The rental boiler industry is unique and operates nowhere near the e-commerce business model; it’s nearly impossible to find and compare pricing online. With that said, how can users understand the potential cost of renting a boiler in the preliminary stages of their project before they are ready to start reaching out and gathering information and pricing from vendors?

These six major costs categories should be considered when looking at renting a boiler.

Equipment — Your process, as well as the steam capacity requirement, will often dictate which type of boiler is a best fit for your operation. A watertube boiler, often best for larger capacity needs, will run at a higher cost than a firetube. If additional equipment is required, like a deaerating boiler feedwater system, water softener, or SCR system for reduced emissions, additional costs will be realized.

You can save on costs if you are able to connect to existing auxiliaries; however, that is not always an option. A mobile boiler room, which includes a firetube boiler installed with a feedwater system, water softener, and blowdown separator, is a convenient option for customers needing an entire steam plant. Because it is a complete, pre-piped and wired system, the cost would be higher than that of a boiler-only option.

Freight — Often coordinated and re-billed by the rental boiler supplier, this will be a separate cost billed after each time the equipment moves (from the storage facility to your site, and then back to the storage facility). Costs will vary based on number of shipments required and how far the boiler must travel. Some companies, like Nationwide Boiler, have multiple maintenance yards to help facilitate quick and lower-cost shipments.

Installation — This is a piece of the process that is typically coordinated by the end user and with a third-party supplier. Installation costs can vary greatly depending on the size of a project. The cost to install a mobile boiler room for a temporary project, as close as you can get to a “plug-and-play” system, would likely be much lower than the cost to install a large watertube boiler. Watertube boilers are more commonly installed in industrial applications along with economizers, SCR systems, and ductwork — heavy equipment that requires forklifts and/or cranes for installation.
 
Start-up — Most often, a rental boiler vendor will supply a technician for start-up with costs billed on a time-and-material basis. It’s important to ensure that the equipment is completely ready for start-up with all utilities piped and available to reduce extra time costs. You will also want to consider any time required for site-specific safety training.
 
Utilities — Obviously, the utilities are the responsibility of the end user; however, it is an expense that should not be overlooked. You will incur costs associated with the fuel, water, and electricity required to produce steam. Rental economizers and blowdown heat recovery systems can be utilized to help reduce these costs.
 
Water Treatment — This is an extremely important part of maintaining a rental boiler, and if not done properly, it can lead to extreme costs for equipment repairs. The cost of contracting with a water treatment supplier will be much less than what it would be to replace or repair damaged rental boiler equipment.

Ultimately, reaching out to your supplier of choice and obtaining a detailed proposal will be the best way to understand all costs involved with renting a temporary steam plant. Call or email a Nationwide Boiler sales representative for a detailed cost proposal. For more information, visit www.nationwideboiler.com.