Boiler rooms and plant rooms are often unoccupied, enclosed and full of gas burning equipment. Boiler room gas detection watches for a leak or a build-up of combustion gases and shuts off the supply automatically. We design, install, calibrate and maintain these systems for sites across Ireland.
A boiler room combines a fuel supply, sources of ignition and, in many buildings, limited ventilation. A leak on a valve, joint or burner can build up unnoticed because there is usually nobody in the room. Faulty combustion can also produce carbon monoxide, which the Health and Safety Authority describes as poisonous, colourless and odourless, and generated by the incomplete burning of fuels including natural gas and LPG.
A fixed plant room gas detection system monitors continuously and acts on its own. It raises the alarm and isolates the gas supply before a leak reaches a dangerous level.
Sensor height depends on the gas, and in boiler room gas detection getting it right is the most important part of the design.
Natural gas is mostly methane. Gas Networks Ireland describes it as lighter than air, so it rises when released. A methane gas detector is mounted high, close to the ceiling, above the burners and pipework where gas would gather.
LPG behaves the opposite way. The Health and Safety Authority notes that LPG is heavier than air, drops to the ground and can collect in drains or basements. An LPG gas detector is mounted low, close to the floor, and near any pits or low points where gas could pool.
Carbon monoxide sensors are placed to sample the air in the room near the appliances. We confirm the gas, the layout and the sensor positions during a site survey.
The detectors connect to a control panel. When gas is detected above a set level, the panel sounds an alarm and cuts power to a normally closed gas solenoid valve on the incoming supply. The valve closes and the boiler room is isolated. Gas stays off until the cause has been found and the system is reset by a trained person.
We supply MADAS automatic valves for natural gas and LPG. Where the boiler room also needs ventilation monitoring or gas proving, detection and valve control can be combined in a gas interlock system.
The right panel depends on how many sensors you need and what else it has to control. Some common choices from our range:
We supply, install and commission the full boiler room gas detection system: detectors, control panel, alarms and the gas solenoid valve. At handover we train your staff on how the system operates and how to reset it after an alarm.
Detectors in a plant room work in heat and dust, and their sensors drift over time. Regular calibration with certified test gases keeps the readings accurate. We offer maintenance contracts, one-off service visits and a rapid response call-out service on a 24-hour basis, with priority response for contract holders. Our engineers also service boiler room detection equipment from many other manufacturers.
Usually, yes. Fuel gas and carbon monoxide are detected by different sensors, and they may need different mounting positions. Some units, such as dual sensor alarms, handle both from one control unit.
The gas supply to the boiler room is isolated, so the boilers stop firing. Heating and hot water are off until the cause is found and the system is reset. This is why we recommend regular calibration, so the system only shuts down when it should.
Follow your site emergency procedure. Do not enter the room or operate electrical switches, get people to fresh air and call the emergency services. Once the area is safe, have the system checked before gas is restored.
Yes. We survey the room, confirm the gas and the sensor positions, and fit the detectors, panel and valve around the existing plant.
Yes. We are based in Blackrock, Co. Dublin, and cover sites nationwide.
Tell us about your boiler room or plant room and the gas it uses, and we will recommend detection and shut-off to suit. Call 01 289 7720 or email info@vistec.ie.
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