What we treat
Systems we treat
Commercial, institutional and multi-family buildings across the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Sea-to-Sky, Vancouver Island and the BC Interior.
Hydronic HVAC: boilers, chillers and heat pumps
A closed loop looks sealed, but oxygen ingress, make-up water and microbiological growth all work against it. Left alone, the result is magnetite sludge in strainers, fouled heat exchangers, seized valves and pinhole leaks. Closed-loop heating and cooling water is the core of what we do.
Our program controls corrosion with the right inhibitor for the system's metallurgy (nitrite, molybdate or a multi-metal blend), holds pH in the 8.5–10.5 window, controls bacteria with a non-oxidising biocide, and removes what chemistry cannot with side-stream and magnetic filtration. Glycol systems are tested for concentration, inhibitor level and degradation, and freeze protection is calculated from a system volume we measure with a PTSA tracer test, so the glycol charge is right the first time.
Low-pressure steam boilers
A steam boiler concentrates everything in its feedwater. Untreated, the boiler scales, the condensate return corrodes, and efficiency falls with every firing cycle. We test feedwater, boiler water and condensate; set the blowdown frequency and volume to hold total dissolved solids in range; and apply oxygen scavenger, alkalinity control and sludge conditioner as the chemistry calls for.
Operators are trained on the daily blowdown and on reading the TDS meter, so the boiler stays protected between our visits. See the blowdown procedure in the Learning Zone.
Cooling towers
A well-run cooling tower rejects heat efficiently and stays safe for everyone around it. Open to the air, warm and constantly evaporating, a tower relies on its treatment program to control scale and corrosion, and to keep bacteria (including Legionella) under control.
We test conductivity, pH, inhibitor and biocide levels, manage bleed-off, rotate biocides, and arrange Legionella sampling where a water management plan requires it. Mathieu is EOCP certified for cooling tower water treatment and Legionella sampling, as required by the City of Vancouver cooling tower bylaw. We also carry out chemical cleaning and disinfection, and annual or emergency pressure washing of the tower. Read more about Legionella in cooling towers.
Building water systems
Under the City of Vancouver bylaw, cooling towers, decorative water features and similar equipment are building water systems, each needing an operating permit, a maintenance program and records. We look after the full set for a building, so one program and one report covers everything the permit asks for.
Ponds and decorative water features stay clear and safe: algae and biofilm controlled, pumps and nozzles protected from scale, and Legionella risk managed in features that are open to the air and in full view of residents. Rain-water harvesting systems are tested and treated so the soft, slightly acidic water is fit for its intended use and the tanks and piping it feeds stay protected. New-build domestic water is chlorinated and bacteria-tested before occupancy.
Ready for a specialist to look at your water?
A site visit starts with a baseline test of every system and a written report.