smell of exhaust fumes from indoor kerosene boiler

heathercat

Hi,

2 days ago I noticed a strong smell of exhaust fumes in the utility room, where the furnace is located. It's a firebird kerosene boiler and was bled about 6 weeks ago because I had ran out of kerosene. The man that bled the boiler had left the covering unscrewed, he only stuck it on.

The plumber came yesterday and said, that was the reason for the smell. He screwed on the lid and said, I should not smell anything the next morning.

Well, it is next morning and the utility room still stinks of exhaust fumes. I had left the doors closed over night because 2 days before it stank up the whole house and gave me a headache (and my cat started vomiting, but I wasn't making the connection back then). The heating is on, so the boiler fires up during the night too.

I am wondering why the smell only appeared 2 days ago, when the cover had been just slid on for about 6 weeks already. And now, 10 hours after the lid was screwed on and the room properly aired out directly afterwards, it still smells.

Mind, it does not smell like kerosene, but like exhaust fumes! I checked outside, the exhaust pipe seems okay and nothing blocking it is visible and the guard grid is in place. I've been living in this house nearly 3 years and the landlord never had the boiler serviced since I moved in. My colleague said it's a legal requirement to have them checked every year.

What could be the reason for the smell? Should I ask my landlord to send a proper service company, or is any plumber qualified to deal with this? Admittedly I didn't feel very confident about the one that was here yesterday

Thanks.

Robbie.G

heathercat wrote: »

Hi,

2 days ago I noticed a strong smell of exhaust fumes in the utility room, where the furnace is located. It's a firebird kerosene boiler and was bled about 6 weeks ago because I had ran out of kerosene. The man that bled the boiler had left the covering unscrewed, he only stuck it on.

The plumber came yesterday and said, that was the reason for the smell. He screwed on the lid and said, I should not smell anything the next morning.

Well, it is next morning and the utility room still stinks of exhaust fumes. I had left the doors closed over night because 2 days before it stank up the whole house and gave me a headache (and my cat started vomiting, but I wasn't making the connection back then). The heating is on, so the boiler fires up during the night too.

I am wondering why the smell only appeared 2 days ago, when the cover had been just slid on for about 6 weeks already. And now, 10 hours after the lid was screwed on and the room properly aired out directly afterwards, it still smells.

Mind, it does not smell like kerosene, but like exhaust fumes! I checked outside, the exhaust pipe seems okay and nothing blocking it is visible and the guard grid is in place. I've been living in this house nearly 3 years and the landlord never had the boiler serviced since I moved in. My colleague said it's a legal requirement to have them checked every year.

What could be the reason for the smell? Should I ask my landlord to send a proper service company, or is any plumber qualified to deal with this? Admittedly I didn't feel very confident about the one that was here yesterday

Thanks.

Get a proper oil boiler service company in look at www.oftec.org and search for one in your area.As your not feeling confidant in the boiler and person that checked it out don't use it until its checked properly

Billy Bunting

It sounds like the person who bleed the burner bleed it using the pressure adjustment screw and as such has messed up the burner combustion settings completely.

DO NOT USE. Get your local Oftec Engineer to sort it out, it will need specialist equipment to do it right, dont except any repair to it unless the Engineer has a Flue Gas Analyser.

kscobie

As Billy said, turn off the boiler until a compentant person can get it sorted. I know its cold, but for your own safety, do not take a chance.