Like all other home appliances, your oil-fired boiler demands service and maintenance. During service and maintenance, every element of the boiler should be inspected and cleaned by a technician.
Components that need to be replaced should be replaced with new ones as needed. It is recommended to service your oil-fired boiler at least once a year to ensure that it does not break down.
If it does break down, it will end up costing you more money to effect repairs or replace broken down components. Oil-fired boiler servicing and repair should be attempted by a specialist engineer experienced in oil-fire boilers.
When cleaning the boiler, you can spot parts that need repairs or replacement. You also get a chance to see the status of the combustion chamber. The walls of the combustion chamber should be intact and the welds should be properly connected and without any leaks.
Rust marks made by old steel heat exchange units may signal that the boiler needs to be replaced after some time.
Once you notice that you will plan for a replacement rather than waiting for the heat exchange unit to completely fail and then start rushing to get a replacement when it is too late. If an exchange unit fails, you also lose the water because it gets damaged in the process as well.
If left without regular service and maintenance, the boiler starts to deteriorate. A build-up of deposits accrues on the baffles and the inner walls of the boiler during combustion. This accumulation of deposits results in reduced efficiency.
If leftover a long period, the deposits harden and it becomes impossible to remove the deposits without causing damage to the baffles. If you have to replace baffles with new ones, that will count towards some extra cost making it more expensive to repair your oil fired boiler.
Carbon Monoxide Emissions
An oil-fired boiler runs on fossil fuel and if left inadequately serviced, it may end up generating carbon monoxide fumes.
It should, therefore, be checked and serviced regularly to ensure that it does not pose a carbon monoxide emission threat. Carbon monoxide is a deadly gas that is usually hard to detect due to its colourless, tasteless and odourless nature.
Servicing Augments Efficiency
The advantage or regularly servicing an oil fired boiler is that it enables the boiler to keep functioning at its optimal efficiency.
A boiler that is operating at its best saves you money on fuel and you do not have to spend money on emergency calls to technicians due to random breakdowns.
If you service your boiler as recommended by the manufacturer, you will have no problems.
Here Are Some Causes of Reduced Efficiency in an Oil Fired Boiler
1. Soot from partially burnt fuel and smoke may accumulate within the heat exchange unit.
The soot creates an insulation effect that reduces the amount of heat that is absorbed by the water in the heating system. Cleaning the soot from the exchange unit will increase the heating efficiency of the water in the heating system
2. Worn out oil nozzles are unable to properly regulate the amount of oil flowing into the burner.
When that happens, suit builds up in the heat exchange unit and reduces the boiler’s efficiency. Replacing worn-out oil nozzles should help fix this problem.
3. When photocells are covered with deposits, they compromise the boiler’s efficiency.
Photocells are a safety feature and they are installed to detect when the boiler has ignited. If they do not detect the burner’s flames, they cause the boiler to shut down randomly.
This random shutting down of the boiler system can cause electrodes to wear out. To avoid such problems, ensure that the photocells are regularly cleaned as needed so that they can work properly.
4. Faulty electrodes fail to ignite the boiler. You should replace worn out electrodes to avoid inconveniences. extra costs and inefficiency.
