With winter in full swing, heat exchangers are often working overtime to keep internal temperatures cozy amidst freezing cold wind and snow outside. Unfortunately, this increased demand for heating often means maintenance and descaling processes are put off for the season, and mineral deposits have the opportunity to build up within your equipment. Strategic preventative maintenance is essential, particularly leading up to winter months, in order to keep heat exchangers fully functional and efficient without having to worry about scale accumulation.
Why Winter Matters
During colder months, heat exchangers are typically operating at maximum capacity, meaning that any potential fouling or scale buildup is more dangerous if left ignored. With continuous use, mineral deposits from hard water tend to build up within heat exchangers’ many internal tubes and passages. While this scale accumulation may be invisible at first, the buildup can severely restrict flow, leading to unnecessary strain on pumps and valves and causing equipment to overheat. This can in turn cause hefty energy bills and unplanned equipment downtime when maintenance is unavoidable.
How Preventative Maintenance Helps
A clean heat exchanger is an effective heat exchanger. Regular preventative maintenance, specifically descaling, helps eliminate the risk of fouling during periods of heavy use when temperatures are lower. Routinely removing scale buildup, whether chemically or mechanically, helps to prevent tube blockages and internal corrosion that can cause premature equipment failure.
While descaling helps to ensure heat exchanger efficiency, it also massively boosts energy efficiency. When heat flow is restricted and equipment is put under unnecessary pressure, the overheating causes energy costs to jump. Alternatively, preventative descaling helps to keep utility costs stable, even during winter months, and leads to higher cost savings.
January is the perfect time to assess the health of your heat exchanger and plan for continuing preventative maintenance. Merrick Wheelhouse Industrial Solutions offers organic, biobased descaling solutions alongside decades of sanitation expertise to ensure your heat exchanger performs at peak efficiency when it matters most.