Oil Boiler Servicing

jimf

i thought twas lick your finger and hope twas windy

Dtp79

jimf wrote: »

i thought twas lick your finger and hope twas windy

Twas a bit a both me thinks

Billy Bunting

Dtp79 wrote: »

'twas all about lookin at the tip of the flame back then !

I believe the technical term was flame picture, that usually baffled the custard

shane0007

scudo2 wrote: »

Hi Guy's, I'm new to this,(Boards.ie I mean) as I've been servicing oil boilers for over 20 years in Cork city and often feel and espically in the last two years that I'm banging my head against a brick wall trying to explain to costomers what a proper service consists of and why we have to charge a lot more than Jonny operating from the pub!!
Got a free local paper "Cork News" to do an artical on "shoddy boiler servicing" last year if you want to look it up. I also, at my own expense got 2000 leflets to give out explaining what a service is that I shall be giving out at the Cork Summer Show this June 15th/16th that explains the legal aspect of boiler servicing in Ireland, ie ANYBODY can do Boilers wants it's not gas, and there not breaking the law!!!
If your around for the Cork show, I'll see ya.
Michael Duffy www.southern-services.net
Email southernservices@eircom.net

Firstly, welcome.
There are laws, but not many take much notice of them. If somebody agrees to carry out a service on a boiler for profit, in the eyes of the law, they are categorically stating to the client that they are competent to do so. A competent person is defining as somebody who is suitably TRAINED, suitably QUALIFIED & suitably EXPERIENCED to do so.
The problem is similar to it being illegal to spit on the street but it is never too difficult to find the twats who do!
Are you OFTEC certified/registered? If not, it maybe of benefit to do so.
I also understand that you need to value your experience & knowledge but €120 for a standard boiler service & €150 for a condensing boiler service do seem a tad excessive.

crock!

I know someone in cork getting 120 for a service on any oil boiler.how long are you spending on a service.it seems a tad expensive but if your getting it and kept busy then carry on.

Robbie.G

Welcome to the fold
If you can get prices like that I'm feckin moving to cork

esox28

You might get them prices round here this year but you'd be scratching next year.
Won't worry me im off to the red and white county,, I don't need much persuading lovely part of the country.

jimf

great prices if you can get the best i can hope for is 80 for se and 100 for he but fair play if you can get these prices and keep busy i would too if i could

scudo2

leflet 004.jpg

leflet 001.jpgAttachment not found.leflet 001.jpg

Hi Guy's, I dont know if the atachments work, but if they do you'll see where I'm comeing from in the newspaper article about cowboys. I couldnt care less about cheap servies, ( Just cheap and dangerous),people get what they pay for, I do discounted prices for regular costomers and dureing the summer or if less time and work is needed, ye all know that you could be there 40mins or 2-3 hours, If somebody is not happy because "soneso" down the pub is quarter the price, I give them their money back and tell them to call them in future, as luckily (so far) I have enough people who appericate a good professional service.

OFTEC qualified since March 1996

Link on website use to be to Bacharach combustion analizers web site giving a lot of good information on combustion and carbon monoxide + 100's photos of boilers from hell, Sorry but I can't get anybody to change link due to what ever code my site is and the designer is in Australia now + I forgot about it!
I just wish oil boiler servicing was regulated simular to RGII making it a criminal offence if your not registered, insured and qualified.
I dont plan on talking so much in the future, but my van's in for a service ( hence I'v time for this reply)and I just wanted give a bit of detail on myself, ( See atachment, if it works!) All the best,Thanks MD

crock!

I've read your article in the papper and tought it will catch the attention of the public.it was very good.im sorry to hear about your sister but I fear that solid fuel is coming back a lot because of the price of oil .I see a lot of stoves put in by diy people and there so dangerous and I hope your article will make people more aware of the dangers and make them think twice before getting the cheap job by the handy man.

.jacksparrow.

Very sorry about your sister Michael, that's terrible, really hits home that this game is a matter of life and death. I only was commenting in the other thread about the fella who is up on manslaughter charges for the death of that poor woman in kinsale a years ago.

I'm very sorry for your loss Micheal, it should never have happened, it's a price no family member should have to pay in this day and age.

It saddens me that others will have to pay the same price again and again over the years before we see any changes for the better. RGI:mad: just doesn't work and have done nothing to improve safety for householders by rooting out the installers who are a danger.

Until there's a way of proving real competence and good practical safe working procedures before a tradesman is allowed to work in people's homes and around their family's then consumers will just have to rely on the luck of the draw

AMS2010

Evening All,
So I appear to one of the conned...
Recently got the oil-burning Firebird serviced, but still getting a strong smell of kerosene everytime I open the boiler house door.
What qualifications do I need to look for when employing a service guy? Is there any way of checking for sure they are doing the job as it should be done?
I know absolutely nothing about nozzles, flames etc etc, so can't even be sure they won't try to baffle me with tech speak and still only take the hoover to the job!
Advice/recommemdations for Dublin area greatly appreciated.

shane0007

AMS2010 wrote: »

Evening All,
So I appear to one of the conned...
Recently got the oil-burning Firebird serviced, but still getting a strong smell of kerosene everytime I open the boiler house door.
What qualifications do I need to look for when employing a service guy? Is there any way of checking for sure they are doing the job as it should be done?
I know absolutely nothing about nozzles, flames etc etc, so can't even be sure they won't try to baffle me with tech speak and still only take the hoover to the job!
Advice/recommemdations for Dublin area greatly appreciated.

What part of Dublin are you in?

AMS2010

Dublin 12

letape

Just wondering what I should expect to pay for an oil bolier service?

scudo2

letape wrote: »

Just wondering what I should expect to pay for an oil bolier service?

Tell us what part of the country your in and one of the lad's will get back to you.
The all seem to know there stuff.
I personally charge about €100 this time of year Inc.VAT,Nozzle, immisions test, and reciept.
A cheap service is a waste of time, money, fuel and often dangerous, ie. The cowboy €40-00 types

shane0007

Generally, for standard efficiency boilers around €80 incl nozzle & vat. You are likely to require a new flexible hose so this would be extra as they need to be replaced regularly.
For high efficiency boilers, same as above but €100 as upto 33 turbulators require removing & cleaning & the condensate trap needs to be dismantled & cleaned.
If other things are found to be required, these would be extra.

Also ask before booking the service how long will the service take. Anything under 1 hour, phone somebody else. If the boiler has not been serviced properly before it usually takes 90 minutes to service. I've often been a lot longer than that also.

Also ensure full flue gas analysis is carried out & you get the print out of the results.

scudo2

Also ensure full flue gas analysis is carried out & you get the print out of the results.[/quote]

Without the above you are been conned and trowing good money away. If service eng. doesn't have a combustion analiser giving an electriconic print out of boiler emmissions and efficiency, run him/her.

Its Like a carpenter not having a saw. Its critical to have the proper tools for the job.

letape

Thanks for the replies - very much appreciated. As someone who knows very little about this, your advice is very welcome.

jimf

scudo2 wrote: »

Also ensure full flue gas analysis is carried out & you get the print out of the results.

Without the above you are been conned and trowing good money away. If service eng. doesn't have a combustion analiser giving an electriconic print out of boiler emmissions and efficiency, run him/her.

Its Like a carpenter not having a saw. Its critical to have the proper tools for the job.[/QUOTE]

everybody on here will agree with the fga having to be done but jaysus some guys out there have 1 but havent a clue of what readings they should be aiming for have come across some crazy readings before service i have this crazy bad habit of taking readings ie smoke and fga before and after service

agusta

im just wondering why would you be putting crazy readings through your fga,its such an expensive and delicate piece of equipment.id only use the fga after setting the oil pressure,new nozzle,air etc

scudo2

jimf wrote: »

Without the above you are been conned and trowing good money away. If service eng. doesn't have a combustion analiser giving an electriconic print out of boiler emmissions and efficiency, run him/her.

Its Like a carpenter not having a saw. Its critical to have the proper tools for the job.

everybody on here will agree with the fga having to be done but jaysus some guys out there have 1 but havent a clue of what readings they should be aiming for have come across some crazy readings before service i have this crazy bad habit of taking readings ie smoke and fga before and after service[/quote]

scudo2

scudo2 wrote: »

everybody on here will agree with the fga having to be done but jaysus some guys out there have 1 but havent a clue of what readings they should be aiming for have come across some crazy readings before service i have this crazy bad habit of taking readings ie smoke and fga before and after service

[/quote]


Dito
And that's why I'm able to be fulltime servicing thanks to these fools.
The dangerous thing is that they don't know how dangerous they are. And couldn't be bothered looking up the settings.
Average settings, give or take 6% ox. 11%carbon dixoide less than 50ppm. Carbon monoxide. How effin hard is that? !!
You all know my familys circumstance on carbon monoxide.
A least with gas you have somewhere to report them. Bad an all with RGII, at least there is something there.

ps I also hate thick costomers.

jimf

agusta wrote: »

im just wondering why would you be putting crazy readings through your fga,its such an expensive and delicate piece of equipment.id only use the fga after setting the oil pressure,new nozzle,air etc

fair point agusta smoke pump first then fga if co rising like a mig jet out she comes biggest culpit i find for high co are boilers being overaired usually never commissioned especially warmflow he and shane has pointed out the reasons on here recently

crock!

Have you ever seen baffles like this.in a steel boiler.make unknown. Some difference with how fast the new boiler heats the house.it has real baffles.

scudo2

crock! wrote: »

Have you ever seen baffles like this.in a steel boiler.make unknown. Some difference with how fast the new boiler heats the house.it has real baffles.

If they hung down vertically ( the baffles) into boiler between water panels and the boiler has a big solid cleaning door on top + big wing nuts, and flap with cast iron hinged type just over the burner then it's an OLD 30+ year warmflow. a solid and well made boiler in its day.
Or boiler had big full size metal door/plate covering the whole front length x breath of the boiler inc. burner and had a BIG 36" x 18" fire brick at the front, very rare but still a few out there.

If you need help or info contact me or show more pic's of boiler.

scudo2

tiger loop installed by loopy plumber who didn't read instructions.
+ balanced flue off a Geminox, + Boiler in shed with petrol and paint tins, oil tank and Large gas bottle


boiler 670.jpg

boiler 002.jpg

boiler 003.jpg

ps. Anybody intreasted in starting a tread with all our photos from hell on jobs we see?

shane0007

scudo2 wrote: »

ps. Anybody intreasted in starting a tread with all our photos from hell on jobs we see?

We have it in the RGI Tech Forum but I don't see any reason for not having one for oil. The oil ones have been posted in the RGI forum also.

crock!

Here is an unusual set up for heating your garage.i had these pics in rgi tech so some have seen them already.

Dtp79

crock! wrote: »

Here is an unusual set up for heating your garage.i had these pics in rgi tech so some have seen them already.

Ye I never forgot that one. Every time I close my eyes I still see it to this day

shane0007

Here's a 3 zone system wiring centre I had to re-wire from scratch today. All this is behind the 3 amp spur!
Volt free also wired in the same core. Boiler did not know whether it was coming or going!

Robbie.G

shane0007 wrote: »

Here's a 3 zone system wiring centre I had to re-wire from scratch today. All this is behind the 3 amp spur!
Volt free also wired in the same core. Boiler did not know whether it was coming or going!

And your point been

shane0007

Robbie.G wrote: »

And your point been

Oh yeah I forgot this is standard practice in Co.Louth.....

Robbie.G

shane0007 wrote: »

Oh yeah I forgot this is standard practice in Co.Louth.....

Not just we generally use twin boxes we are not that mean

DGOBS

You mean someone Co Louth actually zoned a house! Impressed!

Robbie.G

DGOBS wrote: »

You mean someone Co Louth actually zoned a house! Impressed!

Yeah my own house

scudo2

shane0007 wrote: »

Here's a 3 zone system wiring centre I had to re-wire from scratch today. All this is behind the 3 amp spur!
Volt free also wired in the same core. Boiler did not know whether it was coming or going!

Corkelectrican !!
Very common down here. Proberly from Passage getting his own back.

scudo2

A Condensing Grant boiler before they thought of if, 17 years old !
in attached photo.

28012009(001).jpg
I've also had a farmers boilers done like this on old SIME 30 years old with 9' of homemade twin wall flue pipe containing water as a pre heater since boiler was installed, no wonder the boiler was always sopping and manky wet!!
but hanen't any photo, pre photo phones

JohnnieK

scudo2 wrote: »

A Condensing Grant boiler before they thought of if, 17 years old !
in attached photo.

And the old green insulation. You would have been better of tighing a sock around the pipe :-)

scudo2

JohnnieK wrote: »

And the old green insulation. You would have been better of tighing a sock around the pipe :-)

Any insulation is better than none. See the lovley aspestos tape rap at top of flue. OMG Please help us from x marine engineers. DIY expert.

The worst thing ever invented was the pipe in pipe Q pex. Handy but crap insulation values !!

shane0007

Condensing a SE boiler! Nice way of rotting it.

JohnnieK

shane0007 wrote: »

Condensing a SE boiler! Nice way of rotting it.

I hope you got a 99 when you where up in the big smoke:D

shane0007

JohnnieK wrote: »

I hope you got a 99 when you where up in the big smoke:D

I did but it made me very thirsty.

Robbie.G

There was a technician in Court Yesterday in the UK facing a charge of Manslaughter, on the grounds that he serviced an AGA oil fired cooker, deemed it safe for use and left it working - problem was the Chimney was blocked with soot and fumes/carbon Monoxide were leaking from the draught break into the house causing a fatality on the same day.

i have not heard how the case is progressing and do not know when if found guilty he will be sentenced

Suffice to say it is essential to test any chimney on an open flue for spillage and pull

A very tragic and sad case for all concerned!

Just something for those people who think that the only thing that matters regarding servicing their boilers is price

shane0007

Monday 16th -
Lidl have W5 heavy Duty Hand Cleaner back in.
Best stuff I've ever used for getting oil & crap off hands.
€2.49 a tub.

Dtp79

shane0007 wrote: »

Monday 16th -
Lidl have W5 heavy Duty Hand Cleaner back in.
Best stuff I've ever used for getting oil & crap off hands.
€2.49 a tub.

+1

JohnnieK

shane0007 wrote: »

Monday 16th -
Lidl have W5 heavy Duty Hand Cleaner back in.
Best stuff I've ever used for getting oil & crap off hands.
€2.49 a tub.

Doing a bit for Lidl now :P

corkgsxr

JohnnieK wrote: »

Doing a bit for Lidl now :P

Sponsorship deal. He was telling us about lawnmowers and ironing board covers last week

shane0007

corkgsxr wrote: »

Sponsorship deal. He was telling us about lawnmowers and ironing board covers last week

Yeah, yeah, I'll keep deals to myself in future.
Might see you next Tuesday!