Avoid heating system failure this winter

Posted On Posted on 8th January, 2019 by Dura Pump

Winter is the worst time to experience a heating system failure. Here at Dura Pump, our team is focused on helping building and facilities managers avoid downtime and save money on energy and repairs, so they can focus on keeping users happy. Rather than taking reactive measures, like calling out an engineer every time there is an issue, it’s better to apply preventative measures like getting an expert to assess your heating system so that they can spot potential future problems early. That’s where we come in!

We want to save you the stress of a complete heating pump failure down the line, by anticipating breakdowns rather than waiting for the damage to be done.

 

Possible causes of breakdowns

Our team has witnessed a large number of pump breakdowns of all kinds, however, there are several common problems that always arise time and time again. Incorrectly specified pumps are one of the most common causes of pump failure, where the unit in place is not the best type for their particular needs, being either inefficient or unsuitable for the application. Another common cause is wear and tear on the pump, which happens when a pump is old and inefficient and unable to keep up with daily operations.

On many occasions, we have arrived at a site to discover that the pump had been incorrectly installed in the first place. Changes made to the system since it was installed are also likely to lead to failure, for example, if a heating system has been given additional outlets, as it may no longer be able to cope.

As a trusted supplier, we have access to a vast number of global pump manufacturers. If you’re unsure about which heating pump you need, we have the expertise to assess your needs and specify the best and most efficient option, as well as carrying out an accurate installation.

 

 

You could be wasting energy

As well as causing major disruption to your day-to-day operations, inefficient heating pumps, whether that be through age, incorrect specification or running constantly at full power, also waste a significant amount of energy. This is especially true in winter when your heating systems are required to work harder.

It may be time to upgrade or replace the system to ensure it is running at optimum capacity, and to avoid inconveniencing users and additional costs. Alternatively, it could benefit from inverter drives (otherwise known as variable speed drives) which control how a pump is used, ensuring it supplies a constant pressure. We can help to specify the best heating pump for your needs and select the right inverter drive to optimise pump usage to ultimately save time, energy and money.

As part of our energy saving service, we will check the health of your pumps and work out how you could be making significant savings and prevent regular breakdowns and inefficiency in the future.

 

Repair or replace?

When there are persistent issues occurring in your heating system, it can be difficult to know whether it’s better to replace or repair your heating pump. The age of the system is a key consideration when deciding whether maintenance will be enough. An older heating pump is not going to be as efficient or as reliable as a newer model with up-to-date technology.

Analyse the ongoing costs resulting from maintenance, repairs and downtime, and then compare these to the costs and savings associated with the installation of a new energy-efficient heating system. Often you can get swift payback on the project just through the huge energy savings of a newer and better-suited system.

Whilst we offer a prompt installation service, there is always some downtime and disruption when a system is being replaced. The best thing to do is decide when the installation would be least impactful and then have an emergency repair in the meantime to avoid system failure.

 

 

Helping our customers avoid pump failure

We have worked on many projects where the heating pumps were causing persistent issues, like Oracle, a world-leading software company, whose inefficient heating system was resulting in a huge amount of disruption to their day-to-day business.

To prevent future failures our team of pump engineers replaced their old belt drive pumps with a more modern centrifugal pump, offering a more reliable and cost-efficient solution. They also installed a set of ABB inverter drives, giving Oracle greater control and enabling the pumps to run only when required and according to demand. As the pumps are no longer operating flat-out all day, they will last longer and keep costs down.

The centrifugal pumps saved 20% on energy use over the old belt drive pumps, with a further 35% energy saving thanks to the inverter drives.

 

 

Leave it to Dura Pump

Many companies don’t realise that savings can be made until a problem is apparent. By anticipating issues instead of waiting for failure you could reduce costs and prevent slowdown or pauses in operations.

Get in touch with the Dura Pump team today for advice on how to optimise your heating systems during winter. We have a range of pump services available, including energy saving, repairs, supply, installation, and maintenance.

Give us a call on 01604 648 800 or email mail@durapump.co.uk

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