What is a commercial boiler
From hospitals and schools to offices and apartment buildings, various buildings rely on commercial boilers. But what are these appliances, and how are they different from household boilers? Read on for the answers to these questions and tips on how to choose the right commercial boiler for your organization.
Commercial boilers explained
Commercial boilers are systems that provide heating and hot water for non-residential buildings. Typically, these devices are pressurized systems that can burn fuel or use electricity to produce hot water or steam. Then, the hot water or steam circulates around the building through the pipe system and can be used as needed to create a comfortable environment. These systems usually use natural gas as fuel, but they can also burn fuel or use resistance coils to generate heat.
When does a boiler become commercial?
If you’re wondering, when does a domestic boiler become commercial, the answer largely depends on the size. Boiler size, or output, is measured in kilowatts (kW). Unsurprisingly, domestic boilers tend to have smaller output than commercial appliances. In many cases, domestic boilers range in size from 24kW to 42kW, although they can be up to 70kW.
In general, appliances larger than this are classed as commercial boilers. These systems are suitable for more sizable premises, whether that’s an office, leisure center, health center, college, warehouse, factory, or any other type of non-domestic building. Gas and oil-fired commercial boilers are often in the 250kW to 1,500kW range. This huge spread of output sizes helps to ensure that organisations are able to find appliances that meet their specific heating and hot water needs.
The sizing cut-offs between domestic and commercial boilers aren’t quite this straightforward, however. Certain commercial boilers have an output of less than 70kW. For example, it is possible to get portable commercial electric boilers ranging from 15kW to 36kW. These compact appliances are a popular choice on construction sites, for example as an aid in the screed drying process. They can also be used in shops, garages, sports halls, and a variety of other settings.
How to choose the right commercial boiler for your premises
With so many different types of commercial boilers to choose from, deciding which boiler to choose for your organization can be confusing. When choosing one of these devices, you should consider various issues. Here are some of the most important:
Size
As mentioned previously, commercial boilers differ hugely in terms of size. So, when you’re considering your options, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the heating and hot water requirements of your premises. For example, how large is your building, how many radiators do you need to heat, and how many hot water outlets do you have? Getting a boiler with an appropriate output is critical.
Don’t worry if you’re unsure about your specific heating and hot water needs. You can arrange for an expert to come to your premises and carry out a site survey to ensure you select a boiler that matches your technical requirements.
Energy efficiency
Heating and hot water might represent a significant ongoing cost for your organisation, so it pays to think carefully about energy efficiency when you’re looking for a commercial boiler. The good news is, there’s no shortage of highly efficient appliances to choose from. Just make sure that you look carefully into the efficiency information of different boilers before you make a final decision.
Getting a boiler that’s the right size also plays a big role here. You obviously need an appliance capable of meeting your heating and hot water needs, but you don’t want a system with too much redundant capacity as this could mean you end up paying more in fuel costs than you need to.
Support and maintenance
You no doubt want a heating and hot water system that you can rely on around the clock, and this means having a good maintenance and support agreement in place with the boiler supplier. So, when choosing an appliance, check the supplier’s maintenance, support, and service policies.
Our boilers come with unique BMS Trend technology, which enables us to monitor performance remotely. If we detect any issues, we can make minor adjustments without even needing to send an engineer to the site, saving you disruption and inconvenience.
Our top 3 high rated commercial boiler manufacturers:
Top on our list of best boiler brands is Ideal Commercial Boilers, a century-old, reputable British manufacturer that has grown exceptionally over the last decade. They now sell over 10,000 units per year and offer a variety of commercial boilers, including their latest model the Imax Xtra 2
which features:
- 5 year Heat Exchanger warranty
- Robust cast aluminium silicon alloy heat exchanger
- NOx <40mg/kWh (Class 6) on natural gas
- Full colour touchscreen
- Cascade header kits and controls
- Fitted with wheels for easy installation
- Capable of operating at up to 30°C ?T
- Up to 97.7% full load efficiency
- Up to 108.2% part load efficiency
- High 5:1 turndown
- Small footprint and fits through standard doorways
Ideal Commercial Boilers is the UK’s market leader in high-efficiency commercial heating solutions. Operating from the Hull manufacturing plant and offices since 1906, they are one of the few truly British manufacturers left in the heating industry.
Worcester Boilers
Number two on our list of boiler makers is certainly the most well-known — Worcester Bosch is considered by many to be one of the best boiler brands available.
Its diverse range of boilers is known for being well-built, reliable, efficient, and the long guarantees prove that the company has great faith in its boilers. Unlike traditional warranties, Worcester’s guarantee actually means that the manufacturer is 100% committed to repairing the device should it malfunction. It’s no wonder that Worcester Bosch is widely recognized as a leader in aftercare.
Note that the exact guarantee period depends on the boiler you choose and the other Worcester-branded products you use.
Bosch products deliver high levels of fuel efficiency, consistent heating, and hot water performance and have a notoriously long product life. The planning and provision of heating, hot water, and air-conditioning solutions will always present certain challenges, however, Bosch Commercial and Industrial can offer the complete system solution from a single source.
Viessmann Boilers
If you plan on bringing German engineering into your business, know that Viessmann are the largest boiler manufacturer in Europe; and no list of best boilers is complete without this brand.
Relied upon for their ruthless boiler efficiency and because they also tend to last longer than the competition, Viessmann boilers have snagged a Which Best Buy boilers award for being able to offer hot water and heating right when you need it.
Viessmann offers a range of boilers from Wall mounted to Floor standing gas boilers
The ideal boiler for every application
Vitocrossal gas condensing boilers boast a range of features including advanced condensing technology, convenient control units, exceptional efficiency, and low emissions.
Viessmann Vitocrossal boilers are designed with both current and future needs in mind and as a result not only comply with current environmental legislation but will continue to do so long into the future, even as emissions limits become stricter.
Advanced condensing technology
The stainless steel Inox-Crossal heat exchanger provides ideal conditions for utilising condensing technology. the smooth stainless steel heat exchanger allows the condensate created by the condensing process to simply run off downwards.
Combined with the smooth stainless steel surface, this creates a permanent self-cleaning effect, thus ensuring that the condensing technology is utilised at a permanently high level, resulting in a longer service life whilst also reducing the maintenance effort.