Do all oil burners need a damper?

JTIZZ

When my New Yorker starts there is a terrible smell of exhaust and oil in my basement.

My plumber says I don't need a damper on flue. He changed nozzle, electrodes, filter, strainer, cleaned my unit. Chimney is clear. He says everything is good. Any info would be helpful.

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Jamie Hall

That's a problem with establishing draught. I'd not be doctrinaire, but I wouldn't be surprised if a barometric damper on the breeching didn't help, as it would allow the flue to maintain a draught even when the boiler was off.

Now… if you are an energy fanatic, you'd combine that with a powered flue damper which would open first on a call for heat, allow the chimney to establish a draught, and then — after a delay — start the burner. But that's one more thing to go wrong…

mattmia2

is that a draft hood on the boiler or is it just a collector box?

Steamhead

@JTIZZ , post a pic of the burner and let's have a look at it.

HydronicMike

Draft regulator only reduces draft, not increase it.

Does your burner have pre-purge? If so how long?

EBEBRATT-Ed

All oil burners are supposed to have a draft regulator if connected to a chimney. Some boilers (mostly commercial) run forced draft with just a vent through the roof and don't require a barometric.

Barometrics can't increase draft and can only reduce it. There may be some forced draft residential boilers.

Jamie Hall

Time to derail a thread…. that's a very interesting question: barometrics can only reduce draught, not increase it. Or…? Hmm. Play devil's advocate here. I'd certainly agree with that when the burner is firing. Absolutely no question. But what about when the boiler is no fi ring? Could it be that in at least some situations the barometric allows a bit of draught to continue up the flue and helps to reduce any tendency to puff when a burner — even with pre-purge — fires against a cold flue?

Something to think about, oh collective wisdom.

BDR529

A little off topic but it applies to draft.Way back in the day thay had a elephants trunk on commercial boilers to correct draft issue(s)