Oil boiler advice sought.

[difflock]

So we noticed a gas type smell in the kitchen and utility yesterday morning.

After I fixed a gas leak on the high pressure rubber hose feed to the regulator outside the utility window, the smell was back this morning.

And I deduced/decided it was from the oil boiler.

Now this oil boiler was properly serviced and calibrated/set up some years ago, by an honest to God oil boiler service bloke, who DID know his stuff, and was most pleasent and helpful, then basically taken for granted and forgot about🤗

So first off I got in her guts, which were black, cleaned up, replaced the rope seal to the top plate etc and  replaced the jet.

This is the flame I am now getting, and surely, unless the pump is goosed or at least worn and therefore not putting up the pressure.

I should not require to readjust the air or owt else.

P.S.

I did have this boiler running on 35 sec oil years ago and was able to adjust the pump pressures without issue, now if I could just find the wee pressure gauge I bought for this purpose, hmmmm?

Thoughts please🤔

Edited July 26, 2023 by difflock

[difflock]

ERM!

On further investigation, I did require to remove a Jackdaws nest from the flue!

Their revenge for me blocking them from all the other flues I suppose.

No draught whatsoever!

Derp.

Witches hat going on tomorrow.

P S.

The state of the art mains powered CO/CO2 detector in the boiler room never once cheeped?

Improvised device to hoke and break up the nest from above(the bits then dropped down to where I could reach in and get them from the utility room), not handy, but all my own  doing back in 1996, a mild steel screw tent peg was rather useful. Ducktaped on and ducktaped together!

Edited July 26, 2023 by difflock

[Muddy42]

So is it working now?

I service my old oil AGA every year.  The flue needs very little cleaning but its amazing the effect a fine film of soot can have on reducing the draught and making a smell in the kitchen.  A variety of brush are needed for the thinner pipes near the boiler.  Other than that its simply a case of cleaning the filter at the tank end, making sure oil is flowing and all the carbon is removed.

 

You can get various nest removal tools for regular 3/4 inch screw-in chimney rod sets.

 

[difflock]

Sigh, I used to be able to borrow sewer rods from the Council, until I got fed up buying endless rods for others to borrow and not return, and anyway now I am retired and their is a new regime(two thicko brothers and one smart wife in admin) in place, I would not ask regardless.

P.S

That is the first time since 1996 the Jackdaws have blocked that oil boiler flue.

So they must have been ignoring it until recent.

[hedge mong]

Would of been easier to just let a shottie up the flue 

[Muddy42]

On 30/07/2023 at 21:19, difflock said:

Sigh, I used to be able to borrow sewer rods from the Council, until I got fed up buying endless rods for others to borrow and not return, and anyway now I am retired and their is a new regime(two thicko brothers and one smart wife in admin) in place, I would not ask regardless.

P.S

That is the first time since 1996 the Jackdaws have blocked that oil boiler flue.

So they must have been ignoring it until recent.

 

Never borrow or lend chimney/draining rods!  I have learnt to my peril that if the rods are poorly looked after an end can come off and get stuck, either up the chimney or down a drain. I doubt your rig would do much cleaning.

 

No offense, but any competent DIY-er should own a set of 3/4 inch chimney rods, the money spent will repay you many times over in sweeping fees or drain SOS fees.  I've used mine hundreds of times.

Bailey Industrial Bailey Universal 30ft Chimney Brush Sweep Sweeping Drain Rod Set Kit

WWW.BAILEYSUPPLIES.CO.UK

---

  The Industrial Bailey 30ft Chimney Brush Sweep Drain Rod Kits includes 4 popular tools with the following contents: 10 x 3ft x 3/4 inch Blue Rods 1 x 4 inch plunger 1 x 4 inch drop...

 

Edited August 1, 2023 by Muddy42

[difflock]

19 hours ago, hedge mong said:

Would of been easier to just let a shottie up the flue 

Unless one of those 2nd WW German guns for shooting round corners.

In a word

No.

A convoluted flue.