Oil Boiler - best way to use

Silent_Dancer

murphydog999 wrote: »

I found this thread a couple of days ago and looked at the thermostat dial on the non-condensing, at least 12 year old oil boiler we inherited. It was in what I would call an 8 o'clock position - pretty much off! - so I turned it to 1 o'clock and the difference in the house - as you would imagine - has radically changed.

The next morning I am awoken by a loud drumming/vibration noise from the ceiling below a water tank. I turned the heating off, it stopped, waited a few hours, turned it back on, about half an hour later it started again. I have turned the dial on the boiler to 12 o'clock and it hasn't happened since, but the house isn't as toasty - I was really enjoying this new heat as well!

I haven't been able to get hold of our usual plumber yet, so could anyone shed any light on what's happening? I'm thinking water got too hot - heating and water heating and tied in together for some reason???

Air may have got in to the system.

malc_b

My oil boiler has max nozzle size as I would guess most do. Max blocks less and of course the boiler can always run for shorter time on max so out of the box a max nozzle boiler would fit all cases.

If you have increased the water temperature then air will have been driven out of the water so the drumming could well be air. Bleeding the radiators is the first thing to try.

murphydog999

Thanks guys. I've got hold of the plumber and he reckoned the water could be getting too hot - the tap water is boiling. Anyway, it hasn't happened since so it's sorted for now.

Kat_Lowell

I'm going to have to bookmark this discussion - a lot of it went over my head but I'm sure DH can decipher!

rosscouk

The house is still warmer with my current 'mid-range' settings. I am basically going to see how long my oil lasts!! That seems to be the most common sense approach for now. I might try turning it up to maximum however the radiators are already quite toasty when on so I may not need too.

As others have been saying, there are so many variables to consider, not least my OH who has had the heating on all day for days, although I can't blame her with our two year old running around. I am just waiting for my watchman to hit 0 (about 22cm in tank) and then I will order some more.

malc_b

rosscouk wrote: »

As others have been saying, there are so many variables to consider, not least my OH who has had the heating on all day for days, although I can't blame her with our two year old running around.

As I have mentioned there isn't a lot of difference between running 24hr and say 16hr. And the better insulated the house is the less (percentage-wise) the difference is. Any time the house is warmer than outside it loses heat. You lose less heat overnight with the heating off as the temperature falls, but until it reaches the outside temperature it is still losing heat. So I wouldn't get that concerned over longer heating, it won't make a huge difference to your oil usage.