A boiler failure is more than an equipment problem – it can leave a facility open to lost rental income, municipal fines, production stoppage and, in the case of healthcare facilities, the need to evacuate patients.
Boiler down right now? Mobile Steam dispatches emergency rental boilers 24/7 across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
Sometimes there is a quick-repair solution which a trusted mechanical contractor can implement to get the equipment back online. Other times the fix may take weeks, months or even years depending on available capital funds. In these cases, a mobile rental boiler is the best way to keep the facility’s steam and hot water services online.
How fast your steam and hot water systems are back online depends on how well you prepared for such an emergency when things were going well. Here are some steps all facility managers should take:
In This Article
1) Know Your System and Facility
- What is the maximum steam and hot water load you will need to replace in the event of an outage? Know your lbs. steam/hour, gallons of hot water per minute, pressure ratings and desired water heat.
- Is there return circulating back to the boiler? If so, at what temperature?
- Is there an easy-to-access connection point for steam and/or hot water supply and return? If not, Mobile Steam recommends preparing these points as close to the outside of the building as possible. This will provide for a quick and easy hook-up of a temporary mobile boiler.
- Is there a high-voltage disconnect box on or near the outside of the building where a mobile boiler will be staged? Temporary boilers operate with a minimum of 208-volt 3-phase electricity, with amperage dependent upon the size of the equipment (horsepower).
- What type of fuel is available, and are additional permits needed for temporary hook-ups?
- Where will the temporary boilers be staged? Mobile Steam recommends that rental boilers be staged on a paved, flat surface as close to a boiler room entry point (door, window, louver) as possible, while still being at least 15–20 feet from any air intake or windows.
2) Pre-Screen Mobile Boiler Companies
Inquire if they have equipment which matches your facility’s system.
Mobile Steam Boiler Rental Corp’s fleet of over 50 mobile boilers range in size from 20 to 800 horsepower and includes high- and low-pressure systems to provide temporary steam and hot water. We have equipment which runs on natural gas and No. 2 fuel oil.
Mobile Steam’s boilers are actually complete boiler rooms inside of a trailer. Units come completely piped, wired and fused with state-of-the-art controls, pumps, safeties and water tanks. Smaller units also come with on-board fuel storage tanks.
Depending on the nature of your outage, you may also need to inquire about the availability of deaerator tanks, fuel storage tanks, heat exchangers and other components needed to keep you up and running.
Where are they located? The closer they are, the quicker the response time will be.
For nearly 60 years Mobile Steam has dispatched emergency boilers throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions; from Washington DC to Maine and from the eastern shores of Long Island to the heart of Pennsylvania.
Ask about experience with your type of facility.
Mobile Steam’s experience includes providing temporary rental boilers to multi-unit residential and office buildings, heavy industry, food processors, hospitals & nursing homes, public housing complexes, university campuses, military bases, shipyards, local schools and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Understand how your rental boiler will be installed and serviced.
Depending on the location, Mobile Steam can manage installation, permitting and service when you rent one of our boilers. We are also led by engineers and experienced installers who can guide your mechanical contractor through the process and train your staff on how to operate the equipment.
3) Codify and Share Your Plan
- Make any needed quick-connection installations.
- Create and share an emergency boiler card listing screened vendor contact info and specifics of your system, including horsepower, pressure, fuel, steam vs. hot water, distance from staging area to connection points, etc.
- Plans can be modified and used for planned outages such as annual maintenance outages or component replacements.
Not sure whether your situation calls for a rental unit? See when you need a temporary boiler, or read our guide on what to do when your boiler fails mid-season.
24/7 Emergency Boiler Rental Support
If boiler downtime is putting your facility at risk, Mobile Steam is ready with 24/7 emergency boiler rental service, rapid deployment, and temporary steam and hot water solutions. Call (800) 638-8343 to get support when you need it most, or open the quote form below and our team will be in touch.