Boiler inspection basics

Boilers in Canada are regulated by the provinces, and many must be registered and inspected periodically under a provincial boiler and pressure vessel program. Owners are responsible for keeping them in safe condition between those inspections, which means routine checks, competent operators where required, licensed service and good records.

Who regulates boilers

Each province has its own boiler and pressure vessel legislation and a body that administers it. In Alberta that is ABSA, in British Columbia Technical Safety BC, and in Ontario the TSSA. These programs set out which boilers must be registered, how often they are inspected, who can operate them and who can repair them. Requirements depend on things like the boiler's size, pressure, temperature and use, so the rules for a small hot water heating boiler can be quite different from those for a high-pressure steam plant.

Fuel-burning equipment is also covered by gas codes and the gas safety program in each province, and the work on burners and gas trains must be done by licensed gas technicians.

Types of inspection

The safety devices on a hot water boiler

Inspections concentrate on a small group of devices whose only job is to stop the boiler from overheating, over-pressurizing or running without water. It helps to know where they are and what each one protects against before the inspector arrives.

What an inspector looks for

Inspectors focus on the parts that prevent an explosion, a fire or a scald. These typically include:

• Safety relief valves: correct size and setting, free discharge piping and evidence of testing or replacement.
• Operating and limit controls: high-limit switches, low-water cut-offs and flame safeguards.
• Gauges and water level indicators that work and can be read.
• Signs of leaks, corrosion, overheating or damage to the vessel and piping.
• Combustion air supply and venting.
• Clearances, access and the condition of the boiler room.
• Registration, certificates, nameplate information and logbooks.

What owners should check between inspections

Most boiler failures develop between inspections. A routine, set by the manufacturer's instructions and your provincial requirements, should cover:

• Pressure and temperature readings within normal ranges, recorded in a log.
• Low-water cut-off tested as the manufacturer and your service contractor specify.
• No water, steam or flue gas leaks, and no signs of scorching or soot.
• Relief valve discharge pipe clear and not leaking.
• Water treatment levels within the treatment provider's targets.
• Boiler room clear of storage, combustibles and chemicals, with combustion air openings unblocked.
• Carbon monoxide detection working where required.
• Alarms and trouble signals investigated, not reset and ignored.

Water treatment

Poor water treatment is one of the most common causes of boiler damage. Scale reduces heat transfer and can overheat metal. Oxygen and incorrect chemistry cause corrosion. Even closed hydronic heating loops need their water checked periodically. Keep treatment reports with the boiler records and act on what they show.

Getting ready for the mandated inspection

Inspections go faster and produce fewer surprises when the boiler room and the paperwork are prepared. A practical sequence in the weeks before the visit:

1. Confirm the date and scope with the provincial authority or authorized inspector, including whether an internal inspection is due and the boiler must be shut down, cooled and opened.
2. Book your contractors. If the boiler is to be opened, arrange for the service contractor to do it and to be present. Arrange gas technician service if the burner is due.
3. Pull the records together: the current certificate, the last inspection report and proof that each deficiency was corrected, operator logs, low-water cut-off test records, burner service reports and water treatment reports.
4. Walk the boiler room. Clear storage away from the boiler, make sure the nameplate and gauges are readable, confirm relief valve discharge piping is intact, and check that combustion air openings are not blocked.
5. List known problems. It is better to tell the inspector about a leaking valve you have already scheduled for repair than to have it discovered.

After the inspection, record each deficiency, who will correct it and by when, and keep the proof of correction with the inspection report.

Common mistakes

• Relief valve discharge piped into a location where nobody would notice it lifting, or capped or reduced in size.
• Low-water cut-offs never tested, or tested without a record being kept.
• Boiler rooms used for storage, blocking access and combustion air.
• Alarms reset repeatedly without anyone finding the cause.
• Assuming a boiler is exempt from registration because it is small, without checking.

Records to keep

• Registration and certificate of inspection from the provincial authority.
• Inspection reports and the actions taken on each deficiency.
• Operator logs and routine test records.
• Burner service and combustion analysis reports.
• Water treatment reports.
• Repair records, including who did the work and any permits.

Good records make the mandated inspection go faster and show that the equipment has been looked after. They also help when planning replacement, which is covered in our guide to reserve fund studies and capital planning.

How ehZee can help

We do not perform provincially mandated boiler inspections. Through our mechanical system inspections, we assess boiler plant condition independently, help you prepare for the mandated inspection, review your records and follow up on deficiencies by coordinating the licensed contractors who correct them.

Common questions