Condensing boiler using alot of oil.

[GSM]

Hi Folks, I just wanted to ask about the oil consumption of my condensing boiler. It is a Worcester boiler which was installed and commissioned 2.5 years ago. The boiler achieved an efficiency back then of 98%. I have been keeping a close eye on my oil use recently and feel that it is excessive. Over a 2.5 week period I have used 85 litres of oil, I only have my hot water zone on for 40mins and my first floor radiator zone on for 1 hour in the mornings and in the evenings my first floor radiator zone would be on again for 1 hour. My house is a new build approx. 3500sqft with double glazed windows. My house is well insulated - over and beyond required u-value standards. I have a zone of under floor heating as well which is not turned on (afraid to turn this on as I know my oil level would drop significantly!) I don't understand why I'm using so much oil - I had thought previously that I had a leak, but I checked my oil levels before and after being on holidays on a couple of occasions since we moved in and the oil level didn't drop. I haven't had the boiler serviced since we moved in 2.5 years ago and know that this is something I should organise to get done, but the oil consumption has been high from the start when we moved in. I am thinking that the boiler hasn't been set up correctly or something? I know that Worcester is a good manufacturer and that's why I decided to spend extra and install one. I have friends who have their heating on constant i.e. under floor set a specific temperature and boiler comes on when temperature drops below this and they use very little oil compared to me. Any ideas? I appreciate any help anyone can give me. Thanks very much. GSM.

 

[Dotty]

Get. It. Serviced.

 

[GSM]

Hi Croppie, thanks for that. I plan to get it serviced and get an efficiency check done on it. If it still happens to use a lot of oil what do you folks think I should do? Could there be something wrong with the way it is set up? Do you guys think this is an excessive amount of oil for the 2.5 week period or am I just worrying about nothing? Sorry, I'm not a plumber and don't know much about this stuff. Thanks. GSM.

 

[Dotty]

It'll be using more oil because the internal surfaces will be dirty. Soot acts as an insulator. For your boiler to achieve its rated output it will need regular TLC.

 

[SimonG]

There was some fiddling going on to get 98% efficiency

 

[Killy Bing]

As croppie said with the servicing and reasons, i work that out at roughly £2.90 a day for your hot water and heating.
not to mention it is fairly cold and as such the boiler will work harder, without the servicing that just makes it that pinch worse.
If your boiler burner set up is over sized then that could have a small impact.
is the boiler an external one?
what make is it?

post up on here in the i'm looking for a plumber section for a competent and qualified engineer.
never know you could have me!

 

[lame plumber]

the little hole in the burner nozzle gets bigger over time, so more oil escapes out of it, its that simple, when a manufacturer reccommends an annual service, it's not without reason! As mentioned in another post, a customer of mine just got an estimate of £1500 to get his boiler in a state it might work today, he hadnt serviced it for 5 years!

 

[Dotty]

I was keeping that little nugget quiet!

 

[lame plumber]

I was keeping that little nugget quiet!

might get away with £750 at 21/2 years neglect

 

[kimbo]

Bet the baffles are welded in comon problem with the Worcester. When its been serviced see how you go and then ask the relevant questions.

 

[Reg Man]

http://www.oftec.org.uk/Media/Defau..._WhyAnOilFiredBoilerShouldBeServiced_Iss2.pdf

 

[tamz]

£100/month for your heating. Hardly astronomical for a 325m2 house. Big house big bills. Get it serviced and bring your bills down £100/year and extend the life of the boiler.

 

[sputnick]

I agree with Tamz its a biggish house and it comes down to how hot you want it. A service will improve consumption a bit and the engineer should pick up any problems that ard there.

 

[EPH]

Get it serviced ASAP, the amount of condensing Worcesters that have been left too long that are costing £500 + to get them working properly is unreal. They go down hill VERY quickly.

 

[Ermintrude]

Bet the baffles are welded in comon problem with the Worcester. When its been serviced see how you go and then ask the relevant questions.

New baffles are supposed to be tapered to help this, let's see in 3 years time!

 

[johntheplumb]

What output is the boiler??

 

[Gray0689]

What output is the boiler??

I'd guess a 120-155

 

[Bunker]

OOOOOOh yes good luck to the engineer getting that apart!
There is a reason why the manufacturers say to have it service annually, in fact its part of their warrantee criteria.
What you have saved on not having it serviced will cost you twice fold by not getting around to it, sorry to say.
Tell your engineer to bring a big hammer and a crow bar...

 

[GSM]

Thanks for all your advice folks. My boiler is an internal one located in a detached garage - I'll check the model of it this evening and let you all know. I just thought that 85 litres was a lot of oil in just 2.5 weeks when I consider that the boiler is only on for 2 hours 40 minutes a day. I don't understand how some friends of mine can run under floor heating 24/7 and not use much oil? Thanks GSM.

 

[Killy Bing]

The boiler wont be firing 24-7 with under floor heating

 

[GSM]

Hi Folks, had my boiler serviced yesterday, service guy replaced the nozzle to a 0.65 (less than half the size of the previous nozzle) and rated the boiler down to 24Kw. The boiler is a condensing Worcester Greenstar Utility 32/50Kw Model: BFC. Hopefully I should see a difference in the amount of oil consumed. What do you folks think? I'm going to keep an eye on it to see how it goes. Thanks GSM.

 

[SimonG]

I wonder if it has the adapted blast tube?

Tbh sounds like the boiler is way oversized. Especially if its now rated to 24kw which in its own way will cause issues.

 

[Killy Bing]

He's rated it down to 24kw? Well that's asking for trouble.....

 

[Bunker]

Well it wont dry cycle thats for sure...

 

[Dotty]

Gonna cost you more in oil because the boiler's going to struggle to hit its temps.

Deja vu this. Had this very convo earlier today!

 

[Killy Bing]

Gonna cost you more in oil because the boiler's going to struggle to hit its temps.

Deja vu this. Had this very convo earlier today!

Not to mention with the additional restrictions it will struggle to clear POCS and soot up faster...

 

[Roger Welton]

Almost certainly condense in the primary heat exchanger.

 

[Gray0689]

Hi Folks, had my boiler serviced yesterday, service guy replaced the nozzle to a 0.65 (less than half the size of the previous nozzle) and rated the boiler down to 24Kw. The boiler is a condensing Worcester Greenstar Utility 32/50Kw Model: BFC. Hopefully I should see a difference in the amount of oil consumed. What do you folks think? I'm going to keep an eye on it to see how it goes. Thanks GSM.

What area are you in
Your boiler man is just that a boiler man he has turned it down to low
It's a big house the boiler sounds sized correctly to start with now nooo

 

[MarkOil]

Wonder if the boiler engineer rung Worcester to check pp and CO2, because the lowest nozzle you should have is a 0.85 by the MI's.
He would of had a bit of fun setting that up, wonder if he will answer his phone next year??
We get a few of them round our way, turn up break things, never to be heard of again!