, ensuring compliance with regulations, providing necessary training, and maintaining a safe working environment, we prioritize the well-being of our employees in every aspect of our operations.

Nationwide Boiler's 42nd Annual Charity Golf Tournament was another major success! With the support of more than 55 generous sponsors, donors, and event participants, we were able to raise $69,639 and, due to a last-minute anonymous donor, we rounded it out for a grand total of $70,000 raised! All proceeds will once again be split and donated back to Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area and the ABMA's Randy Rawson Scholarship Fund.

Nationwide Boiler hosted 52 golfers and over 120 guests from across the country including customers, vendors, representatives, NBI board members, and NBI’s owner families. Golfers teed off at Spanish Bay on Wednesday, May 10th for a practice round of golf before the big tournament the following day at the Pebble Beach Golf Links. After a long two-days of golf, guests gathered for the Awards Banquet and Ceremony Thursday evening, where we held our raffle events, a live auction, and announced our tournament winners. Our theme this year was Broadway, with inspiration coming from the hit Broadway musical 42nd Street, and guests dressed in their favorite Broadway musical inspired costumes. Employees from Nationwide Boiler all dressed in Hamilton era attire, and it was nothing less than a grand event! 

Congratulations to this year's winners! Jake Cushard, NBI Founder Dick Bliss' great-grandson, took home the Low Gross Championship for the second year in a row. Jack Oliver of ADCO Companies took home the trophy in our Handicap Division, and Mohan Singhal of Porter Boiler took home the trophy for our Callaway Division. Jake Cushard also won the competition for Closest to the Pin, and Chris Lorenz of Simoneau Sterling won the Longest Drive Competition. As for the big winner of our raffle for 1 ounce of gold, which we are sure everyone is curious about, that went home with Grant Carter from ADCO Companies. 

But the biggest winners of all at this event are our much-deserving beneficiaries, Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area and the ABMA's Randy Rawson Scholarship Fund. All of the hard work and time it takes to coordinate this event is worth it, because we are doing it for a good cause.

Founded in 1984 and one of the largest chapters nationwide, Make-A-Wish® Greater Bay Area is a non-profit organization that fulfills the wishes of children between the ages of 2 ½ and 18 who have been diagnosed with critical illnesses. The organization has granted more than 8,500 wishes to date. The ABMA’s Rawson Scholarship Fund was started for the promotion of careers in boiler engineering and fabrication and each year the organization awards multiple individual scholarships to applicants that are sponsored by an ABMA member company. The ABMA is making strides with their scholarship fund and other initiatives to help strengthen and grow the future of the boiler industry. 

We couldn't be more thankful to be able to continue this tradition of raising funds and giving back while enjoying the breathtaking views of Pebble Beach. Thank you to everyone who participated and supported the event and helped us reach record-breaking numbers again this year!

Like us on Facebook and view all of the photos from this year's event.