[Milly]

The house we recently moved to as Thermorossi Multifuel Boiler, a beast, it runs on oil, solid fuel or logs. The previous occupents ran it on solid fuel with occasional oil.

We filled the oil tank with 1000 litres of oil only to find half of it on the floor the next day as the tank leaked. We've got a new tank and it's on our list of 'To Do' things along with lots of other things. We have run the central heating on the oil that was remaining with no problem, there is a thermostat in the lounge. As the oils getting low and we have plenty of solid fuel I've lit the boiler but for some reason the pump keeps tripping in and out despite the thermostat. The pump works perfectly with the oil but we cant manage to make it stay on using solid fuel no matter how much heat the fire is making or how much hot water there is. Any ideas?

[ex-cavator]

Sorry I can't help you with your problem, but, just a word of warning re: the leaking oil. Heating oil has a marvellous propensity to penetrate the ground and home in on any sewer that happens to lie beneath. If flowing to a small, rural sewage works, even 20 or 30 litres getting into the works can severely impair the treatment process which in turn will lead to serious pollution of the receiving watercourse for several days until the process recovers.

I'm only telling you this because, as part of my job, I have been involved in a number of such pollution incidents, and it is not difficult for the water company to trace the heating oil back through the sewage system right to your door. Charges for the cleanup operation, including several days tankering of improperly treated sewage to another site for treatment can amount to tens of thousands of pounds. Add to this the possbility of a further bill from the Environment Agency for reinstatement of contaminated land, and it starts to become a very costly business (although SHOULD be covered by your buildings insurance).

Not trying to scare you, but just make sure your leak is properly contained before it does any real damage 

[Milly]

Crikey, thanks. The leak was actually in February. We dont have any connection to the main sewers we're on a cesspit. Do I need to do anything? There's no evidence that there was ever a leak to see now.

[ex-cavator]

Crikey, thanks. The leak was actually in February. We dont have any connection to the main sewers we're on a cesspit. Do I need to do anything? There's no evidence that there was ever a leak to see now.

Cesspit, as in simply a storage tank, or septic tank, as in an anaerobic treatment unit with an outlet to a soakaway?

If the oil's got in, then for the former you'll be OK, just don't tell anyone when they come to empty it, otherwise you might get charged extra for contaminated waste. If the latter, it may kill the process in which case the effluent will be untreated / contaminated & screw up the soakaway. You might want to get it emptied now, but again, don't tell anybody it's contaminated or you might get charged extra 

[Milly]

Many thanks, I'll show OH your post.