Smell of Kerosene around oil boiler

[freddie43]

There is a strong smell of Kersosene around our newly installed Thermecon 60/80 oil boiler. The balanced flue goes straight out the back of the boiler and is not sealed at the inside wall.

I have had the contractor back to check it out, but it still smells.

Is this a combustion problem, a flue problem or a health hazard? It is certainly annoying!

Any comments gratefully appreciated

Our old Worcester oil boiler (with chimney flue) never smelled

On closer inspection I see the new flue has been installed just 12" above an airbrick - could this be the culprit?

 

[Terrywookfit]

Reccommendations are usually min 600mm from an opening but it is good practice to avoid if possible!!
If the smell is definately kerosine it is more likely to be a small fuel leak as products of combustion do not smell like kero!!
Try temporarily sealing the air brick to see if the problem stops (Probably not required any way as you now have a balanced flue)!!

Was the installer Oftec registered??
Was the appliance properly commissioned??
Do you have completed CD 10/11documents??

 

[grib]

I agree with Terry...most likely cause will be a fuel leak somewhere. It only needs to be a TINY amount to cause a nasty smell...especially when the boiler heats up and evaporates it a bit.

You can sometimes get a nasty kerosine smell from the flue but only usually if the boiler is not set up correctly (too much air will make them stink) that leads back to Terry's other questions ...was it commissioned etc etc etc (don't have to be OFTEC registered to install by the way but should have some kind of building control inspection if not)

My advice get the guy back to check for oil leaks.... even the

 

[freddie43]

I have blocked up the airbrick, but smell comes as soon as boiler fires up

This is tied accommodation - we are tenants - no commissioning documentation provided

Have called contractor back (again) - will raise your points - many thanks

 

[MasterAbacus]

When you say newley installed how recent?

We had ours replaced in March 2007, and it had little or no use during the summer.... now colder weather is here, we get a slight smell of Kero around the boiler, but we did with the old one for a couple of weeks when it came back into contunued use.....

Is your new one an "In the wall" boiler, or is it just wall mounted?

 

[freddie43]

The boiler has been in 6 weeks. It stands on the floor, flue straight out through the wall. The smell has been here all the time the boiler has been here, but only comes when it is running