[an error occurred while processing this directive]
Posted by HeatPro on May 22, 2006 at 16:41:40:
In Reply to: Re: Weil McLain 368 Hot Water Oil Fired Boiler - Help posted by Jim on May 22, 2006 at 15:29:06:
A diligent tech will combustion-test during an annual service. It is usually required as a condition to service government equipment. I've done annual service on government equipment that had that requirement and had to put holes into the flue of every oil burner in the county to combustion test them. The former contractor oil company had 'gotten away' without doing it by fraud.
I've had owners insist that all they had to do was adjust the parts - until they had their Weil oil boiler smoke up on them and refuse to work, then they appreciated the heads up to ALWAYS use a combustion tester when servicing. As an electronic tester can tell WHILE THE BURNER RUNS and provide a printed strip recording of most that is needed, it inly takes a few more minutes.
Oil companies will tell you that it doesn't have to be done for some reasons:
1: It takes them time and time is money spent paying for techs.
2. Techs typically are responsible for 1200 oil burners each. There is NO WAY they have time to combustion test - or even VISIT 1200 homes a year. 3. An electronic tester to save time costs over $1000. Most service trucks don't have them, nor men that know what combustion testing requires.
4. Bad combustion MEANS INCREASED FUEL SALES, as inefficiency means more fuel used to provide heat.
The industry is run by many DUMB men who have been shooting themselves in the foot for decades so the insustry that was 60% of the heating 50 years ago is now 6% and shrinking.