fumes from oil fuelled boiler - is this normal?

Rachel_Mac

This is the first time I've lived in a house with oil fuelled heating. The boiler is old, and although the landlord had it serviced not so long ago, the room it is in smells of oil fumes. We have got used to it, but when we come back from time away it really hits us.

Is this normal or should we be concerned?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

chelle

I have lived in two houses with Oil Boilers, and yes you could always smell it.

One boiler was new, and one very old, although the older one was more noticeably smellier than the new one.

Chelle

hardpressed

I also have had two oil boilers, one 29 years old and the present one 5years old, I've never smelt any fumes and I have a sensitive nose where smells are concerned. The only time I smell the oil is if I stand by the oil tank, this according to the service engineer is from the breather valve, I think that's what he called it. I should be very worried if I could smell fumes in the house. Have you got a carbon monoxide detector? I think I would insist that the landlord gets it checked pdq by a reputable heating engineer. Fumes can be deadly.

Is it possible that the chimney is blocked or the pipe which vents to the outside is blocked?

Debt_Free_Chick

I have an oil-fired boiler and an oil-fired Aga...... always a faint smell of oil (kerosene) but I have to admit that you get de-sensitised to it after a while. That said, I can tell as soon as I walk into a house whether or not they have oil fired heating and/or an oil fired Aga

When was the boiler last serviced? Once a year is vital with an oil fired boiler - every six months for an oil fired Aga/Rayburn!