Oil Boiler Service, Commissioning & Repair

OFTEC registered technicians are oil specialists, trained specifically on modern, high-performance oil-fired appliances rather than gas. Oil boilers, cookers and stoves have their own quirks (burner adjustment, tank feed and flue requirements), and it's worth using someone with that specific oil training rather than a general heating engineer. Julian previously held OFTEC registration himself. See our OFTEC page for what that registration means in practice.

Boiler keeps tripping the lockout button?

If your oil burner stops running, the first thing to check is the reset button: the small red button on the burner unit itself. Pressing it once will often get the boiler going again temporarily. If it trips repeatedly, that's a sign of an underlying fault (commonly a dirty nozzle, ignition electrode fault, water in the fuel line, or a photocell issue), and it needs a proper diagnosis rather than repeated resetting.

Other common oil boiler faults

• Burner won't fire, or fires then cuts out immediately
• Smoke, smell or soot around the boiler or flue
• Noisy or rumbling burner (often nozzle or air/fuel ratio related)
• No hot water or heating despite the burner running
• Oil supply issues: air in the line, a blocked filter or a fault at the tank

Annual servicing

Oil boilers need annual servicing just as much as gas appliances: for safety, efficiency and to keep the manufacturer's warranty valid. It's a legal requirement for landlords, and we'll issue the paperwork you need. See our landlord safety certificates page if that's what you need.

Bunded oil tanks: how safe is yours?

An old, single-skin tank corroding quietly in the garden is a real risk: a leak can contaminate drinking water supplies, streams or rivers, and you could be liable for the clean-up and any legal action that follows. A bunded tank (a tank within a tank) contains a leak before it reaches the ground. If your tank is rusting, sitting on poor standing, or you're not sure how old it is, it's worth having it surveyed. See our oil tank replacement and survey page.