Service
Oil Boiler Repairs & Servicing
Repairs and servicing for the oil-fired boilers that heat much of rural West Norfolk, by an OFTEC registered technician.
Oil is a different trade
A large share of rural West Norfolk is off the gas grid, and most of those homes heat with oil. Gas Safe registration does not cover oil appliances: the competent person scheme for oil is OFTEC, and an engineer who works on your oil boiler should be OFTEC registered. Many local heating engineers hold both.
Oil boilers fail in some characteristic ways. The fuel runs out or runs low enough to draw sludge into the filter. The nozzle or filter blocks. The burner’s photocell or control box fails. The fire valve trips. Most of these are routine repairs for someone who carries the parts.
Checks a householder can make
Look at the tank gauge, or dip the tank. If the oil has run very low, a new delivery may need the system bled before the boiler will run, and running low often pulls sludge through, which is a reason to keep the tank above about a quarter full.
Check the boiler has power and that the isolation valve and fire valve on the fuel line are open. Press the reset button once. If the boiler locks out again, do not keep pressing it: repeated resets can flood the combustion chamber with oil, which turns a simple fault into a messy one.
Where we cover
Common questions
Why does my oil boiler keep locking out?
Common causes are a blocked nozzle or filter, air or sludge in the fuel line after the tank ran low, a failing photocell or control box, or a fuel pump problem. An OFTEC registered technician can diagnose which. Avoid repeated resets in the meantime.
Does my oil tank need checking?
It should be looked at during the annual service. Look for cracks, splits, bulging, rust on a steel tank, or oil around the base. A leaking tank is a pollution risk and an expensive one, and most home insurance policies expect the tank to be maintained.
Is it worth replacing an oil boiler with another oil boiler?
Often, yes, if the house is not well suited to a heat pump or the budget does not stretch. A modern condensing oil boiler is considerably more efficient than one from twenty years ago. If the house is well insulated, it is worth pricing an air source heat pump alongside, particularly if a government grant is available at the time.
Enquire about oil boilers
Tell us what the boiler is doing, whether it runs on gas, oil or LPG, and where you are, and we will put you in touch with a registered heating engineer where one covers your area. No charge for the introduction, and no obligation.