OFCH Safety issues

jofree2roam · 14-09-2014 1:34pm #1

Hi there

I am renting a home but every time I put the CH on we feel drowsy and the smell in our kitchen is unreal.

Boiler is outside the back of the garage, should I be concerned as the house was built only 40 years ago and I don't know when the boiler was last serviced either. Tried looking on net for organisations etc that would advise/is necessary by law but I can't find anything.

Thanks in advance

Dtp1979 · 14-09-2014 1:44pm

jofree2roam wrote: »

Hi there

I am renting a home but every time I put the CH on we feel drowsy and the smell in our kitchen is unreal.

Boiler is outside the back of the garage, should I be concerned as the house was built only 40 years ago and I don't know when the boiler was last serviced either. Tried looking on net for organisations etc that would advise/is necessary by law but I can't find anything.

Thanks in advance

First off, don't use the boiler again until checked.
It's the landlords legal responsibility to get the boiler serviced every year so absolutely insist on it.

K.Flyer · 14-09-2014 1:45pm

Stop using the central heating!

You may be feeling the effects of Carbon Monoxide poisoning.
Do not use the central heating system until the boiler and flue have been examined and tested by a qualified person.

jofree2roam · 14-09-2014 1:50pm

I thought so, the landlord is calling tomorrow regarding a different issue but I will either let her get it sorted or I will find a qualified plumber and bill her. Is there a certificate or body that heating engineers belong to?
Thanks again

Dtp1979 · 14-09-2014 2:31pm

jofree2roam wrote: »

I thought so, the landlord is calling tomorrow regarding a different issue but I will either let her get it sorted or I will find a qualified plumber and bill her. Is there a certificate or body that heating engineers belong to?
Thanks again

If it's oil then OFTEC. Whoever you get, make sure they use a flue gas analyser. Ask beforehand

Wearb · 14-09-2014 4:41pm

jofree2roam wrote: »

Hi there

I am renting a home but every time I put the CH on we feel drowsy and the smell in our kitchen is unreal.

Boiler is outside the back of the garage, should I be concerned as the house was built only 40 years ago and I don't know when the boiler was last serviced either. Tried looking on net for organisations etc that would advise/is necessary by law but I can't find anything.

Thanks in advance

You should have a carbon monoxide alarm. This is not the same as a smoke alarm.

jofree2roam · 14-09-2014 6:10pm

I know it's not the same, the fire service installed both cm and 2 fire alarms in my mothers house in England

Is there any regulations that say how long a boiler can go without a service, ie is it required yearly?

Wearb · 14-09-2014 6:25pm

jofree2roam wrote: »

I know it's not the same, the fire service installed both cm and 2 fire alarms in my mothers house in England

Is there any regulations that say how long a boiler can go without a service, ie is it required yearly?

Some people don't know that they are different.
It should be serviced annually in a rented property. The manufacturers state annual services also.

jofree2roam · 15-09-2014 9:41pm

Wearb wrote: »

Some people don't know that they are different.
It should be serviced annually in a rented property. The manufacturers state annual services also.

Thanks, the boiler is so old and corroded I think it is beyond help. Only thing is now how soon she will get someone in lol

Thanks all

scudo2 · 16-09-2014 9:10am

jofree2roam wrote: »

Thanks, the boiler is so old and corroded I think it is beyond help. Only thing is now how soon she will get someone in lol

Thanks all

Just ask her should you, or her contact the Health And Safety Authority as you'd be happier if there's a proper inspection of the appliance in relation to rental property's by-laws. As you suspect but can't be sure of carbon monoxide.

That normally works.

Don't take a chance. Get it professional sorted. More people have died in rental property's than private homes.

TPM · 18-09-2014 11:38pm

As already said dont use the boiler.

At the end of the day its your health and safety that is at risk, if the land lord is dragging her heels about getting it serviced you should bite the bullet and get an oftec registered technician to look at it and pay them yourself.

it would be better to be arguing with the landlord about a bill for the service instead of a hospital bill or worse

jofree2roam · 29-10-2014 10:07am

Hi again, all was checked out by registered plumbing engr etc had all paperwork also gave us a carbon monoxide alarm but my problem is the smell of the oil is coming through the garage (kitchen door leads to garage) into the house, could only smell in kitchen first now going so far as the hallway.

I've lived in a few oil houses now and never had a smelly oily smell. Can anyone explain this or should I quit the property now as really cant take any more problems?

Thanks

jimf · 29-10-2014 6:54pm

is this boiler in the garage as from your first post you say out the back of the garage

the trouble with kerosene is a small amount can stink a confined area if the smell is only there with the boiler running I would suspect a small leak somewhere around the burner

jofree2roam · 29-10-2014 9:26pm

jimf wrote: »

is this boiler in the garage as from your first post you say out the back of the garage

the trouble with kerosene is a small amount can stink a confined area if the smell is only there with the boiler running I would suspect a small leak somewhere around the burner

Hi there no the boiler is outside the garage but the garage is attached to the house. Even when we've come in at 8pm tonight considering the heating hasn't been since 6am (and it stunk of oil so I turned it off within half hr/forty mins max) the instant the front door has been opened it has hit us both in the face.

So you think it's an oil leak, I've just checked the guys card and he is oftec registered and he said that the boiler hadn't been serviced for a very long time! But he came and did it about 4wks ago now but slowly and surely the smell has got worse! Advice on next steps appreciated and I'm thankful for all comments

Robbie.G · 29-10-2014 9:34pm

jofree2roam wrote: »

Hi there no the boiler is outside the garage but the garage is attached to the house. Even when we've come in at 8pm tonight considering the heating hasn't been since 6am (and it stunk of oil so I turned it off within half hr/forty mins max) the instant the front door has been opened it has hit us both in the face.

So you think it's an oil leak, I've just checked the guys card and he is oftec registered and he said that the boiler hadn't been serviced for a very long time! But he came and did it about 4wks ago now but slowly and surely the smell has got worse! Advice on next steps appreciated and I'm thankful for all comments

All you can do is contact him and get him to call back and check it.

jofree2roam · 29-10-2014 9:37pm

Robbie.G wrote: »

All you can do is contact him and get him to call back and check it.

Ok the landlord will just have to foot the bill. I suspected as much, just out of interest is their a website that has oftec registered people on?

jimf · 29-10-2014 9:41pm

its virtually impossible to diagnose without being on site to see first hand the whole setup but my main concern would be what you are smelling are products of combustion from the boiler that are some way making their way into the house

as others have already advised you have to consider this unsafe until you get to the bottom of this issue l

Robbie.G · 29-10-2014 9:54pm

jofree2roam wrote: »

Ok the landlord will just have to foot the bill. I suspected as much, just out of interest is their a website that has oftec registered people on?

You can check if someone's oftec reg on www.oftec.org
You don't have to be oftec reg to work on oil boilers there are plenty of very good oil men not oftec reg

jofree2roam · 30-10-2014 6:43pm

Thanks all, I really appreciate it.

The landlord called around last night as I got a bit irate tbh, according to her my asthma is bad because of the time of yr if you don't mind. Also she bare faced said she couldn't smell oil in the house. She admitted that the garage reeks of oil. I don't think we will be here much longer to be totally honest and I'm fed up with this ongoing saga, so thanks for all your input and advice once again but where this landlord is concerned it falls on deaf ears, but I may need to know myself if I purchase a property to live in.

JamesM · 30-10-2014 10:52pm

The impression you are giving is that of an oil leak. Is there a wet oily pipe anywhere near the boiler or garage. Look and feel your way along from the oil tank to the burner. If the pipe is underground, is there a dark damp patch on the concrete above. You should be able to find an oil leak.
Jim.

Billy Bunting · 30-10-2014 11:02pm

A good oil Technician would be able to test for leaks on the pipeline from the tank to the boiler.

donedl1 · 30-10-2014 11:09pm

+1 on what billy said, I would pressure test the oil line.

Billy Bunting · 31-10-2014 12:09am

Nice to see you about DoneDL

jofree2roam · 31-10-2014 10:55am

JamesM wrote: »

The impression you are giving is that of an oil leak. Is there a wet oily pipe anywhere near the boiler or garage. Look and feel your way along from the oil tank to the burner. If the pipe is underground, is there a dark damp patch on the concrete above. You should be able to find an oil leak.
Jim.

Jim, I will check that when I get home this eve, or otherwise I think I will call out another guy who will surely smell the oil as he walks through the door.

thanks a mil and I'll let you know!!

JamesM · 01-11-2014 12:17am

jofree2roam wrote: »

Jim, I will check that when I get home this eve, or otherwise I think I will call out another guy who will surely smell the oil as he walks through the door.

thanks a mil and I'll let you know!!

It's very odd that a "registered plumbing engr etc had all paperwork" guy did not get the smell and know the difference between raw oil and fumes.
If the line is not accessible, then a pressure test, as the lads say, should show if there is a leak underground.
Jim.

agusta · 01-11-2014 3:25am

And at this stage if there is actually a leak underground its a job for the insurance company and the EPA.Its not a simple case of fixing the leak and moving on.

jofree2roam · 02-11-2014 6:46pm

The smell has in increased since the boiler was serviced! But I'll get back to you as I plan to follow this up

Many thanks again.

JamesM · 02-11-2014 10:27pm

jofree2roam wrote: »

The smell has in increased since the boiler was serviced! But I'll get back to you as I plan to follow this up
Many thanks again.

Jo, It sounds like you are still using the boiler. If the smell is combustion fumes instead of raw oil, then you could be in danger of carbon monoxide poisoning (see your first post).
It is very odd that someone cannot distinguish between the two.
There are 2 other scenarios:
1/ There is oil leaking near the hot water pipes from the boiler - the smell gets stronger when the heating is on.
2/ There is a leak from the tank next door and the oil is going under your house. I have seen the floors and foundations of a house having to be completely dug out because of a leak from the next door oil tank.
Jim.

Mr ratbag · 02-11-2014 10:43pm

an oftec engineer should be able to determine the problem,
sounds like an oil leak but you still should have purchesed a carbon monoxide alarm by now, €15 to 25

check out oilspill.ie

jofree2roam · 11-11-2014 10:56am

Hi all

I purchased a carbon monoxide alarm for €50 from the original guy (apparently lasts 7 yrs). The problem is solved there was a leak from the boiler out to the oil tank as we did a test one evening, there was oil dripping and we left brown paper firstly then a bucket to catch the oil.

When I spoke to the landlord she was " well there was no smell when I was out and how did this happen?" Cheek! So smelly garage problem solved. Why people dont look after their homes (especially ones which are let out) is beyond me.

Needless to say, I am in the process of getting a mortgage and getting out.

Thanks to all of you and I will take all of this on board with my own house!

jimf · 11-11-2014 6:12pm

glad you got sorted

its very important for a landlord to get a good tenant you sound like 1 I would do all in my power to hold on to

Wearb · 11-11-2014 6:14pm

Yeah! By the throat. :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:

Only joking OP

OFCH Safety issues

Comments