October 2025
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Inside the October Issue |
Turn up the Thermostat and Start Making Plans for Boiler Layup
If you live in the southern hemisphere,
you might be reaching for your extra coat
or turning up the thermostat on your heating
system right about now. But that doesn’t
mean you shouldn’t start planning for the
warm spring and summer season a few
months away. That is especially true for
maintenance crews or water treatment professionals
who service commercial heating
boilers. While it may be hard to imagine
turning off these boilers in the middle of winter,
seasonal layup will come soon enough,
and it will be important to have a corrosion
protection plan in place for a successful
layup.
Corrosion Pain Points for Boilers
Although doing nothing to protect your
boiler during layup is an initially pain-free
option, the ensuing corrosion headaches will
eventually catch up. That is because corrosion
“eats” away at metal boiler internals, degrading the systems prematurely. Negative
results may include the following:
1) The walls of the boiler become thinner
over time, leading to potential leaks and replacements.
2) Corrosion products can clog the system.
3) High iron levels from rust falling into the water can “poison” the water, reacting with
the water treatment chemicals to make them
less effective.
4) The boiler will ultimately wear out sooner.
Traditional Layup vs. Cortec “Reptiles”
Some of the most common methods of
boiler preservation are the use of desiccant
or nitrogen blanketing. The first option absorbs
moisture but does not actively fight
corrosion. Furthermore, desiccant typically
must be removed before the boiler is
started to avoid serious consequences. The
second option is expensive and requires
complete reapplication if pressure is lost.
In contrast, Cortec’s boiler “reptiles” are
an extremely convenient and effective
means of preservation.
Choose Your Boiler “Reptile”
Which “reptile” you choose depends on
your boiler size and preferred layup style.
Dry layup involves completely draining the
boiler and only refilling it at startup.
Mid-Size Boilers: For boilers ranging
from 100-10,000 gallons (0.38-38 m³),
Boiler Lizard is a great way to tackle layup.
Each water-soluble pouch contains enough
Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitor powder to
protect 1,000 gallons (3.8 m³) of boiler volume.
When placed inside a boiler water side
and slit open, the Boiler Lizard releases corrosion
inhibiting vapors that form a protective
molecular layer on metal surfaces as
long as the boiler remains closed. At startup, the Boiler Lizard dissolves in the makeup
water. Having a Boiler Egg alongside the
Boiler Lizard will provide a fresh burst of
corrosion inhibitors to protect the system
during this sensitive time.
Large and Small Boilers / Fire Sides:
Larger or smaller boilers, or those that need
to be protected in the fire side, should be
treated with a waterborne fogging fluid containing
Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors.
This comes in bulk form as the Boiler
Dragon, a liquid that can be fogged
throughout the system at the rate of one
fluid ounce per cubic foot (0.7-1.0 L/m³). Full story »
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