Kerosene smell
Discussion
My bungalow has an oil fired boiler for the central heating. There is a strong smell of Kerosene in one room only which is the conservatory which is built onto the back of the property. There is no smell anywhere else.
The oil tank is at the rear outside the conservatory. The boiler is in the garage and the intake and outake pipes from the oil tank pass under the garage floor, a bedroom and the conservatory.
I have checked the floor for signs of seepage and smell and can detect nothing. I am also keeping my eye on the oil tank level.
If a pipe is leaking would the smell penetrate earth, hardcore, slabs and a tiled floor.
Has to happen at a holiday time and coldest part of year. Would be very grateful for any suggestions as what to do next.
The oil tank is at the rear outside the conservatory. The boiler is in the garage and the intake and outake pipes from the oil tank pass under the garage floor, a bedroom and the conservatory.
I have checked the floor for signs of seepage and smell and can detect nothing. I am also keeping my eye on the oil tank level.
If a pipe is leaking would the smell penetrate earth, hardcore, slabs and a tiled floor.
Has to happen at a holiday time and coldest part of year. Would be very grateful for any suggestions as what to do next.
Yes, if the oil pipe does have a leak, then the kerosene will smell through soil, hardcore, tiles etc. etc. You need to keep an eye on the level of the oil in the oil tank, and depending on how large the leak is, to decide if you need to turn off/isolate the oil in the storage tank. If the property is cold then central heating may operate, but depends on the size of the leak, and of course an effective person could create a temporary tank nearer to the boiler.
I had a similar leak in a 50ft pipe run from a storage tank this year, meant digging up the oil pipe, starting from tank until finding damp soil/leaking pipe. Suggest you ventilate the conservatory by leaving a window slightly ajar during the day, although kerosene is non explosive, one wants to avoid the smell/stench contaminating furniture/effects.
Lastly, your household insurance will/should cover you for repair costs and loss of fuel etc. etc.
I had a similar leak in a 50ft pipe run from a storage tank this year, meant digging up the oil pipe, starting from tank until finding damp soil/leaking pipe. Suggest you ventilate the conservatory by leaving a window slightly ajar during the day, although kerosene is non explosive, one wants to avoid the smell/stench contaminating furniture/effects.
Lastly, your household insurance will/should cover you for repair costs and loss of fuel etc. etc.
Be very aware that OFTEC take a very dim view of any oil escape as do the Environment Agency. I know a builder who cut an oil line and lost a few gallons and the resultant clean-up operation including the usual 'jobs-for-the-boys' soil sampling took the bill into the thousands.
Shhhhhhhhhh!
Shhhhhhhhhh!
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