Hello,

We have moved into a house with an oil fired CH/HW boiler and I'd like
to get it serviced, just to be sure everything is ok before the winter
(assuming we get a summer!).

It's very smelly. I've never had an oil boiler before. Are they always
smelly or does that suggest something is wrong? Surely the oil should
be inside so the smell should not come out?

Thanks,
Stephen.

On Sat, 21 Jun 2008 11:32:49 GMT, Stephen
wrote:

Hello,

We have moved into a house with an oil fired CH/HW boiler and I'd like
to get it serviced,

Sorry to add to my own post but I know that if I have a gas boiler
serviced I should use a CORGI person. Is there a similar scheme for
oil boilers? How can I be sure I get someone good? Is there an
organisation the engineer should be a member of?

Thanks,
Stephen.

On 21 Jun, 12:50, Stephen
wrote:
On Sat, 21 Jun 2008 11:32:49 GMT, Stephen

wrote:
Hello,

We have moved into a house with an oil fired CH/HW boiler and I'd like
to get it serviced,

Sorry to add to my own post but I know that if I have a gas boiler
serviced I should use a CORGI person. Is there a similar scheme for
oil boilers? How can I be sure I get someone good? Is there an
organisation the engineer should be a member of?

Thanks,
Stephen.

I know when you write a query to Usernet, it is very easy to get
involved in the typing and forget to actually think about what the
answers are likely to be - in this case nobody will be able to give
you a recommendation because you haven't said where you live!

Rob

On Jun 21, 1:52*pm, robgraham wrote:
On 21 Jun, 12:50, Stephen
wrote:

On Sat, 21 Jun 2008 11:32:49 GMT, Stephen

wrote:
Hello,

We have moved into a house with an oil fired CH/HW boiler and I'd like
to get it serviced,

Sorry to add to my own post but I know that if I have a gas boiler
serviced I should use a CORGI person. Is there a similar scheme for
oil boilers? How can I be sure I get someone good? Is there an
organisation the engineer should be a member of?

Thanks,
Stephen.

I know when you write a query to Usernet, it is very easy to get
involved in the typing and forget to actually think about what the
answers are likely to be - in this case nobody will be able to give
you a recommendation because you haven't said where you live!

Rob

Stephen wasn't asking for recommendations for an actual tradesman so I
don't think his location is important.

To answer the question, OFTEC is the oil equivalent of CORGI:- www.oftec.org

Steve

To answer the question, OFTEC is the oil equivalent of CORGI:-www.oftec.org

Yup. Some heating oil suppliers also offer servicing, and at a
discount if they supply your oil.

A slight smell around the storage tank may be normal (from the air
vent), but a domestic boiler shouldn't smell (old fashioned Aga/
Rayburns with evaporative burners might).

wrote:
To answer the question, OFTEC is the oil equivalent of CORGI:-www.oftec.org

Yup. Some heating oil suppliers also offer servicing, and at a
discount if they supply your oil.

A slight smell around the storage tank may be normal (from the air
vent), but a domestic boiler shouldn't smell (old fashioned Aga/
Rayburns with evaporative burners might).

I have one of those old Rayburns, converted from solid fuel. I only
notice an oily smell if, for some reason, the door to the combustion
chamber has been opened, or if it's in dire need of a thorough cleaning.

My oil supplier has a service department, and I generally have the
Rayburn serviced about once a year. I've done it myself, but it's not
worth the time, effort, and mess.

On Sat, 21 Jun 2008 11:32:49 GMT, Stephen wrote:

It's very smelly. I've never had an oil boiler before. Are they always
smelly or does that suggest something is wrong? Surely the oil should
be inside so the smell should not come out?

Define "very smelly"? Ours occasionally has a smell of oil and very slight
warm iron oil smell.

What type of boiler is it?

Floor/wall mounted? Conventional to balanced flue?

OFTEC is the trade association. It's normally quite simple to service an
oil boiler but as this is the first time ina while that this boiler has
been looked at it's probably worth the £80 odd a service (inc routine
parts) should cost. This service should include a full clean and vacuum of
the combustion chamber, cleaning of the burner, cleaning/check of the
filter and fire isolator, replacement of the jet, cleaning and adjustment
of the ignition electrodes, smoke test of the flue gases (indicates
correct air flow) and flue gas temperature check (indicates the
effciency).

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 21 Jun, 12:32, Stephen
wrote:
Hello,

We have moved into a house with an oil fired CH/HW boiler and I'd like
to get it serviced, just to be sure everything is ok before the winter
(assuming we get a summer!).

It's very smelly. I've never had an oil boiler before. Are they always
smelly or does that suggest something is wrong? Surely the oil should
be inside so the smell should not come out?

Thanks,
Stephen.

1. No they are not always smelly.

2. Your oil supplier may have a service department but equally you may
have independant service technicians in your area, who are probably
cheaper, and more inclined to do a better job as high efficiency sells
less oil.

3. There is a trade body - OFTEC but oil service does not at the
moment require a registed technician although OFTEC membership does
mean the guy has been assessed as competent once at least.

4. You have not told us what make and model your new boiler is

5. similarly - where are you?

Stephen wrote:
Hello,

We have moved into a house with an oil fired CH/HW boiler and I'd like
to get it serviced, just to be sure everything is ok before the winter
(assuming we get a summer!).

It's very smelly. I've never had an oil boiler before. Are they always
smelly or does that suggest something is wrong? Surely the oil should
be inside so the smell should not come out?

When I had a Stanley oil burner, I never smelled anything related to oil
- other than what I was cooking.

--
Rod

Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious
onset.
Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed.
www.thyromind.info www.thyroiduk.org www.altsupportthyroid.org

wrote:
To answer the question, OFTEC is the oil equivalent of CORGI:-www.oftec.org

Yup. Some heating oil suppliers also offer servicing, and at a
discount if they supply your oil.

A slight smell around the storage tank may be normal (from the air
vent), but a domestic boiler shouldn't smell (old fashioned Aga/
Rayburns with evaporative burners might).

the exhausts always do on any oil boiler.

Agas don't smell at all..well there is a slight whiff around the float
chamber that's all.

On Sat, 21 Jun 2008 17:22:46 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

Define "very smelly"? Ours occasionally has a smell of oil and very slight
warm iron oil smell.

It smells of oil but only when it has been on.

What type of boiler is it?

Floor/wall mounted? Conventional to balanced flue?

It sits on the floor. I don't know about flues. How could I tell which
type it is? Would that make a difference?

OFTEC is the trade association. It's normally quite simple to service an
oil boiler but as this is the first time ina while that this boiler has
been looked at it's probably worth the £80 odd a service (inc routine
parts) should cost

I have looked at the Yellow Pages and whereas everyone lists their
corgi membership (because they have to) very few list oftec. I emailed
a couple that do but the only one to reply so far wanted £197!

I have not rushed to do anything because I have not had the CH on
recently.

BTW I am in Derby. I wasn't originally asking for a recommendation of
a firm, just how to find a reputable one, however personal
recommendation is the best way to find someone, so if anyone knows...

Thanks.

On Jul 2, 12:04*pm, Stephen
wrote:
On Sat, 21 Jun 2008 17:22:46 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"

wrote:
Define "very smelly"? Ours occasionally has a smell of oil and very slight
warm iron oil smell.

It smells of oil but only when it has been on.

What type of boiler is it?
Floor/wall mounted? Conventional to balanced flue?

It sits on the floor. I don't know about flues. How could I tell which
type it is? Would that make a difference?

OFTEC is the trade association. It's normally quite simple to service an
oil boiler but as this is the first time ina while that this boiler has
been looked at it's probably worth the £80 odd a service (inc routine
parts) should cost

I have looked at the Yellow Pages and whereas everyone lists their
corgi membership (because they have to) very few list oftec. I emailed
a couple that do but the only one to reply so far wanted £197!

I have not rushed to do anything because I have not had the CH on
recently.

BTW I am in Derby. I wasn't originally asking for a recommendation of
a firm, just how to find a reputable one, however personal
recommendation is the best way to find someone, so if anyone knows...

Thanks.

Google for OFTEC.