New High-Efficiency Burner Installation Brings Major Energy Savings to Downtown Minneapolis Building
- Owens Commercial Service Tech
- Dec 1, 2025
- 4 min read
When a large commercial boiler loses its burner fan wheel, the result isn’t just inconvenience—it’s significant downtime, major safety concerns, and costly emergency repairs. That’s exactly what happened in a downtown Minneapolis building this fall. The existing burner manufacturer had gone out of business years ago, parts were becoming scarce and expensive, and the failure caused considerable damage inside the boiler.
Owens Companies was brought in to evaluate the system, identify a long-term solution, and restore safe, reliable heating performance for a critical commercial facility. The result: a complete burner replacement with a modern, energy-efficient Industrial Combustion burner engineered for large buildings.
Why a Full Burner Replacement Was the Best Choice
The original burner was no longer supported by the manufacturer, making repairs slow, costly, and uncertain. With an essential component like the fan wheel failing—and replacement parts nearly impossible to source—continuing to maintain the system was no longer viable.
Owens recommended installing a new Industrial Combustion burner, known for reliability, flexibility, and strong performance on large commercial boilers.
Fan-Over Design for Better Serviceability
The new burner features a fan-over design, meaning the blower sits above the burner rather than behind it. This configuration provides significantly more room for service technicians to:
Access components quickly
Perform safer, faster maintenance
Reduce downtime
Complete tuning and inspections with fewer disruptions
For older mechanical rooms with tight clearances—as is common in downtown Minneapolis buildings—this design makes a noticeable difference.
Upgrading to Siemens Linkageless Controls
To maximize efficiency and reliability, Owens also installed Siemens Linkageless controls, replacing outdated mechanical linkages. This upgrade offers substantial performance improvements:
Precision Fuel–Air Control
The system achieves a 12:1 turndown ratio on natural gas, allowing the burner to operate as low as 2.5 million BTU/hr on a 30 million BTU system. This means:
Better efficiency during low-load conditions
Smoother modulation
Reduced fuel waste
Improved comfort and temperature stability
Lower Electrical Usage
Because the new burner requires a lower horsepower motor, the building will see ongoing electrical savings alongside improved combustion efficiency.
Readily Available Parts
Industrial Combustion and Siemens both maintain strong parts supply chains. For building owners, this means fast service, predictable maintenance, and no more waiting weeks for obsolete components.
Energy Savings and Rebate Incentives
Based on preliminary estimates, this project will qualify for a five-digit energy rebate, thanks to the burner’s high efficiency, improved turndown ratio, and upgraded controls. Exact numbers will be finalized once the system is fully commissioned and documented.
The building will benefit from:
Lower natural gas usage
Reduced electrical consumption
Stable, consistent boiler performance
Lower maintenance costs over the burner’s lifespan
A Strong Long-Term Solution for Large Buildings
High-capacity commercial boilers are the backbone of many downtown Minneapolis and Twin Cities properties, from office towers to mixed-use buildings. When aging burners decline—especially when manufacturers go out of business—building owners face escalating costs, safety risks, and operational downtime.
Owens Companies specializes in commercial boiler burner replacements, including:
High-efficiency and low-NOx burners
Industrial Combustion burner installations
Siemens and Fireye linkageless control systems
Burner tuning, commissioning, and combustion analysis
Full boiler room modernization
If your building is facing similar issues—or you’re simply looking to improve efficiency and claim available utility rebates—our team can help.
From large-scale burner retrofits to complete boiler room upgrades, Owens delivers reliable expertise backed by decades of commercial HVAC-R experience in the Twin Cities. Owens Companies has installed, serviced, and retrofitted commercial boilers across the Twin Cities for more than 60 years.
Ready to improve energy efficiency, reliability, and operating costs in your building? Our boiler specialists can assess your system and recommend upgrades tailored to your facility.
Contact us today to schedule an inventory assessment on your building.
To learn more about our full commercial boiler services, visit our Boiler Services page.
Learn more about Owens' preventive maintenance agreements.
Q: How much energy can a high-efficiency burner save on a commercial boiler?
A: High-efficiency burners typically reduce natural gas use by 10–20%, and sometimes more when paired with modern controls and a high turndown ratio. The savings are even greater during low-load conditions where older burners waste the most fuel.
Q: Why are linkageless controls better than mechanical linkages?
A: Linkageless controls precisely manage the fuel-air mixture at every firing point, improving efficiency, reducing emissions, and eliminating the wear-and-drift problems common with mechanical linkages. They deliver steadier combustion, smoother modulation, and lower operating costs.
Q: What happens when a burner manufacturer goes out of business?
A: Replacement parts become hard to find, service becomes unpredictable, and repair costs rise sharply. As parts availability declines, downtime increases and failures become more likely—making burner replacement more cost-effective and reliable than continued repairs.
Q: What Are the Benefits of Replacing an Obsolete Commercial Boiler Burner?
A: Replacing an outdated burner improves efficiency, reduces fuel and electrical costs, increases reliability, and eliminates problems caused by scarce or discontinued parts. Modern burners also offer better turndown ratios, safer operation, smoother modulation, and access to utility energy rebates—making the upgrade more cost-effective than ongoing repairs.
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