Tips For Maintaining Oil-Burning Furnaces
Posted on: 10 March 2015
An oil-fired furnace is one of the most common types of heaters for homes in particularly cold climates. These furnaces are able to reliability and affordability provide tremendous heat on frigid nights. However, if you do not take the time to care for your oil-burning furnace, you may encounter severe malfunctions when you need the furnace the most. These two tips will help you avoid common causes for your furnace to malfunction.
Keep The Vent Top Clean
Your oil burner will create numerous gases that must be vented from your home, and a pipe that runs to the roof or to an existing chimney is the most common way of providing an escape route for these noxious fumes. However, it is possible for the top of this pipe to become covered with soot. Eventually, this soot may completely prevent gases from escaping, and this can cause major health risks for those inside the structure.
To avoid this dangerous problem, you should make it a point to thoroughly clean this vent before the start of each cold season. This will require a special cleaning device that can reach deep into the vent, and if you lack this tool, you will need to hire a professional to serve it. Without a tool that can pull soot out from inside the vent, it is possible for clogs to develop beyond your scope of vision.
Inspect The Supply Line
Eventually, you may notice that your oil burner is having trouble staying lit. Often, this is the result of a dirty burner, and cleaning the soot will usually correct the problem. However, there may be times when this fails to remedy the problem. In these instances, it is likely that there is a leak in the line that supplies your burner with oil from the storage tank.
For those with an above-ground supply line, a thorough visual inspection of this supply line should reveal the location of the leak if it is present. However, if your line is buried, it will have to be excavated for the leak to be confirmed and patched.
Keeping your oil burning furnace functioning efficiently does not have to be a mysterious chore. Understanding the importance of following these two tips will help you avoid malfunctions that can leave your home's interior frigid on a harsh winter's night. If you are unable to perform these tasks, service technicians like Shearman Oil Inc can be hired to perform these essential tasks for you.
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