Before removing a steam or air atomizing oil burner from a boiler furnace, what should be done to the burner?

Blowing out the burner with steam or air is an essential step before removing a steam or air atomizing oil burner from a boiler furnace. This process helps to clear any residual fuel or combustion products from the burner, ensuring that it is safe to handle and reducing the risk of fire or explosion during removal. By using steam or air, the system can be purged effectively, removing flammable materials and preventing accidents.

Cooling down the burner is also important, but it serves a different purpose. Ensuring the burner is cool can be part of a safe removal process, but if residual fuel remains, it does not directly address the fire hazards that could arise from combustible materials still present in the burner.

To inspect for leaks is a good maintenance practice but would typically be performed as part of routine inspections or troubleshooting rather than as an immediate preparatory step for removal.

Disassembling the burner is not an immediate requirement before removal. It is usually more efficient and safer to remove the burner as a whole unit, especially if it needs to be tested, serviced, or replaced.

Thus, the most critical and immediate step before the removal is to blow it out with steam or air, ensuring safety and readiness for the maintenance work ahead.