What quals do you look for-need to service oil fired boiler

[Blimp]

Sorry if this has been asked before but I interested to now if Oftec is a stand alone qualification or part of a general plumbing course.

Also is Oftec a legal req to service oil boilers?

Thanks

 

[PRS1]

OFTEC is the governing body for oil like Gas Safe Register is for gas
you pay to be affiliated to it after passing your competancy assesments
eg ACS for gas.

 

[PRS1]

Its also a legal requirment,

 

[Boilerman2]

NOT TRUE!!!

You DO NOT HAVE TO BE OFTEC REG to SERVICE an oil boiler,

You do have to be OFTEC if you install or Commission, but this is only so you ca self certifiy the work, you can go it alone as long as you get LABC building control docs £150 -£200 depending on area.

But as for Servicing or Repair the Village idiot can do it! (I wouldn't recommend it though)

 

[powell30]

Agreed. I work for baxi and service/repair with manufacturers dispensation on oil......but not on gas/lpg.....still need all the acs......anyone explain why?

 

[Boilerman2]

it all goes back to the Rownan Point Disaster in the 1960's when a major explosion in a tower block resulted in fatailites on the back of this came CORGI the Gas safety & use Regulations were modified in the 1990's which made it illegal to work on gas installations unless deemed competent by ACOPs and registered with the body appointed by the HSE (corgi), we now have ACS and Gas Safe but the rules are still the same.

Whilst oil has similar issues (Carbon Monoxide etc) it tends not to explode when leaking from pipes and as it is not invisible the responsible person has a good chance of being able to isolate the fuel supply before disaster strikes. hear endeth the first lesson!!

 

[Tipper]

Google OFTEC and have a look at their website.

 

[Blimp]

Thanks

Thats pretty much what I thought, as long as you stick to servicing only you don't actually need any knowledge of oil boilers at all!!

Does the same apply to Oil Aga's ?

 

[Blimp]

Hi

I asked the question as I have a basic knowledge of oil fired boilers and aga's (to the point where I have installed my own replacement Heatslave 25 ), and am considering servicing locally.

Who would I go to to get more knowledge about other makes of boiler and preferably some qualifications without having to do a complete plumbers rip off course.

 

[Agile]

An oil boiler caught alight and set light to the unbunded tank.

That started leaking and hot burning oil ran about 250m along the lane towards my mother's house another 200m further along.

I did not see it and perhaps it would not have reached her house anyway but th fire brigade arrived and tried to put it out. I wonder how they might have done that without specialised oil fire fighting equipment as this was in the country part of Cornwall.

The land was seriously impregnated with oil and she got about £3500 insurance towards having the sandy land relaid with stone chippings.

There was no legal requirement for the tank to be bunded at the time.

Tony

 

[Boilerman2]

And we fit PLASTIC TANKS BEACAUSE???????

 

[baxpoti]

Agreed. I work for baxi and service/repair with manufacturers dispensation on oil......but not on gas/lpg.....still need all the acs......anyone explain why?

Have you done the excellent 'Riello burners service engineers course' at Huntingdon ?

 

[Norcon]

And we fit PLASTIC TANKS BEACAUSE???????

Because they don't rust and they look real pretty.

 

[WDIK]

ronan point

 

[Tipper]

1 Do a manufacturer's course which although supposedly specific to their boilers will cover the general principles involved. Grant, Trianco and Worcester Bosch come to mind. Usually free too because they want you to recommend their boilers!

2 Do the OFTEC servicing course and assessment at a recognised manufacturer's training centre to gain the legislation, environmental, best practice and safety info, etc.

Better at a manufacturer's than an external training centre because you can sometimes get reduced OFTEC registration fees this way but not sure if those incentives are still available. You can do these at the same place and at the same time for convenience and usually at reduced cost depending on where you go.

Oh, and there is at least one very experiended oil engineer on this forum that will tell you not to get the OFTEC cert. I disagree. Getting the OFTEC knowledge is essential imho.