If you run a factory, warehouse or production site in Preston, the gas engineer you choose has to be competent on the plant you actually have. A firm that mostly services small heating boilers is not automatically qualified for a steam boiler, a process burner on an oven line, or a row of radiant tube heaters in a high-bay warehouse. This guide sets out what to check before you hire.
SMR Gas Maintenance Ltd are industrial and commercial gas engineers based at Higher Walton, Preston. We have worked only on non-domestic gas since 1999 and we are Gas Safe registered (562186).
1. Check the Gas Safe registration and the categories
Every business that works on gas must be on the Gas Safe Register. That is the minimum. Ask for the registration number and check it on the Gas Safe Register website. Then look at the engineer's ID card: it lists the types of work each engineer is qualified to do. For industrial and commercial plant you want to see the relevant non-domestic categories, not domestic ones only.
2. Ask what plant they work on every week
Ask the contractor which of these they service regularly:
- Industrial boilers and steam plant
- Process burners on ovens, dryers, spray booths and powder coating lines
- Radiant tube and warm air heaters
- Gas pipework, tightness testing and purging
- Gas safety interlocks and ventilation systems
If most of their work is elsewhere, your plant may be the job they see once a year.
3. Look at the paperwork they leave behind
After each visit you should receive a written record for each appliance: combustion readings, defects found, what was done, and what still needs doing. Certificates should be issued by an engineer qualified for that appliance type. Ask to see a sample report before you sign up. Good records make insurer, auditor and HSE questions far easier to answer.
4. Agree how breakdowns are handled
Find out what happens when a burner locks out on a night shift. Who answers the phone, and how quickly can someone attend? A contractor who already services your plant under a planned maintenance contract will know the equipment and usually have the right parts in mind before arriving.
5. Consider one contractor for all your gas plant
Using one firm for boilers, burners, heating and certificates means one asset list, one maintenance calendar and one set of reports. It also avoids gaps where each contractor assumes another is responsible.
Industrial gas engineers in Preston
SMR Gas Maintenance Ltd works with industrial and commercial sites across Preston, Bamber Bridge, Leyland, Chorley, Walton Summit and the wider North West. We service, repair and certify boilers, steam plant, process burners and industrial heating, and run planned preventative maintenance contracts. We do not carry out domestic work.
Read more on our Preston industrial and commercial gas engineers page, or call 07882 898492 or email andy@smrgasservices.co.uk with a list of your plant.
