Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating rebuilt the hydronic heating and snowmelt system at Mountain Parks Electric after an overworked boiler created a serious safety concern.
Project Facts
- Location: Granby, Colorado
- Project Type: Commercial boiler replacement and hydronic heating system rebuild
- Facility: Mountain Parks Electric headquarters
- Systems Served: Building space heating and snowmelt system
- Equipment Installed: Two Triangle Tube Prestige Solo 399 boilers and one Lochinvar FTXL FTX600 boiler
- Project Need: Replace an overworked cast-iron boiler that had created a serious heat and safety concern in the mechanical room
- Final Result: A safer, code-compliant, high-efficiency boiler system with dedicated heating and snowmelt loops
The Challenge
The Mountain Parks Electric headquarters in Granby had a serious heating problem. The facility had been relying on an aging cast-iron boiler that was originally installed as a secondary heating source. After the original biomass system was taken offline, that boiler was left to carry the full heating load for the building.
Over time, the boiler was pushed well beyond what it was designed to handle. By the time Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating was called in, the mechanical room floor beneath the boiler had been scorched by heat from the overworked equipment. What may have started as a deferred maintenance issue had become an active safety concern.
The existing system also had a major design problem. The building’s space heating system and snowmelt system were tied into the same primary loop. During cold Grand County weather, both systems competed for the same boiler capacity. The result was poor performance, limited reliability, and a snowmelt system that had not operated properly in years.
The warehouse portion of the building also had no functional heat, leaving staff to work through mountain winters without a properly operating heating system.
The Commercial Boiler Replacement Solution
Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating completed a full commercial boiler replacement and hydronic heating system rebuild. The work went far beyond swapping out old equipment. The team redesigned the system so the building heat and snowmelt system could operate independently, safely, and reliably.
The existing cast-iron boiler was isolated, drained, removed, and prepared for disposal. Because the boiler was located on an upper-level platform inside the mechanical room, the team used on-site forklift access to safely extract and stage the equipment for removal.
The rebuilt system now includes three high-efficiency condensing boilers. Two Triangle Tube Prestige Solo 399 boilers serve the building’s space heating system. A dedicated Lochinvar FTXL FTX600 boiler serves the snowmelt system.
Using two staged space-heating boilers gives the facility important redundancy. If one boiler ever needs service, the second boiler can continue providing heat to the building. That is especially important for a commercial facility in Grand County, where losing heat during winter can quickly become a serious problem.
The Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating team also separated the snowmelt and space heating systems into independent primary loops. This allows each system to be sized, controlled, and operated for its own load instead of competing for capacity during peak winter demand.
Magnetic hydraulic separators were installed to help protect the new boilers from iron, mineral buildup, and debris that can exist in older distribution piping. These components also help the boiler pumps and secondary distribution pumps operate at proper flow rates.
Each boiler was vented independently through the roof using 4-inch solid-core PVC venting. A roofing contractor coordinated the roof penetrations, flashings, and boots as part of the project.
During commissioning, the team found that the existing gas supply line was not large enough to support all three boilers firing at high output. Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating upsized the gas supply line and verified proper gas pressure with the full system operating under load.
Each boiler was also tuned for Grand County elevation. At mountain altitude, combustion must be properly adjusted so the equipment can operate safely, efficiently, and within manufacturer specifications.
The final system includes required CSD-1 commercial boiler safety controls, including high-limit protection, low-water cutoff protection, and emergency shutoff capability.
The Results
Mountain Parks Electric now has a properly sized, high-efficiency commercial boiler system serving both the building heat and the snowmelt system. The warehouse has functional heat again, the snowmelt system is operating, and the facility is no longer dependent on one overworked boiler.
The space heating and snowmelt systems can now operate independently without robbing capacity from each other during periods of high demand. The system also includes modern safety controls and was commissioned for the building’s actual operating conditions.
Most importantly, the unsafe heat condition in the mechanical room has been corrected. The floor is no longer being scorched by an overloaded boiler, and the facility has a safer, more reliable heating system in place before the next Grand County winter.
Commercial Boiler Replacement in Grand County
This project shows the kind of commercial hydronic heating work Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating handles across Granby and Grand County. From boiler replacement and system redesign to snowmelt systems, altitude commissioning, and code-compliant safety controls, the team understands the demands of heating commercial buildings in Colorado mountain communities.
If your commercial property, multi-use facility, or large home is running on aging boiler equipment, it is worth having the system evaluated before it becomes an emergency.
Call Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating at (970) 627-3303 to discuss commercial boiler replacement, boiler repair, or hydronic heating service in Grand County.
Commercial Boiler Replacement FAQs
What are signs a commercial boiler may need to be replaced?
Signs can include frequent repairs, uneven heating, inability to keep up during cold weather, unusual heat around the equipment, visible damage near the boiler, poor system performance, and outdated safety controls.
Why separate a snowmelt system from a building heating system?
Separating the systems allows each loop to operate independently. This helps prevent the snowmelt system and building heat from competing for boiler capacity during peak winter demand.
Why does altitude matter for boiler installation in Grand County?
Gas combustion changes at elevation. Boilers installed in mountain communities need proper setup and commissioning so they can operate safely, efficiently, and within manufacturer specifications.
What are CSD-1 boiler safety controls?
CSD-1 safety controls are required on many commercial boiler installations. They can include high-limit protection, low-water cutoff protection, emergency shutoff capability, and other safeguards designed to reduce risk in commercial mechanical systems.
Does Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating work on commercial boiler systems?
Yes. Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating provides boiler service, boiler replacement, hydronic heating work, snowmelt system service, and related heating solutions for properties throughout Granby and Grand County.
