Condensing Oil Boiler - Should it smell? (Neighbour)

flaneur

One of our neighbours has installed what looks like a heat-pack type condensing oil boiler - one of those external ones in a green box. It has a plume diversion kit, similar to a gas boiler, going up maybe 1.2 meter or so above the unit and is producing a large plume.

We are about 200m away from them and the smell of kerosine is strong enough to be quite sickening. Our whole house is smelling of the stuff.

I want to approach them about getting it resolved as it's pretty horrible, but I just want to know is this normal for one of these units, or is there something wrong with it e.g. the air intake is adjusted incorrectly or something?

Wearb

200M away and you are getting a smell from it???? :eek:

flaneur

Yup, it's strong enough to be noticeable in all the bedrooms and people have even commented on the smell when they came into the house.

It's very similar to the smell you'd get at the runway in an airport. That intense.

I assume there must be something wrong with the boiler and it's only partially burning the oil or something.

(We have absolutely no oil burning appliances in the house, nor do any other neighbours as the area generally uses natural gas)

The smell is immediately noticeable when we can see the large plume. The plume is way bigger than the one from our gas boiler. It seems to be producing a cloud that's about 2 to 3m tall.

Wearb

Its the environmental dept of your local authority you need to contact if its that bad. There shouldn't be any noticeable smell from even a few metres away. Something very unusual about it all.

flaneur

I'll have a chat with the neighbours directly first. We're on very good terms. I just want to make sure that this is not something that is 'normal' for one of these systems.

Maybe they just need to get it serviced.

Also, if we're noticing it, they absolutely have to be noticing it and I doubt it could be particularly good for you if it's producing oily smoke.

Do they have to use any particular type of fuel or something? I was wondering if maybe they're using heating oil that's the wrong grade for the burner or something like that. Although, I assumed that Irish heating oil supplies are pretty much all the same gasoil/kerosene grade?

Tom44

A few of use here are oil service engineers.

I often demonstrate to customers that you should be able to put your face into the plume and comfortable breathe after I service it. :eek: no smell or discomfort.
Ok, ok don't lynch me.

Obviously not recommended long term. :)


So your 200m boiler is defiantly not burning correctly.
+ your neighbours will have better heat, lower running costs and less problems if they get it sorted.

Billy Bunting

flaneur wrote: »

I'll have a chat with the neighbours directly first. We're on very good terms. I just want to make sure that this is not something that is 'normal' for one of these systems.

Maybe they just need to get it serviced.

Also, if we're noticing it, they absolutely have to be noticing it .

I would simply ask if they had had it commissioned and emphasis the importance for condensing boilers to be set correctly or the warranty is out the window.

flaneur

We’re not likely to be having any argument with them over this. We’ve a good, friendly relationship.

They’re actually very environmentally aware too. So I’m sure they’ll sort once they’re aware there’s an issue.

K.Flyer

Billy Bunting wrote: »

I would simply ask if they had had it commissioned and emphasis the importance for condensing boilers to be set correctly or the warranty is out the window.

In addition, ask them did they get a Flue Gas printout and was the Boiler Passport filled out with the copy sent back to the manufacturer for the warranty.