The OFTEC

easy guide to...

Why an oil fired boiler should be serviced regularly
Having an oil fired boiler serviced regularly can keep it Effect of soot on fuel consumption

INCREASE IN FUEL CONSUMPTION

operating at its most efficient. This reduces fuel bills and 10%
saves money on costly call out fees for unexpected 9%
8%
breakdowns, it is recommended that oil fired appliances
7%
and equipment are serviced at least once a year or as 6%
recommended by the manufacturer. 5%
4%
There are many reasons why the efficiency of an oil fired 3%
boiler could be reduced. Here are a few: 2%
1%
• Excessive smoke and partially burnt fuel deposits soot on 0%
the heat exchanger which restricts the amount of heat 0.75mm 1.5mm 3.0mm
which the heat exchanger can transfer into the water. A SOOT LAYER ON HEATING SURFACES
heat exchanger carries water around the boiler, absorbs
the heat from the hot flue gasses and transfers it into the
This graph shows how much efficiency is decreased as
water. The cleaner the heat exchanger the more efficient
soot builds up within a heat exchanger. For example,
the boiler will be.
3.0mm layer of soot can reduce the amount of heat
• Oil Nozzles will wear. They regulate how much oil is used absorbed by more than 8%.
and if it is not regularly replaced it could cause “sooting
up” of the heat exchanger, and so reduce heat transfer.
Don’t forget the tank!
• Photocells can glaze over with soot. Photocells are an
important safety feature which detects whether the flame Oil storage tanks and
is lit. If a photocell is dirty it may not be able to monitor the supply pipes should also
flame correctly and could cause the boiler to shut down be checked during the
randomly causing inconvenience. Boilers switching on service as condensation
and off frequently will be less efficient than when running can form within the oil tank
for longer periods. when the oil level is low.
The presence of water in
• Electrodes can wear and carbon up. Electrodes make a an oil tank can cause
spark to light the fuel, if they are worn or covered with equipment failure as
carbon it will cause poor ignition so the boiler may not reduce well as boiler efficiency. Filter elements will need to
light. Again, causing inefficiency and increasing fuel cost. be cleaned and/or replaced.
The Service
Appliances should be
periodically cleaned and
components replaced as
required when the boiler is
being serviced. If your boiler is
not serviced annually it is at
higher risk of breaking down
and costing you more money
Cleaning the boiler gives the
service technician a chance
to: look for other tell tale signs
that parts of the boiler may need replacing, inspect the
boiler combustion chamber which provides an opportunity
to inspect the condition of the material and welds. Old steel
heat exchangers will often leave a rust mark which can give
a warning that the boiler will soon need to be replaced. This
provides an opportunity to plan the work rather than have
the inconvenience of trying to arrange a repair at short
notice when a heat exchanger unexpectedly fails.
Long term damage can also occur if the boiler is not
serviced regularly. During the combustion process, when
the air mixes with oil and is burnt, deposits such as sulphur
build up on the internal surfaces of the heat exchanger and
the baffles which redirect the flow of flue gases inside a
boiler to make it less efficient. If left for a number of years
these deposits harden and with some designs of heat
exchanger render it impossible to remove the baffles
without destroying them. A replacement baffle will come at
a significant cost on to the routine service charge.
Carbon Monoxide
As with any fossil fuel burning appliance, poor or
inadequate servicing can cause the generation of Carbon
Monoxide. Soot deposits, flue blockages and blocked air
vents can restrict the flow of exhaust gases and cause them
to spill out into the surrounding room. Therefore, it is
absolutely vital that your oil boiler is checked annually for
these possible problems.
Carbon monoxide is a highly toxic poisonous gas. It is
odourless, colourless and tasteless and therefore difficult to
detect. Some symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are
as follows:
• Tiredness • Dizziness • Vomiting
• Headaches • Nausea
To reduce your risk of carbon monoxide poisoning it is
advisable to fit an audible carbon monoxide detector.
See OFTEC Direct www.oftecdirect.com/shop and go to
the miscellaneous page.
For safety, peace of mind and to minimise fuel costs and
reduce the risk of unexpected breakdowns for oil users,
it is recommended that an OFTEC Registered Technician
services any oil installation at least annually. OFTEC
Registered Technicians are appropriately qualified and
insured to work in your home and can also advise on
Energy Efficiency.

OFTEC
Oil Firing Technical Association
Foxwood House, Dobbs Lane,
Kesgrave, Ipswich IP5 2QQ
www.oftec.org Tel: 0845 65 85 080 Fax: 0845 65 85 181 PUB/48 Issue 1 22.01.2009