Strong gloss/varnish smell from back of oil fired boiler- help needed asap. Live in Mawnan near Falmouth.

[Markcl]

Worse when boiler has fired for c.10 minutes each time. Could it be nozzle that is faulty, namely spray is not sealed?

The thing is why does it smell like gloss/varnish as opposed to kerosene?...

 

[SJB060685]

A faulty nozzle is common but your problem is not going to be caused by that. It's much more likely a gasket has failed, ie burner gasket, flue seals or chamber door seals. However the smell of gloss/varnish is not a smell I've had a customer complain about to be honest. Perhaps you have a slow leak that has soaked into some skirting board etc and when the boiler is running the heat lost through the casing is vapourising the kerosene and you're getting a combined smell?
Any oil leak needs to be rectified immediately, the damage to the environment and fabric and footings of a building can be huge, I've known some remedial works in that situation to be well over 100k!
Do you have any CO testers? If so I would place one by the boiler.
Without being there it's hard to say what it is and what makes it worse your boiler is a combi and you need it for hot water, otherwise I'd say isolate the fuel at the tank for 24-48 hours and see if you notice a difference.

 

[Markcl]

A faulty nozzle is common but your problem is not going to be caused by that. It's much more likely a gasket has failed, ie burner gasket, flue seals or chamber door seals. However the smell of gloss/varnish is not a smell I've had a customer complain about to be honest. Perhaps you have a slow leak that has soaked into some skirting board etc and when the boiler is running the heat lost through the casing is vapourising the kerosene and you're getting a combined smell?
Any oil leak needs to be rectified immediately, the damage to the environment and fabric and footings of a building can be huge, I've known some remedial works in that situation to be well over 100k!
Do you have any CO testers? If so I would place one by the boiler.
Without being there it's hard to say what it is and what makes it worse your boiler is a combi and you need it for hot water, otherwise I'd say isolate the fuel at the tank for 24-48 hours and see if you notice a difference.

Thanks very much. I don't want it leaking into foundations...so difficult to get a local guy here asap

 

[SJB060685]

Do you want me to see if I can find someone?