Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Smell of oil from boiler

  • 25-10-2012 04:29PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 178
    ✭✭


    Hi, my boiler is in utility room and past two days there is a smell of oil. Now this happened couple months back, called the boiler man and he said definitely no leak. It did go after that but its back. Anyone any ideas? I got oil in tank in September and a fill yesterday.


Welcome!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,996 jimf
    ✭✭✭


    did you run out of oil and have to bleed burner

    what make boiler/burner do you have


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 178 Lackagh1970
    ✭✭


    No, had at least 100 litres of oil in tank, have a firebird boiler which was serviced this year


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,996 jimf
    ✭✭✭


    can you find out what burner is fitted if its firebird boiler most likely a riello burner
    but what model burner


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 178 Lackagh1970
    ✭✭


    Had a look for ya, its riello. I checked around it, no wet patches on tissues


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,996 jimf
    ✭✭✭


    does your burner have a little brass hydraulic jack fitted on the right hand side
    that opens/closes air damper when burner is switched on/off maybe not if its a utility boiler but possible check around this area for leaks


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 178 Lackagh1970
    ✭✭


    checked everything, no oil, doing my head in now it is


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,996 jimf
    ✭✭✭


    does it have the hydraulic jack or not ???

    if so it may only leak when the burner is operational
    it will only be a couple of drops if problem just starting and can disperse in air intake


    tiny amount of kerosene can stink a confined area


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 Billy Bunting
    ✭✭✭


    checked everything, no oil, doing my head in now it is

    If you topped up yesturday and now have nowt i suggest you ask your engineer to put a presure test on the oil line.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,996 jimf
    ✭✭✭


    he has oil billy i think he was referring to oil around burner ???


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 Billy Bunting
    ✭✭✭


    jimf wrote: »
    he has oil billy i think he was referring to oil around burner ???


    Rushed in without reading the post times. :o

    I'll go with you jmf, Hydraulic Ram.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 178 Lackagh1970
    ✭✭


    Sometimes I wish I was a man and knew what ye were talking about lol, yeh brass thing on the right, no leaks either, will give it until tomorrow and then call back the boiler man


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,996 jimf
    ✭✭✭


    sorry poster i referred to you as he aha presumption the mother of all .... ups


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 178 Lackagh1970
    ✭✭


    Smell goes as soon as I turn off heat


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,996 jimf
    ✭✭✭


    then it may not be oil at all but fluegas emissions different type smell but not nice and not healthy maybe best to leave off for now and wait your service engineers visit couple of areas around boiler which can leak best checked out


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 51 boiler break downs
    ✭✭


    jimf wrote: »
    then it may not be oil at all but fluegas emissions different type smell but not nice and not healthy maybe best to leave off for now and wait your service engineers visit couple of areas around boiler which can leak best checked out
    check flexible oil line


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,677 shane0007
    ✭✭✭


    A long shot, but there is an estate local to me where all the oil tanks are sitting on the ground outside. The boilers are all in the utilities and all have tiger loop de-aerators fitted, but fitted internally! They are all of the external type. I get calls of kerosene smells when boiler is running and headaches and nausea follows. Many installers have gone previously and done CO room safety test and when it obviously passes the test, they leave saying all is ok but miss it was the tiger loop venting kerosene vapour into the room.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 51 boiler break downs
    ✭✭


    shane0007 wrote: »
    A long shot, but there is an estate local to me where all the oil tanks are sitting on the ground outside. The boilers are all in the utilities and all have tiger loop de-aerators fitted, but fitted internally! They are all of the external type. I get calls of kerosene smells when boiler is running and headaches and nausea follows. Many installers have gone previously and done CO room safety test and when it obviously passes the test, they leave saying all is ok but miss it was the tiger loop venting kerosene vapour into the room.
    I've seen that with tiger loops a few times.i serviced a boiler locally a while back and could smell kerosene straight away but could find no leak.when the burner ran the pressure threw a tiny pin hole in an oil line caused the kerosene to squirt away in the corner of boiler house.so i had no oil at burner but had some else where.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 178 Lackagh1970
    ✭✭


    Boiler man called tonight, no leaks but he did test of the oil delivered wednesday, it wasnt as dark as it should be, so here goes a big battle with oil company tomorrow....wish me luck


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,677 shane0007
    ✭✭✭


    Boiler man called tonight, no leaks but he did test of the oil delivered wednesday, it wasnt as dark as it should be, so here goes a big battle with oil company tomorrow....wish me luck
    Sorry but that is nonsense! If the fuel was incorrect or dodgy, it would show up in the flue has analysis. There should be no smell around the boiler. You either have a kerosene smell or a flue gas smell. The two are fairly distinctive. Has he pressure tested the oil line at 1bar pressure for 15 minutes?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 178 Lackagh1970
    ✭✭


    Its a kerosene smell


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,677 shane0007
    ✭✭✭


    If it is a kerosene smell then it is not dodgy fuel. It is a leak if the smell if internal.
    Do you have one of these fitted inside close to the boiler?
    https://www.google.ie/search?q=tiger+loop&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=8w6LUPP6PMOR0AXG4ICYAQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=768&bih=928#biv=i|3;d|0QPchVSKLTl1NM:
    If not, then I would pressure test the oil line from the oil tank to the burner.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 178 Lackagh1970
    ✭✭


    What colour should kerosene be? There is definitely no leak, it was thoroughly checked


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,677 shane0007
    ✭✭✭


    Red if it is purchased in the Republic. If purchased in NI, then it is green, many border counties purchase from NI.
    Burnt fuel will not produce a kerosene smell.
    Again, did he PRESSURE TEST the oil line at 1bar pressure for 15 minutes or just do a visual check?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 178 Lackagh1970
    ✭✭


    I will phone him tomorrow and ask him if he did an actual check, I know the colour of the sample was pink


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,996 jimf
    ✭✭✭


    do you still think the smell is only there when the burner is running if yes it probably is not an oil leak but fluegas emissions

    kerosene will smell a confined area for quite sometime after burner
    switch off this should be an easy fix for any service eng worth his salt

    ask him does have a fluegas analyser if he says no get somebody else who does


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 178 Lackagh1970
    ✭✭


    All sorted, oil company called out, there was a spill of oil accidentially upon delivery


  • Hosted Moderators Posts: 3,496 DGOBS
    ✭✭✭


    How would that only manifest when the burner is on????????????


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,996 jimf
    ✭✭✭


    as confused as you dgobs oil smell lingers should be there if boiler is running or not this boiler is in a utility room where did they spill the oil how far from house is your oil tank this does not add up


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 618 sheff the ref
    ✭✭✭


    Sorry for bringing up an old topic but it is relevant to a similar problem I have

    My mothers oil tank ran out. It was a wet evening with exceptionally heavy rain when she got it filled and the heating wouldn't work afterwards so she got me to look at it. It needed to be bleeded. The handy way out was to open the stud on the boiler and let the kerosene squirt away for a few moments until the air was gone. That obviously meant that kerosene would be on the inside of the boiler casing but I didn't care as I felt it would dry out and besides the boiler is outside.

    However since then there is a smell similar to aviation fuel burning in an airport. It seems to be getting in around the house from outside when the boiler is running, possibly through vents etc. The kerosene has long since dried away. This is going on over a week or more

    What is the problem?


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,590 agusta
    ✭✭✭


    If it a flue gas or burning fuel smell,it means the burner is not running correctly.You will have to get it serviced.There will be a large amount of carbon monoxide coming out the flue,not good.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,633 punisher5112
    ✭✭✭✭


    How much did you let spill..
    Put down sand or cat litter to soak up.


  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 6,480 Wearb
    Mod ✭✭✭✭


    If there isn’t a leak then it’s most likely a combustion problem and will need a tech to sort it out. While carbon monoxide doesn’t have an odour (mores the pity) it can be very dangerous. It’s produced through poor combustion and those odours you are getting might be an indication of that.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,633 punisher5112
    ✭✭✭✭


    Get a carbon monoxide alarm if you don't own already.


Welcome!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
Advertisement