Oil Boiler Servicing

[Lazarus]

We had a new Boiler fitted three years ago and, after many years previous experience, have left it well alone, preferring instead to do breakdown maintenance only.

Even so, the last Boiler was a pig to dismantle and re-assemble.

In the past few weeks there has been an occasional whiff of kerosene, so I thought it might be time to look at the new Boiler.

Wow, what a difference: The beast is far better designed for easy maintenance and it took me a bare hour to remove, clean and replace the Condensate Trap, to remove the Burner Assembly, clean the spreader and replace the nozzle, to vacuum out a very small amount of debris from the combustion chamber and, after refitting the Burner, to access both the primary and secondary Heat Exchangers and remove, clean and replace the baffles.

No visible oil leaks, so hopefully the smell was due to a worn Nozzle (They are supposed to be replaced Annually). All seems aok now.

Very little soot, too, so I'll hang fire for a couple more years before getting an Oftec guy out to set it up again.

Cost?

Around five quid!

 

[PaulR]

Reminds me that perhaps I should vacuum our gas boiler. Not that there's anything wrong of course.

 

[Terryl]

A good check of the exhaust flume or chimney is a must, even gas and oil burners create creosote (but not as much as a wood stove) and should be checked and cleaned.

And if it's too much of a job for you then hire someone that does this, this may save you from a nasty fire, or an exhaust leak from a disconnected flue joint.

 

[PaulR]

My flue is all of about 9" as the boiler is attached to an outside wall. It's a balanced flue so the outside air is drawn in through the same aperture.

 

[Lazarus]

Ditto.

Although mines a few inches longer.

(Naturally)



And it's in a well-ventilated external Boiler House.