Competent person drive backed by Consumer Council for Northern Ireland

With the summer now in full swing, the milder temperatures mean that for many of us, our home heating needs are at the back of our minds.

However, with 500,000 homes across Northern Ireland relying on oil for household heating, both OFTEC and the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland have called on homeowners to ensure their heating systems are serviced by a qualified technician and have issued the following top tips for consumers to consider.

Service your boiler: Ensuring your boiler is serviced by a qualified OFTEC technician during the summer months has many advantages. Not only will a service ensure the boiler is running efficiently and safely it will validate any manufacturer’s warranty you may still have on the appliance and ensure your heating system is in working order when a cold-snap arrives.

Inspect your heating oil tank: Inspect your oil tank regularly and have it serviced annually by a qualified OFTEC technician. Make sure no cracks have appeared and that the lid of the oil tank is secure to prevent water ingress.

Cut back trees and roots growing close to your oil tank: If you have a large tree or energetic ivy near your oil tank, it’s time to get the shears and secateurs and make sure it is pruned back before it damages your oil tank. There are minimum distance requirements that an oil tank should be from a combustible and non-combustible boundary.

Update your equipment: If you need a new boiler, radiators or gauge setting up on your oil tank, act now. All these tasks are easier, and less disruptive, in the summer months and can be installed by a qualified OFTEC technician. Think back to the winter and what you said you needed to do and act now.

OFTEC Ireland Manager, David Blevings said: “For many homeowners, their home heating equipment may not be front of mind during the summer months, but it should be.

“Acting now, ahead of the winter months, will save money and ensure that any problems are identified and addressed before the temperature starts plummeting.

“However, before you invite anyone to start work on your property, it is vital to ensure they are competent and can undertake the job safely.

“An OFTEC registered technician will ensure your boiler is serviced correctly using a flue gas analyser which is the only instrument that can detect carbon monoxide. In addition, you will receive a CD11 report advising you of what work has been done, the efficiency level of your boiler and any recommendations to improve your heating system.

“Organisations such as OFTEC exist to reassure consumers that their home is in

good hands. Technicians all have an identification badge with the OFTEC logo clearly visible to enable customers to easily ascertain if the technician is registered.”

OFTEC is recognised as the competent persons scheme for liquid fuelled appliances by the HSENI, and the Consumer Council. Both organisations advise those who use oil to heat their households to ensure their boiler is routinely serviced by an OFTEC registered technician.

Raymond Gormley, Head of Energy Policy at the Consumer Council said, “We welcome this OFTEC initiative to remind householders to consider maintenance of their heating systems ahead of the autumn and winter months.

“The Consumer Council strongly recommends that you have your boiler serviced annually by a OFTEC registered technician as a serviced boiler will run more safely and economically. When getting an oil boiler service, ask the OFTEC registered technician to inspect your oil tank as well because weather conditions can impact the condition of an oil tank over the years, especially if it is exposed to the elements.

“If you have a boiler over 15 years old, consider replacing it with a more modern condensing model, which is much more efficient than an older boiler. There may be grants available to help towards the cost of replacing an old oil boiler, see Support with high energy costs | Consumer Council.”

For more about OFTEC visit www.oftec.co.uk.