Service Area & Availability
What areas does Brian Boiler Works serve?
Brian Boiler Works serves a six-county area of the Central Coast and beyond: San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Monterey, Kern, and Fresno counties.
Do you offer emergency boiler repair?
Yes. After-hours and emergency service is available case-by-case, since boiler failures don't wait for business hours. Emergency calls make up a large share of the work, and response is typically fast for facilities within the service area.
What are your business hours?
Standard hours are Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm, with after-hours emergency service available outside that window.
How quickly can you get to a non-emergency job?
Scheduling is generally open, so non-emergency jobs are often worked in quickly, frequently within the same window as a normal service call.
Services & Equipment
Do you work on anything besides boilers?
Yes. Brian Boiler Works handles anything combustion-related, not just boilers, including downdraft spray booths, industrial ovens, coffee roasters, pottery kilns, and crematories.
What services does Brian Boiler Works offer?
A full list by category:
Boiler services:
- Boiler repair (general diagnostics & repair)
- New boiler installation
- Boiler replacement / retrofit
- Boiler inspection (routine or code-required)
- Burner repair, replacement, or tuning
- Boiler controls / burner management systems
- Relief valve testing / replacement
- Pressure vessel repair
- Chemical water treatment systems
- Feedwater systems / deaerators
- Blowdown systems
Steam & hot water heating:
- Steam heating system installation
- Steam trap repair / replacement
- Steam system balancing
- Condensate return systems
- Hot water heating systems
Plumbing:
- General commercial / industrial plumbing
- Valve repair / replacement
- Pump repair / replacement (feed pumps, condensate pumps)
- Pressure / hydrostatic testing
Electrical & controls:
- Motor wiring for boiler/pump systems
- Control panel work
- PLC / control system troubleshooting
- Conduit runs
Fabrication, structural & support:
- Pipe insulation / boiler jacket insulation
- Sheet metal / ductwork
- Rigging / equipment moving (crane, forklift)
- Demolition of old equipment
- Boiler room layout / design consulting
- New construction boiler room build-out
- Refractory work (high-temperature lining)
- Asbestos abatement / removal of old pipe insulation
Maintenance & emergency:
- Preventive maintenance plans / contracts
- 24/7 emergency repair
- Annual / seasonal inspections
- Parts sourcing (OEM and aftermarket / obsolete)
Combustion & specialty equipment:
- Downdraft spray booths
- Industrial ovens
- Coffee roasters
- Pottery kilns
- Crematories (human and pet)
What doesn't Brian Boiler Works do?
A short, honest list of exceptions:
- Combustion tuning / efficiency testing, referred to the gas company, and the equipment for it isn't stocked
- Code welding / pressure vessel welding, the subcontracted welder isn't ASME-certified for this
- VFD installation / repair
- State or government contracts, the focus is on private commercial and industrial clients
What industries do you typically work with?
Mostly hotels, wineries, and food and agricultural processing facilities, along with factories and other commercial and industrial buildings across the Central Coast.
Do you work on old or hard-to-find boiler equipment?
Yes. Sourcing OEM and aftermarket parts for older equipment, including parts other companies won't bother tracking down, is a regular part of the work.
Do you handle asbestos abatement on old insulation?
Yes. Older pipe and boiler jacket insulation sometimes contains asbestos, and abatement and removal of that insulation is part of the insulation and refractory work offered.
Do you do plumbing or electrical work related to boilers?
Yes, within the scope of the contractor license: general industrial plumbing (piping, valves, gas lines) and boiler- and pump-related electrical work such as motor wiring and control panels.
Do you take on government or state contracts?
No, the focus is on private commercial and industrial clients rather than state or government work.
Pricing & Payment
How much does a boiler repair or service call cost?
A typical service call runs approximately $1,000, billed at roughly $225 an hour. Larger installation jobs generally range from about $20,000 up to $50,000–$60,000 depending on scope. Exact pricing depends on the equipment and job, so contact us for a quote specific to your situation.
What forms of payment do you accept?
Cash, check, and credit card. Ask about additional digital payment options when scheduling.
Do you offer maintenance contracts or service agreements?
Yes. Preventive maintenance plans include routine check-ins and a report on anything that needs attention, helping catch problems before they turn into a shutdown.
About & Credentials
How long has Brian Boiler Works been in business?
The family business traces back to right after World War II. Brian founded the current San Luis Obispo shop himself in 1995, after years working boiler and industrial steam jobs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Jose.
Is Brian Boiler Works licensed, bonded, and insured?
Yes. Brian Boiler Works holds a California contractor license and carries bonding and insurance with $1 million in coverage.
Do you offer a warranty on repairs?
Yes, a one-year warranty applies to labor and to any parts sold.
What's the largest or most complex job you've completed?
A full boiler installation at a landmark on the Central Coast, completed largely solo over an entire summer.