Oil Fired Boiler Servicing & Care

Having your oil fired boiler serviced annually not only ensures the appliance runs at its highest efficiency, saving money on your fuel bills. It also keeps your appliance safe to use, avoiding carbon monoxide issues along with maintaining the appliances life span, meaning break downs can be kept to a minimum.

There are many reasons why the efficiency of an oil fired boiler could be reduced. The main causes being -

• Electrodes can wear and attract soot and deposits. Electrodes produce a spark to light the fuel, if they are worn or in poor condition the boiler may not light.
• Excessive smoke and partially burnt fuel deposits can cause soot to form within the boiler heat exchanger, restricting the amount of heat that can be transferred into the heating system water.
• Oil nozzles regulate how much oil passes through the burner. The nozzles are consumable items that wear over time affecting combustion
• Photocells can glaze over with deposits. Photocells are an important safety feature which detect whether the boiler has lit. If a photocell is dirty it may not be able to detect the burner flame correctly and could cause the boiler to shut down randomly. Boilers frequently switching on and off will be less efficient than those running for longer periods

During the service the Oftec registered engineer thats attends will inspect all aspects of your oil fired appliance. Removing components and cleaning them, which allows the engineer to determine if parts will need replacing in order to maintain your boiler. The combustion chamber will be inspected to check the material and welding. The heat exchanger will be checked for rust, this is a common sign the boiler will soon need replacing, and will be discussed with you during the visit. 

This enables you to look at replacing the boiler before it breaks down, meaning less hassle in rushing to have it replaced.

The storage tanks and oil supply lines are routinely checked at the service also, looking for water contamination, filter elements will need to be cleaned and/or replaced and fittings checked for oil leaks. 

If your oil fired boiler isn't serviced regularly deposits will build up on your heat exchanger and baffles. This will decrease efficiency, and over time cause the breakdown of the appliance. These breakdowns come at a significant cost, meaning annually servicing can save you money long term on maintaining your appliance. 

As with any fossil fuel burning appliance, carbon monoxide is also a high factor in having the appliance serviced annually. Poor maintenance and servicing leads to greater risk of the build up of carbon monoxide. 

We also strongly advise the use of carbon monoxide audible alarms within your home, as it is virtually odourless. Meaning your family is at hisk risk of poisioning should it go undetected.