Preferred is helping New York City go greener, one boiler room at a time. This Brooklyn high school recently converted from traditional fuel oil to renewable biofuel, supporting NYC’s broader push to modernize buildings, cut emissions, and keep heat reliable through the winter. In the video, you’ll hear firsthand how this upgrade supports sustainability goals while keeping the […]
SCADA Integration for a New York Hospital: Reliable, Connected, and Built to Last
Our latest SCADA deployment for a major New York hospital is a testament to our commitment to excellence and delivering solutions – a fully integrated system designed to keep mission-critical operations running safely, efficiently, and with complete visibility. Project Overview The system was engineered to monitor and control four boilers and one feedwater center, pulling and integrating data […]
10 Years of Energy Savings from One Smart Investment
When it comes to boiler room efficiency, even a small upgrade can lead to major, long-term savings. That’s what happened at a central plant in Maryland, where a simple retrofit led to over a decade of energy and cost reductions. The project started with the facility installing a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) on an aging linkage boiler, paired […]
Measuring the Flow of Progress: Then and Now
Before microprocessors and digital control systems dominated boiler rooms, industrial automation relied on precise analog instruments like those pictured below from Republic Instruments and Controls of Chicago. Their line of mercury U-tube electrical flow meters, pressure/llevel gauges, CO₂ analyzers, and boiler meters helped operators monitor everything from steam and air flows to combustion efficiency, all without today’s electronics. […]
Introducing the EnergySaver Payback Analysis Tool: Quantify Your Boiler Room ROI with Confidence
When considering a retrofit for efficiency upgrades, project engineers, facility managers, and energy teams are all being asked the same question: What’s the return? To help answer that question, Preferred Utilities has developed the EnergySaver Payback Analysis Tool, a free, engineering-grade web application that calculates fuel, electricity, and emissions savings from combustion and fan system upgrades. A Smarter […]
Reintroducing the Draft Regulator with Linear Actuator: A Legacy Product Backed by Preferred
Following our acquisition of Hays Cleveland, we are pleased to reintroduce the first updated product in the Hays line: the Draft Regulator with Linear Actuator. This unit is a direct replacement for the Hays Cleveland R-9502-1012, combining draft control, sensor, and actuator into one compact, proven solution. And now, it’s backed by Preferred’s 105 years of industry experience […]
Burner Management Series V: Common Flame Detection Methods:
Knowing when a flame is present in a boiler furnace is a fundamental safety function of the burner management system. If a flame is present and the BMS does not detect it, there will be nuisance trips and the boiler cannot operate reliably. Alternatively, if the flame detection is too sensitive and does not recognize when there has […]
Made in the U.S.A. – How Preferred is Navigating Tariffs, Supply Chains, and a Growing Demand
Recent economic shifts and international trade tensions have sent waves through the markets. Tariff uncertainty and global supply chain challenges are causing many companies and investors to worry about the future of their operations and product availability. Made in the U.S.A., Preferred Utilities is proud to offer customers confidence and clarity in uncertain times. At Preferred, our products […]
Burner Management Series IV: BMS Troubleshooting and the Advantage of Parallel Annunciation
As safety monitoring is the primary function of a burner management system, there are many ways that a burner trip can occur. While this is the desired response to an unsafe condition, if a burner management system with a series interlock circuit is being used, it can often be difficult to troubleshoot why the lockout is occurring. This […]
Low-NOx Solutions for a Changing Regulatory Landscape
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently proposed stricter limits on nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions for combustion turbines at natural gas-fired plants and industrial facilities. Article here. This move, aimed at reducing harmful air pollutants and improving public health, may not ever come to fruition. However, the proposal reminds us to keep in mind the environmental impacts […]