Fire chamber vacuuming

RayG

Recently I had my oil fired forced hot water boiler cleaned and I questioned the company about the time it took the tech to clean it. The office said he did a thorough job. Not believing it I opened up the swing door to the combustion chamber and found it hadn't been vacuumed and had about an inch of soot in the bottom and flues were caked with scale an soot in there. I called the company back and they said "they never vacuum inside there because when the door is open the seal is broken and they don't carry seals for every boiler" and because I opened the door their tune up warranty was void.
My question is is the bottom suppose to be vacuumed out or is the soot and scale just suppose to accumulate in the bottom year after year? 
Thanks

Jamie Hall

Not only is the soot to be vacuumed out, but to the maximum extent possible all the fires side surfaces need to be brushed. Many boilers have access ports for just that purpose, and get brushed down into the firebox to be vacuumed.

leonz

NOPE, NOPE, NOPE!!

They are trying to fool you period.

My Buderus Logana G204 had to be brushed out and vacuumed out every year.
With my old Buderus boiler all they needed to do is unbolt the door and swing it open to access the fire box and burner tubes to brush and clean them. Access door gaskets are permanent and easily replaced when needed.

If you have not paid them don't! If you have already revoke the credit or debit transaction.
request that they return by registered letter and inform them that if they do not you will have
another reputable company clean your boiler and inspect it as well as having the local plumbing
inspector examine it as the ash buildup can be a fire hazard.

Take them to small claims court after you have another local plumber and the plumbing
inspector look at the boiler and ask for a report to submit to the small claims court judge.

Don't let them park this 400+ bushel manure spreader with Februarys frozen pack manure, 4 blown tires, broken power take off shaft, missing #80 roller chain, broken beater drive shaft, broken bed chain, broken beater chain and broken frame in your front yard.

No excuse.

Dave Carpentier

Have them send you the detailed list of things that were checked.
They would have a hard time with that.

Sounds like the desk agent covering for the tech.

EdTheHeaterMan

My Buderus boiler included a brush for cleaning the flue passageways. I also remember many Weil McLain oil fired boilers having a brush in the shipping crate

PM me the number of that company, I would like to call and ask them if vacuum cleaning is included in oil burner maintenance because I think I might need it for my boiler. Just to see what they say

And just what is included in a tuneup warranty?

Steamhead

@RayG , if they are also selling you oil, they are skimping on service to make the unit burn more oil. Oldest scam in the book. Here are a couple we found:

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/188633/soot-vac-was-heavy-when-i-finished-this-one

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/184249/you-can-tell-how-long-ago-this-was-serviced

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/170456/door-mount-disaster-or-ohhhhh-this-is-just-wrong

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/132567/one-of-the-worst-maintained-oil-fired-boilers-weve-seen

You need a service organization worthy of the name.