Breaking the Stigma on Aluminum Commercial Boilers

The commercial heating industry has faced an ongoing debate on the benefits of stainless steel heat exchangers versus aluminum heat exchangers. The process of choosing a new boiler has become confusing for both building owners and engineers.

The amount of conflicting information has led many boiler manufacturers to pick a side, and the perception of aluminum heat exchanger boilers has been misconstrued in the process. Yet, there is no clear evidence or proof that either material is superior to the other.

Both aluminum and stainless steel condensing boilers achieve high efficiency by condensing water vapor in the exhaust gases and recovering its latent heat, which would otherwise be wasted. With condensing flue gases comes highly acidic water, which can adversely affect the fired heating surface. During the heating process, impurities and contaminants, like chloride and pH levels, can directly affect the water chemistry in the boiler. Regardless of the heat exchanger material (aluminum or stainless steel), EVERY boiler should be introduced and maintained with the appropriate air and water quality to prevent corrosion and scaling.

So, why choose an aluminum commercial boiler?