Frequently Asked Questions

OFTEC's registration scheme was one of the first to be formally recognised by the government as a competent person scheme for heating engineers. All OFTEC boiler engineers must go through courses and assessments before they are qualified and undergo regular checks on their work to provide quality service.

To keep your boilers working efficiently and safely, you should have your oil boilers serviced at least every 12 months by an OFTEC registered engineer. 

There are a few reasons for having your boiler serviced. First, some boiler company warranty requires you to have a service done once a year.

Many oil boiler problems can cost a lot less if you have them found early through servicing instead of waiting until it is much worse (when you start seeing issues).

You can also save a lot of money in repairs and keep the boiler efficient with its fuel consumption and fuel usage. Removing sludge and rust from the pipes are great for ensuring your heating is efficient and safe.

Your heating engineer will check a few things to ensure the boiler is working efficiently and safely. First, they will review all parts related to safety (e.g. pressure release valve or burner lockout).

Assessing the pipework in and around the boiler and looking for leaks. Use a gas analyser for checking the gases pumped out by the flue.

Check for water within the oil tank.  

Lack of maintenance in the past and leaks can be a big sign that servicing might be needed. The hot water taking its time heating up, and noises coming from pipes also show there could be issues within the pipework, and servicing is needed to find the problem and resolve it. 

Under the 1985 Landlord and Tenant Act, your landlords have the legal responsibility to provide safe water, gas and electricity. With that, the landlords are supposed to provide annual boiler services. Any issues with the boilers, you should let them know immediately.

OFTEC registered installers are heating and other engineers who have gone through and passed an approved training course and go through regular assessments in the future to ensure they provide safe and quality working standards to customers. 

Unlike gas boilers, where there is a legal requirement for you to be using a gas safe registered engineer, the engineer for oil boilers do not need to be OFTEC registered to work on your oil boiler. 

With this being said, you must have someone who is OFTEC registered or a competent person to confirm it meets all the legal regulations. 

You should not and cannot install an oil boiler yourself unless you have the relevant qualifications, experience, and a professional engineer. Hiring an engineer to help you is helpful if you try to replace a boiler or get a new one as they can help choose the best one and decide how to put it in properly.

The average cost for replacing an oil boiler can vary, but they are generally between £1,200 to £3,500 or more depending on the amount of time it will take and the boiler going in. 

There are a few things that you need to consider when installing an oil boiler. Decide on the size and type of boiler you choose and where the best place to put it will be. 

Placing a carbon monoxide alarm near the boiler can be useful as it can produce a decent amount, especially when it is placed near or in someone's room. 

Gas safe engineers are able to fit oil boilers as there is no legal requirement for oil boilers to be fitted by anyone special. However, they need to be safely checked by an engineer with relevant qualifications, such as a gas safe engineer. 

Carbon monoxide poisoning can occur from gas, wood and oil boilers when they have not been fitted correctly, one of the vents is blocked or is not maintained correctly. Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause organ damage and sometimes death. 

There are a few things that can give you indications your boiler needs to be replaced. 

The cost of boiler repairs can vary depending on the amount of damage, the severity of the damage and the amount of time it will take for the damage to be repaired. 

The cost of minor repairs on the boiler, such as a replacement fan or something to that extent, can cost around £150, but a more serious repair such as replacing heat exchangers can cost around £400 or more. 

Although there are a few checks you can do yourself, you should call an engineer to come and look. Having a trusted and qualified engineer such as Gas safe registered or OFTEC for oil boilers can be useful, especially if you are not sure about solving the problem. 

A lack of fuel can be annoying. You should first try checking the oil tank to make sure there is plenty of oil within to keep the boiler going. If there is a low supply of oil in the tank and debris within it, this can significantly restrict the fuel supply.

The boiler pressure can also affect whether the boiler will start or not. Checking what the boiler pressure is at can be beneficial. The pressure is usually estimated at around 1.3, but it is operational between 1-3. If you want better readings, reading the boiler manual from the manufacturers is best.

If there is a condensate blockage, this can usually be fixed by going on the exterior of your house where the condensate pipe is and pouring warm water on the pipe until it is thawed. Hot water can damage or slip the pipe.

This is where you have an issue when pairing your boiler. This means that it won't listen to the settings on the thermostat unless it is fixed.

Fan faults can be seen usually because most boilers will not start up if the fan isn't running. You can have the fan tested by an engineer to see whether there is an issue with the fan or something else in the system.