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Oilfired burner - air vent heating??

  • 16-12-2016 8:16pm
    #1
    FeelTheBern
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 435 ✭✭


    Hi all. My parents bought house few years ago that was built in the 1970s. It seems to have an uncommon heating system which someone said was popular in Canada/US back at the time house was built.

    It's an oil fired burner which heats air - then the air seems to circulate through concrete channels under floor - there are open vents then in every room where the hot air comes out. Anyway they haven't been able to find anyone who knew anything about burner since they bought house and now it's broken down heading into the winter - bit worried as parents in their 70's.

    Anyone have any ideas or suggestions as to who we could try to contact for a repair/replacement or new system that may be out there to still allow for the vent system built into floors to be used ?? Thanks


Comments

  • #2
    TPM
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 871 ✭✭✭TPM


    can you post some pictures
    I maintain 2 systems that sound similar
    one of them seems to have been "converted" to use a g5 burner albeit it fitted upside down:eek: was installed and working that way for years before my first visit.


  • #3
    Tom44
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 951 ✭✭✭Tom44


    Very inefficient heating. I service a few.
    Most common problem is burner, which should be able to be repaired or replaced.
    Hot air thermostat on the unit can be replaced, but still could be temporarily run on "manual" to keep you going.


  • #4
    FeelTheBern
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 435 ✭✭FeelTheBern


    Thanks very much TPM and Tom44. My parents one stopped working good while ago and they were enquiringly locally to see if anyone knew anything about this type of setup but no luck. One fellow had a look and took things apart a bit but he said he wasn't sure what to do with it so left it at that.

    I Took some photos yesterday and will try to post tonight but Looks like what you just posted Tom44 only a lot rougher from the outside. Parents have a stove in sitting room which keeps that part of house warm but just want to try to figure out some way of fixing or replacing whatever's gone wrong here - even if not for a few weeks.


  • #5
    Wearb
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 6,380 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wearb


    What area u in?

    Please follow site and charter rules. "Resistance is futile"



  • #6
    FeelTheBern
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 435 ✭✭FeelTheBern


    Wearb wrote: »
    What area u in?
    Tipperary


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  • #7
    FeelTheBern
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 435 ✭✭FeelTheBern


    FeelTheBern wrote: »
    Thanks very much TPM and Tom44. My parents one stopped working good while ago and they were enquiringly locally to see if anyone knew anything about this type of setup but no luck. One fellow had a look and took things apart a bit but he said he wasn't sure what to do with it so left it at that.

    I Took some photos yesterday and will try to post tonight but Looks like what you just posted Tom44 only a lot rougher from the outside. Parents have a stove in sitting room which keeps that part of house warm but just want to try to figure out some way of fixing or replacing whatever's gone wrong here - even if not for a few weeks.

    Here are some photos - thanks. Hope links work.

    https://imageshack.com/i/pl4Hrhwwj
    https://imageshack.com/i/pmVP6PuQj
    https://imageshack.com/i/pnSszQSOj


  • #8
    Wearb
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 6,380 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wearb


    Too far for me.

    Please follow site and charter rules. "Resistance is futile"



  • #9
    Wearb
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 6,380 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wearb


    Very rough for a 2003 appliance. Might be difficult to get someone to take responsibility for it. Getting the burner going would be the easiest part. Not poisoning the occupants might be the difficult part, something that is VERY important with oil fired air heating.

    Please follow site and charter rules. "Resistance is futile"



  • #10
    Injuryprone
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,048 ✭✭✭Injuryprone


    We have what sounds like that exact system and our neighbour, who used to work with Thompsons Air Conditioning in Mallow, services it for us. So maybe try them and see do they cover your area.


  • #11
    FeelTheBern
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 435 ✭✭FeelTheBern


    Wearb wrote: »
    Very rough for a 2003 appliance. Might be difficult to get someone to take responsibility for it. Getting the burner going would be the easiest part. Not poisoning the occupants might be the difficult part, something that is VERY important with oil fired air heating.

    By the looks of it I'd say the outside housing could be from when the house built back in the 70's and the equipment replaced over the years. Is it possible to buy a new unit to replace what's there? If so any idea of cost?


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  • #12
    Wearb
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 6,380 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wearb


    They are very rare. Maybe start with Injuryprone's suggestion.

    Please follow site and charter rules. "Resistance is futile"



  • #13
    jimf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,974 ✭✭✭jimf


    Wearb wrote: »
    Very rough for a 2003 appliance. Might be difficult to get someone to take responsibility for it. Getting the burner going would be the easiest part. Not poisoning the occupants might be the difficult part, something that is VERY important with oil fired air heating.


    +1


  • #14
    FeelTheBern
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 435 ✭✭FeelTheBern


    Injuryprone wrote: »
    We have what sounds like that exact system and our neighbour, who used to work with Thompsons Air Conditioning in Mallow, services it for us. So maybe try them and see do they cover your area.

    Thanks very much - will try them tomorrow and see.


  • #15
    TPM
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 871 ✭✭✭TPM


    FeelTheBern wrote: »
    Tipperary

    Too far for me too I'm afraid.
    If you do get someone to put it back in service I would recommend a carbon monoxide alarm in each room, factor the cost of it into any decision you make


  • #16
    FeelTheBern
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 435 ✭✭FeelTheBern


    FeelTheBern wrote: »
    Injuryprone wrote: »
    We have what sounds like that exact system and our neighbour, who used to work with Thompsons Air Conditioning in Mallow, services it for us. So maybe try them and see do they cover your area.

    Thanks very much - will try them tomorrow and see.

    Just tried to contact Thompsons Air Conditioning in Mallow and they are closed down so no luck there. Any more ideas very welcome!

    As regards location, we're in North Tipp and about one and half hours from Dub Airport if that helps?

    Thanks


  • #17
    FeelTheBern
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 435 ✭✭FeelTheBern


    TPM wrote: »
    FeelTheBern wrote: »
    Tipperary

    Too far for me too I'm afraid.
    If you do get someone to put it back in service I would recommend a carbon monoxide alarm in each room, factor the cost of it into any decision you make

    Thanks - will factor that in if we can get someone to try to get it up and running. Just talking to my parents here tonight and they said that what was happening when it stopped working was that there was a noise like a fan belt hitting off something. My mother describes it like a jet engine taking off - whatever that means...


  • #18
    jimf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,974 ✭✭✭jimf


    at a guess it could be motor bearings

    they can give a very high pitched screech but usually get noisy for a while before failure


    what burner is fitted to your parents unit


  • #19
    JamesM
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,775 ✭✭✭JamesM


    I don't recognise that unit. Some of them had a fan that looked something like a washing machine drum. The bearings often gave trouble. Some of them could be lubricated. The fan was driven by a fan belt from an electric motor. The motor also had lubrication points. The fan belt often wore and snapped. Does the burner start and run and does the noise start when the fan kicks in ?
    Jim.

    I should have added like the others - with that dodgy looking flue you should definitely have a carbon monoxide alarm. The fan can send fumes all around the house.


  • #20
    FeelTheBern
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 435 ✭✭FeelTheBern


    jimf wrote: »
    at a guess it could be motor bearings

    they can give a very high pitched screech but usually get noisy for a while before failure


    what burner is fitted to your parents unit

    I'm home here tonight so starting to get more information from them (feel like a detective here).

    It was making that high pitched screeching noise. They found someone who said he would have a look at it. He came and mentioned bearings but said that he'd need the wires disconnected to it before he'd be able to check it out fully. They got the wires disconnected and then the guy who had come to look at it wouldn't seem to answer the phone - my Mam thinks he didn't really want to deal with it maybe so she stopped calling him. Parents would be very bad to chase someone up.

    Anyway, if the red box is the burner it says Riello 40 on it.


  • #21
    FeelTheBern
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 435 ✭✭FeelTheBern


    JamesM wrote: »
    I don't recognise that unit. Some of them had a fan that looked something like a washing machine drum. The bearings often gave trouble. Some of them could be lubricated. The fan was driven by a fan belt from an electric motor. The motor also had lubrication points. The fan belt often wore and snapped. Does the burner start and run and does the noise start when the fan kicks in ?
    Jim.

    I should have added like the others - with that dodgy looking flue you should definitely have a carbon monoxide alarm. The fan can send fumes all around the house.

    That's how they're describing it to me now. You'd here the burner fine and then the fan would kick in and noise starts. My Mam describes the noise as being like screeching - jet take off. My father describes it as like fan belt was hitting something.

    I never heard it so can't say - but not sure if those descriptions totally contradictory though!! It's disconnected from power now - as I mentioned in my last post - so can't hear it now.

    Thanks!


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  • #22
    Dtp1979
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,870 ✭✭✭✭Dtp1979


    What part of tipp?


  • #23
    JamesM
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,775 ✭✭✭JamesM


    FeelTheBern wrote: »
    That's how they're describing it to me now. You'd here the burner fine and then the fan would kick in and noise starts. My Mam describes the noise as being like screeching - jet take off. My father describes it as like fan belt was hitting something.

    I never heard it so can't say - but not sure if those descriptions totally contradictory though!! It's disconnected from power now - as I mentioned in my last post - so can't hear it now.

    Thanks!

    The fan is behind that panel/door that's open. Maybe you could lubricate the bearings and check that the fanbelt is in position - BUT to be honest, the whole setup looks very old and could be dangerous. The area around the burner shows that fumes are leaking and, as I said, carbon monoxide could be circulated around the rooms by the fan.
    Jim


  • #24
    FeelTheBern
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 435 ✭✭FeelTheBern


    Dtp1979 wrote: »
    What part of tipp?
    Templemore


  • #25
    FeelTheBern
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 435 ✭✭FeelTheBern


    JamesM wrote: »
    FeelTheBern wrote: »
    That's how they're describing it to me now. You'd here the burner fine and then the fan would kick in and noise starts. My Mam describes the noise as being like screeching - jet take off. My father describes it as like fan belt was hitting something.

    I never heard it so can't say - but not sure if those descriptions totally contradictory though!! It's disconnected from power now - as I mentioned in my last post - so can't hear it now.

    Thanks!

    The fan is behind that panel/door that's open. Maybe you could lubricate the bearings and check that the fanbelt is in position - BUT to be honest, the whole setup looks very old and could be dangerous. The area around the burner shows that fumes are leaking and, as I said, carbon monoxide could be circulated around the rooms by the fan.
    Jim

    Thanks Jim. There'd be no problem if anything needed to be replaced for safety reasons or just to get it working. Would be great if we could find someone who could look at it for us to get the ball rolling towards having heating again.

    Great to hear safety advice though - thanks


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