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NIHE Issues Contaminated Heating Oil Warning
29th January 2012
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive is issuing a warning to its tenants and the wider community in Co. Fermanagh, of the dangers of using contaminated oil in their home heating systems.
In a statement on the NIHE's website, a spokesperson says, "We have seen a worrying increase in the use of contaminated oil in our properties which can cause serious damage to heating systems. At a time of great pressures on our budgets, we are using funds to repair this damage that could otherwise be invested in improving or maintaining our homes.
"We advise our tenants and indeed any householder to be wary of home heating oil being sold door to door and to purchase their oil from established reputable suppliers.Although the product is sold as home heating oil, it contains contaminants that can cause considerable damage, with the cost of repairs put at between £500 and £700 per heating system.
"Pigments from some plastic drums containing the heating oil have the potential to damage the fuel pumps on the oil fired boilers."
However, the sale of contaminated heating oil appears to have spread beyond Co. Fermanagh. OilFiredUp.com recently saw a drum of 'heating oil' sold on a door to door basis on the outskirts of Belfast. The drum was not supplied by a reocgnised fuel distributor. A sample was drawn from the container, which was found to contain significant quantities of water, which would render any oil heating system inoperable.
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive has also warned tenants and consumers to avoid tipping their oil tanks, to increase the flow of oil and drain the last remnants of fuel to the boiler. This can not only damage the tank and pipes, but condensation and dirt disturbed from the bottom of the tank can block and contaminate oil supply lines and filters, which can in turn cause fuel starvation.
