A reliable heating system is essential to keep your business warm during colder times. But like any other machine, heating systems require tender loving care to stay running smoothly.
Commercial heating and ventilation specialist Lord Combustion Services can deliver servicing to keep you in control while staying safe, with technical knowledge which prevents issues such as system leaks and corrosion.
Our mascot Blaze is here to offer you advice on why a simple step like tightening can have a big impact on your system and your bills.
Why it matters
Central heating is essential for your business – it keeps your staff comfortable, your customers happy, and your processes running smoothly.
But a little knowledge goes a long way in ensuring your system stays in full working order. The award-winning team at Oldbury-based Lord Combustion Services see all kinds of inadvertent errors on site visits.
As their mascot and resident expert on sustainability and system safety, I know how important it can be.
Valves such as this one are fitted with packed glands with compression packing. Although other types of seal have become popular for rotary shafts on pumps and the like, packed glands are still the most common method of sealing valve glands.
Pump packed glands are commonly left weeping slightly for cooling but this does not apply to static valve glands as we spotted on a site visit.
The process of packing and maintaining glands of this nature must be done correctly, it is important that the correct packing material is used to match the fluid / temperature / application (rotary, static, reciprocating), it is installed correctly and not overtightened.
Incorrect materials, poor fitting or neglect can result in leaks which will result in system pressure loss and corrosion as per the valve in the picture.
Why overtightening can cause damage
A packed gland in a pump is less tolerant of poor fitting, materials selection or neglect than that in a valve.
- Some valve packing will have wire reinforcement which will quickly wear a shaft if fitted to a rotating pump shaft.
- Overtightening will result in excess pressure on the packing to the shaft will put excess load on the motor and cause the packing to overheat and harden with: possible tripping of electrical circuits, motor failure, shaft wear and bearing failure.
- Overtightening will also result in excessive energy consumption and reduced efficiency as the motor experiences excessive resistance and drag. We are experts on sustainability at Lord and have a range of solutions to reduce consumption.
Stay in control with Lord Combustion Services:
If you are unsure about maintaining packing glands or any other aspect of your system, it is always best to consult a qualified heating engineer. Here at Lord Combustion Services, we are the experts.
Our team of nearly 50 staff serve more than 1000 customers across the West Midlands from our base in Dudley Road East, Oldbury.
Do not leave things to chance. Contact Lord Combustion Services today for a free consultation to give your business the service it deserves. Call 0121 544 4191, email service@lordcombustion.co.uk or visit www.lordcombustion.co.uk/contact
About Us: Lord Combustion Services is a multi-award winning business. We won the armed forces prize at the 2023 Black Country Chamber of Commerce Awards after scooping two leading awards at the 2021 Black Country Chamber of Commerce Awards, the service business of the year prize along with Emma Tibbetts winning director of the year. We also won the 2021 sustainability trophy at the West Midlands Business Masters Awards, organised by regional news website Business Desk.