help -black smoke coming out of chimney after furnace service

wombosi

Hi,

I bought a house in August and had the furnaced serviced that month (it burns oil and heats via hot water baseboard radiators.) the furnace is about 40 years old.

I hired a guy from the most respected heating and plumbing company locally. He came for a few hours, replaced oil filter, a few small parts, and s upposedly cleaned out the system as well as the bottom of the chimney.

Well, I've essentially had the system shut off up until the past few weeks.

I notice black smoke coming out of the chimney when the furnace/boiler is running, almost always. It may be just when it's cold for the first while, but it seems like it's constant. I don't see smoke coming out of anyone else's chimney.

Also, little flecks of black ash are landing on my white porch railings, so it's obvious this is coming outo f the chimney along wih the smoke.

I've called the guy back, they never returned my call.

Before I drop $80 just to have him grace me with his presence, is there something I should know or can do myself about this? Is it OK?
Should he be responsible for it at this point?

Thanks a lot!

gregzoll

Can you go up and look down to see if for some reasons flames are shooting upwards through the chimney? I personally would be not running it until it is checked out, or else you may be getting a visit from the Guys & Gals in the nice Red truck.

wombosi

my roof is insanely steep and i'm too scared to go up and peer into the chimney.

i guess i'll be calling the heating tech again?

balls.

8 Ball

Your burning rich, wrong nozzle or not enough air. Now that the heat exchanger is sooted up it will have to be cleaned again.

wombosi

thanks 8 ball.
so, do i assume the guy that serviced it in august messed something up and should fix it for free at this point?

b

8 Ball

I would'nt know about that, but this is the most probable cause. If the nozzle was replaced it should be on your service ticket.

kennzz05

do yourself a favor and get it serviced by your oil supplier thats all they do repair oil burners and although it seems like an hvac co makes more sense they repair all types and unless your neighborhood is all oil your supplier is more likely to be the "specialist"
when the engine in a volvo truck(semi) with a cummins diesel needs work it goes to the cummins dealer thats all they do

beenthere

Did you hire a guy from a copany to do this work on the side.
Or did you hire the company?

If the company, call them back, they don't have to send the same guy.

Could be a bad nozzle, which isn't the fault of the guy doing the work.
Most companies will stand by their work.


PS: I worked for oil companies for over 12 years. Although I was never told to make a unit burn more oil.
I WAS told not to make them work too good.

The reason, the companis make their money SELLING oil, not making them burn the best they can.

I know of atleast one oil company.
They have a coupke techs, that don't even change the nozzle on half of the units they supposedly clean.

Since service companies don't make money on selling fuel. They will most often, do a better job, since they want to be your service provider every year.

kennzz05

damn thats just sad

beenthere

Yes it is.
And unfortunately. Some owners turn their head, as long as they are making money.

But, there are more oil companies, that will fire a tech for not doing his job right(actually cleaning and servicing the unit).

Just hard to know which company you have. Until you run into a problem.