Seasonal shutdown and start-up
Close the UNI 60 down at the end of the heating season and bring it back safely — cleaning, freeze protection, water in the system and the pre-season electrical check.
Close the season with a deep clean and leave the system full — then run the pre-season checks before the first fire in autumn. A boiler left dirty over summer corrodes; a boiler left empty or exposed to frost fails differently but just as expensively.
End of season
Burn out and cool down
Let the last load burn out. Wait until the boiler has cooled fully before opening it up.
Disconnect from the mains
Shut down the boiler from the mains before any cleaning or maintenance work.
Clean thoroughly
At the time of a warranty repair the equipment must be cleaned of soot, tar and other contaminants — so do it now, while the season is fresh in memory:
- remove all ash;
- scrape the surfaces of the furnace and the loading chamber;
- clean the air ducts in the combustion chamber with a suitable tool;
- brush the top of the heat exchanger clear of soot.
See Cleaning.
Sweep the chimney
Soot and condensation left over summer deteriorate joints. See Chimney care.
Leave the system full and pressurised
Do not drain the system. An empty steel boiler rusts internally.
Protect against frost
Do not leave the boiler with water at an ambient temperature below +41 °F / +5 °C. If the boiler room can drop below that over summer or in an unheated period, address it before you walk away.
Consider Summer mode
If the boiler also makes domestic hot water and you intend to keep using it through summer, switch the HUW module to Summer mode — see Hot water.
Before the heating season
Before the heating season and during its period, it is necessary to check the technical condition of the wires, check the fastening of the regulator, and clean it from dust and other contaminants.
Wire condition, regulator fastening, dust removal. Look for any sign of a short to the boiler body or deteriorating insulation — if found, disconnect and call service.
Check system pressure and top up if needed, using water within the 2 ppm hardness limit. Vent the high points.
Confirm the safety relief valve is free and its discharge is unobstructed.
Check the charge pressure. A waterlogged tank shows up as pressure swinging with temperature.
Sweep if not already done. Verify draft with a paper strip at the ash pit, and confirm ventilation openings are clear.
Inspect the sealing cord on each door. It is a consumable and not covered by warranty — replace it before it costs you efficiency.
Confirm the settings are still those recorded at commissioning, and note the software version.
Check moisture. Wood cut this spring will not be ready this winter.
Pre-season service
MBtek technical support can help with sizing, commissioning and controller settings.
What to do daily, weekly and seasonally, in one table.
Fuel properties
The energy content of firewood by species and moisture, the effect of seasoning, and how fuel choice changes UNI 60 output and maintenance intervals.
Maintenance schedule
What a UNI 60 needs daily, weekly, mid-winter and seasonally — ash, heat exchanger, air ducts, chimney and the electrical check, in one table.