
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Check out our extensive collection of Q&A’s to help your organization improve safety and reduce risk.
Q: Does it matter what type of flame scanner I have?
A: A variety of flame detection methods exist. Most designs utilize either a flame’s electrical continuity or its radiation to determine the presence of a flame. The basis of selecting
Q: Does adding a valve proving device improve safety?
A: Valve proving is a valuable safety upgrade to any combustion system. A variety of valve proving systems exist, but they essentially perform an automated test of gas safety valves
Q: Why do I need gas pressure switches?
A: At a minimum there are two crucial gas pressure switches in a valve train, one for low pressure and one for high pressure. The low gas pressure switch ensures
Q: Why should I add a flex joint in my piping?
A: Besides accommodating thermal expansion, flexible joints (compensators) isolate the valve train from potentially harmful piping-induced stresses such as vibration or piping misalignment. The potential of safety equipment malfunctioning due
Q: Why does my building’s gas pressure matter?
A: When a building’s service pressure exceeds an appliances’ inlet pressure capability, a line regulator is added to manageably reduce the pressure. But if that line regulator were to fail,
Q: Should my burner be tuned and adjusted?
A: Yes! For a variety of reasons, burner control shifts as operating conditions change and controls drift. Mechanical devices have components that age over time. Elastomers deteriorate and often become
Q. What is the most common installation fault?
A. Improper venting is among the most common installation error. Numerous components require an atmospheric reference for accurate operation. Many of these devices however can fail in modes that permit
Q: How does combustion safety equipment work?
A: Combustion systems have many variations, but the overarching goal is operator safety. To provide safety, a multitude of sensors (pressure switches, flame detectors, position indicators, etc.) and devices (isolation
Q: Why do valves leak?
A: Valves are mechanical devices that rely upon seats and seals to create mechanical barriers to control flow. A variety of seat designs create these barriers. With use over time,
Q: Why should I have process gauges and test fittings?
A: Process gauges provide a means to monitor variables of the thermal environment. Skilled operators become attuned to “normal” gauge readings. If another aspect of the process changes one of
Q: How often should a combustion system be inspected, and why?
A: Combustion systems should be inspected at least annually to be NFPA compliant. Thermal processes do not typically directly control part temperature; but rather, they often control the environment the part is
Q: What standards valve trains manufactured to?
A: NFPA, NEMA, NEC, CSA, UL, FM and other globally-recognized safety standards.