Your customized heating & mechanical preventative maintenance program includes testing for proper fluid chemistry during every site inspection and a thorough, customized mechanical systems report.

It’s all in the name. Preventative maintenance is how we save you money on building maintenance costs, and how we minimize those midnight service calls from residents who've lost heat in their units.

Our programs account for the other systems in your building too, including corrosion prevention and HVAC maintenance.

If you operate a multi-unit complex running off a typical hydronic heating system, we can improve the efficiency of your boiler and heat delivery systems to save you money on energy bills — often more than the cost of our water treatment and preventative maintenance programs.

All of the preventative maintenance and testing we do is documented in our detailed and transparent reports.

Prevent Mechanical is the only mechanical contractor currently operating in Alberta with the expertise and advanced treatment chemicals needed to properly restore corroded heating systems.

What causes heating system corrosion?

Corrosion (iron oxide) is created when oxygen in the heating fluid (water) bonds with the iron in the heating system (pipes) to form layers of built-up iron oxide which flake off as the system heats and cools. As they flake off, more iron oxides are formed and the flakes of iron oxide clog pipes (especially where it settles on lower floors). Excessive Corrosion causes zone valves to stick, creates excessive wear to impellers and shafts and results in frequent seal and pump failure. 

What problems does corrosion cause?

Corrosion is like the cardiovascular disease of building mechanical systems. It blocks heating pipes, creates leaks, freezes zone valves, and causes pumps to fail. Corrosion is the #1 cause of premature system equipment failure. 

Similar to mineral scaling, built-up corrosion also acts as an insulator, inhibiting the transfer of heat to and from the system, forcing the system to work harder and, ultimately, causing massive waste and increased cost in your energy bills. 

Testing for corrosion

We can determine the level of pipe corrosion by testing your water for oxide contamination and inspecting the pipe samples.

What to do if you have corrosion

Iron pipe should last as long as the building it serves. With proper treatment even the most corroded systems can be restored and, with preventative maintenance, operated reliably and efficiently. 

If your mechanical contractor is telling you anything else, you need to call Prevent.

Flushing and treatments aren’t enough

Most plumbing contractors attempt to address corrosion by flushing the system, with or without a chemical dispersant: pumping contaminated water and oxide flakes out, replacing it with clean water. Unfortunately, flushing doesn't address the layered corrosion clinging to the pipe walls. Even worse, bringing fresh, oxygen-rich water into the system can actually speed up the corrosion process. 

Corrosion rehabilitation

Prevent Mechanical is the only mechanical contractor currently operating in Alberta with the expertise, equipment and advanced treatment chemicals needed to properly restore corroded heating systems. 

After a detailed assessment, our technicians inject an individually-designed chemical additive package into your system. Over two or three weeks, these chemicals dissolve all existing iron-oxide solids, clean iron-oxide from the pipe walls, boilers and impellers, and consolidate iron equipment surfaces. 

We monitor progress using magnetic and cartridge filtration to ensure a thorough cleaning has been achieved. Finally, we add corrosion inhibitors to ensure it won't return.

Preventing corrosion

Once your system is restored to health, we begin a customized preventative maintenance program including monthly testing for proper system-wide fluid chemistry and a thorough report on mechanical systems. 

Prevent has the expertise to handle your on-call heating & mechanical repairs, replacements, and upgrades.

Boilers

We specialize in maintaining boilers in Calgary’s hard water environment, and removing corrosion or scaling to avoid ongoing repairs and replacement. That same expertise helps us recommend repairs and upgrades that are long-lasting and compatible with your system.

Pumps

Trust us to diagnose if a stopped pump is part of a larger issue (like corrosion) and if it should be replaced or restored.

Radiators & Radiant Heating Systems

From minor leaks and blocked zone valves to major replacements, our hydronic heating experts are on-call to fix problems and recommend solutions.