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Is Your Boiler Exempt from these Inspections?


The standard NBIC testing is required for standard commercial and industrial boilers, but not all water heaters and boilers fall into this general category. There is a short list of exceptions that are either Federally inspected or do not experience the pressures and heat of commercial boilers; this list includes:

  1. Boilers controlled by the U.S. government
  2. Water heaters and boilers in private residences or apartment complexes of no more than six units
  3. Boilers and water heaters located on Indian reservations
  4. Lined hot water heaters that do not exceed:
    • Heat input of 200,000 British thermal units per hour
    • Water temperature of 210 degrees F
    • Nominal water-containing capacity of 120 gallons


*Note: An initial certificate inspection is required for these last 3 exemptions. After that there are no further required inspections.*

  • Power boilers with over 15 psi steam or vapor pressure
  • High-temperature boilers exceeding 160 psi and/or 250 degrees F
  • Direct-fired steam-jacketed kettle
  • Heating or process boilers not exceeding 15 psi
  •        
  • Hot-water boilers not exceeding pressures of 160 psi or not exceeding a temperature of 250 degrees F
  •        
  • Lined hot-water heaters exceeding heat input of 200,000 BTU/hour, water temperature of 210 degrees F, and/or nominal water-containing capacity of 120-gallons.
The standard NBIC testing is required for standard commercial and industrial boilers, but not all water heaters and boilers fall into this general category. There is a short list of exceptions that are either Federally inspected or do not experience the pressures and heat of commercial boilers; this list includes:
  1. Boilers controlled by the U.S. government
  2. Water heaters and boilers in private residences or apartment complexes of no more than six units
  3. Boilers and water heaters located on Indian reservations
  4. Lined hot water heaters that do not exceed:
    1. Heat input of 200,000 British thermal units per hour
    2. Water temperature of 210 degrees F
    3. Nominal water-containing capacity of 120 gallons

*Note: An initial certificate inspection is required for these last 3 exemptions. After that there are no further required inspections.*

  • Power boilers with over 15 psi steam or vapor pressure
  • High-temperature boilers exceeding 160 psi and/or 250 degrees F
  • Direct-fired steam-jacketed kettle
  • Heating or process boilers not exceeding 15 psi
  • Hot-water boilers not exceeding pressures of 160 psi or not exceeding a temperature of 250 degrees F
  • Lined hot-water heaters exceeding heat input of 200,000 BTU/hour, water temperature of 210 degrees F, and/or nominal water-containing capacity of 120-gallons.

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