# Calling all Oil Burner Mechanics



## pilot light

Just wondering if there are any oil burner mechanics still out there. Many say it is a dying trade, any thoughts or opinons?


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## OldSchool

pilot light said:


> Just wondering if there are any oil burner mechanics still out there. Many say it is a dying trade, any thoughts or opinons?


Its a dying trade.... in our area there is only handful of guys that know what they are doing


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## pilot light

OldSchool said:


> Its a dying trade.... in our area there is only handful of guys that know what they are doing


I still do oil a little but mostly its just until we switch them to gas! Oil burner mechanic is still a red seal trade but seems to be on it way to the dustbin of history! Yes It is hard to find a good oil burner mechanic anymore either they have retired or no longer among the living. All knowledge is now passed from a few wilely veterens to fewer apprentices.


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## BROOKLYN\PLUMB

I work on residential oil, pretty simple stuff really just dirty


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## wundumguy

It's practically dead in these parts. Ran into one of them at a supply house a couple months ago. He says there's enough work... for the few that are still around.


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## High-plumbing

Am currently moving a car rental company facility, they put in an underground storage tank for their used oil. They got nailed by the EPA when the company disposing of their used oil went bankrupt. They were told once it is created it is yours. They are using the used oil to heat the building. Tried to get them to heat a hydronic unit for snow melt at the entrance and exit of the car washes with the oil but they were worried about too much maintenance. Had a hard time finding anyone that could get me information on it here.


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## rjbphd

High-plumbing said:


> Am currently moving a car rental company facility, they put in an underground storage tank for their used oil. They got nailed by the EPA when the company disposing of their used oil went bankrupt. They were told once it is created it is yours. They are using the used oil to heat the building. Tried to get them to heat a hydronic unit for snow melt at the entrance and exit of the car washes with the oil but they were worried about too much maintenance. Had a hard time finding anyone that could get me information on it here.


Get yourself subsribed to Fuel and Oil news magizine.. many articles inside about waste oil usage for heating.


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## Tommy plumber

My only experience working with steam boilers, is from a book.........:laughing:

I think I speak for most FL plumbers on this one


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## pilot light

Those books are going on my christmas list! Looks like a great read!:thumbup:


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## Tommy plumber

pilot light said:


> Those books are going on my christmas list! Looks like a great read!:thumbup:


 






I have been reading up on HVAC, boilers, etc. Interesting books.


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## pilot light

Tommy plumber said:


> I have been reading up on HVAC, boilers, etc. Interesting books.


 Then it almost time to put the knowledge learned to practice! Its good fun too!:yes:


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## ken53

*old stuff*

I do Oil only because I have to New stuff is OK but a lot of the furnaces around here were put in when the power came the farm. Every time you do anything to it something else falls apart and the customer says but its been a real good furnace I've had a guy check it a couple of time since I put in.:yes:


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## pilot light

Too true they are always in need of attention new or old. Gas just goes doesnt plug up heat exchangers like oil or foul nozzles plug filters or pump screens!


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## vinpadalino

I love oil! I like it better then gas. Broken oil unit I can get running with what I got in my van, gas may have to wait for part..


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## PinkPlumber

I work on oil furnaces...prefer them to gas any day. Most basic system....not this computerized crap folks are switching to....only doing it for friends now, giving that field up for plumbing...HVAC is so saturated.


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## U666A

Tommy plumber said:


> My only experience working with steam boilers, is from a book.........:laughing:
> 
> I think I speak for most FL plumbers on this one


Anything by Audel is a must read, I have several of their books, including 2 of the 3 in your pic.

:thumbup:


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## skitian

About half the furnaces I work on around here are oil. I work in lots of old homes, also do lots of steam.


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## pilot light

PinkPlumber said:


> I work on oil furnaces...prefer them to gas any day. Most basic system....not this computerized crap folks are switching to....only doing it for friends now, giving that field up for plumbing...HVAC is so saturated.


 Oh I will agree ! Hvac is saturated but with what i dont know lol!:laughing:


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## pilot light

U666A said:


> Anything by Audel is a must read, I have several of their books, including 2 of the 3 in your pic.
> 
> :thumbup:


 read a little on amazon looks solid !


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## Mike Jessome

no gas where i work propane is to expensive all oil around here


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## pilot light

Mike Jessome said:


> no gas where i work propane is to expensive all oil around here


 Propane is crazy expensive I do alot of oil out of the city or on blocks which never got a gas line pushed through. Many areas of the city like that!


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## pilot light

Got one last night totally plugged oil hwt out of town only guy who would respond!:yes:


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## Gettinit

There are a lot of oil burners here. I have been giving the residential ones to a buddy. Commercial are few and far between for me personally and the industrial ones are usually done by a "boiler company".


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## Gettinit

PinkPlumber said:


> I work on oil furnaces...prefer them to gas any day. Most basic system....not this computerized crap folks are switching to....only doing it for friends now, giving that field up for plumbing...HVAC is so saturated.


What burners do you see there? Still have standing pilots?:laughing:


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## pilot light

Gettinit said:


> What burners do you see there? Still have standing pilots?:laughing:


 Mostly bunker fuel # 6 heavy oil! Prewarmer! :laughing:


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## pilot light

Then the dream call came along and an oil burner mechanics skills paid off!:thumbsup:


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## patrick88

A good friend of mine just got his oil burner license. There are still plenty of homes burning oil. He hopes to make a good side biz.


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## Gettinit

Tell him to take the Becket class. The class sucks but the book will be nice to have as it tells you what nozzles are for different setups.


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## patrick88

Will do. He was helping a plumber who lost his drivers license for 90 days. The Guy didn't apprentice him. Not me n not sure why he didn't apprentice him. Well my friend enjoyed watching and learning. I believe he figured get into some sorta trade. I think that's why he took the classes and test. He lives just over the Ma border in NH. Well NH doesn't have oil burner license so he thought to get Ma.


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## Gettinit

patrick88 said:


> Will do. He was helping a plumber who lost his drivers license for 90 days. The Guy didn't apprentice him. Not me n not sure why he didn't apprentice him. Well my friend enjoyed watching and learning. I believe he figured get into some sorta trade. I think that's why he took the classes and test. He lives just over the Ma border in NH. Well NH doesn't have oil burner license so he thought to get Ma.


How much time does he have in it? There is quite a bit to it.


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## patrick88

Lol time well how long are the classes. That would be the answer. He is clever and when I get really rolling and get my masters I'm taking him as an apprentice. We have been friends for a long time. Anybody would be smart to take him as a plumber.


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## Gettinit

Its usually a one day "class". More like a sales pitch. Most do not want to do this kind of work. Tell him to stick with it.


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## patrick88

He wouldn't have taken the class if he was not planning something to do with it. He was always tight with his money. Lol like I said anybody would be happy having him as a plumber


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## nhmaster3015

We work on more oil burners than gas in my area. I teach the NORA certificate oil burner programs and the course is NEFI certified, one of the few still left. If you are interested in learning oil burners two books are essential. Residential Oil Burners by Herb Weinberger and the NORA Silver Certificate Book which can be found on NORA's web site.


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## patrick88

nhmaster3015 said:


> We work on more oil burners than gas in my area. I teach the NORA certificate oil burner programs and the course is NEFI certified, one of the few still left. If you are interested in learning oil burners two books are essential. Residential Oil Burners by Herb Weinberger and the NORA Silver Certificate Book which can be found on NORA's web site.


Thank you my friend lives in sandown. I will pass this along to him.


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## pilot light

patrick88 said:


> Thank you my friend lives in sandown. I will pass this along to him.


 Alot of companies shy away from the commercial stuff. It is amazing but it is true. The bigger the oil fired equipment the easier it is to work on. The smaller residential furnaces and boilers, usually lack regular servicing, they are also way more finickey! When a commercial unit fails they will call and not hit the reset 10 times! :thumbsup:


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## Mike Jessome

Nothing wrong with furnace oil in my opinion its great just two bad things about it is we got alot of people walking around town kicking the valves off of people oil tanks lol and of course you cant get the smell of oil off of you :|


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## pilot light

Just so everyone knows! It is approved by Riello too place your hand over the air damper to troubleshoot light off procedure on the riello 40 series oil burners! :laughing:


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## Gettinit

pilot light said:


> Just so everyone knows! It is approved by Riello too place your hand over the air damper to troubleshoot light off procedure on the riello 40 series oil burners! :laughing:


:blink: 

Glad to see ya.


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## pilot light

Gettinit said:


> :blink:
> 
> Glad to see ya.


 good to be here!:jester:


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## theplumbinator

Oil service every day in North Jersey for me bro. The calls never end thats the beauty of oil. Once you convert them to gas you never hear from them again lol.


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## Tommy plumber

theplumbinator said:


> Oil service every day in North Jersey for me bro. The calls never end thats the beauty of oil. Once you convert them to gas you never hear from them again lol.


 







.......:laughing:


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## theplumbinator

Gettinit said:


> Tell him to take the Becket class. The class sucks but the book will be nice to have as it tells you what nozzles are for different setups.


If you call Beckett they will send u the book free. They also have an app now witch I use every day that has the OEM spec guide in it, works good as Long as you get service down in the basement your working in. The 6 hour residential class is good to take though they also give you the genesis contractor tool. I also recommend the trip to Canada to learn Riello worth the $$$ there is also a hands on Beckett class I took mine in PA.


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## theplumbinator

pilot light said:


> Those books are going on my christmas list! Looks like a great read!:thumbup:


If you're into learning about steam get your hands on Dan Holohans books. the lost art of steam heating is a great one. He gives classes in the North east also and I'm sure other areas of the country that get cold. HeatingHelp.com is his site. The guy is the Guru of steam. His books have gotten me out of many head scratchers.


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## rjbphd

theplumbinator said:


> If you're into learning about steam get your hands on Dan Holohans books. the lost art of steam heating is a great one. He gives classes in the North east also and I'm sure other areas of the country that get cold. HeatingHelp.com is his site. The guy is the Guru of steam. His books have gotten me out of many head scratchers.


I have his 1st edtion TLAOSH book with his kind handwritten note inside... as well other books following.. your right, he also gotten me out of many jams on these old steam heating systems.. one of them, Hoffman steam differenatal loop..have you see them in your part??


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## theplumbinator

I haven't had the privlage of working on one yet. But I just got his new book Christmas time greening up your steam.


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## rjbphd

theplumbinator said:


> I haven't had the privlage of working on one yet. But I just got his new book Christmas time greening up your steam.


Got that one too, next one, Classic Hydronics


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## theplumbinator

I'm gonna have to order that one up. I got the super size Dan package a few years back. Best heating references I've ever acquired


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