Oil Furnace Maintenance Tips

While there aren't many quick fixes you can undertake yourself on these types of furnaces, good regular maintenance can help eliminate many problems. Here are a few oil furnace maintenance tips:

During the heating season, check the smoke from the chimney. If the smoke is black, the furnace is not burning the oil completely and fuel is being wasted. Call a professional service person for adjustments.

Clean the blower at the beginning of the heating season and again about midway through the season.

Clean soot from the stack control about midway through the heating season.

If the blower motor has grease or oil fittings, lubricate the fittings midway through the heating season with cup grease or 10-weight nondetergent motor oil (not all-purpose oil), available at hardware stores.

Clean the thermostat before each heating season.

If your furnace still isn't working, use the handy troubleshooting chart on the next page to find a solution.

5 Surprising Oilheat Facts:

The average AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) of a new Oilheat system is in the low-to mid-80s. These efficiency levels were reached even before a federal mandate required that all heating systems have a minimum AFUE of 78%.

Thanks to major technological advancements, the newest Oilheat systems (condensing boilers and furnaces) have AFUE ratings that exceed 92%.

Oilheated homes warm up quickly and provide even, efficient heat. For every gallon of oil burned, a whopping 138,000 Btus (British Thermal Units) of heat is generated and the flame temperature of Oilheat systems reaches about 3,000.

There are about 10 million Oilheated homes in the United States; 350,000 of them were built in the past decade.

Millions of homes in Europe rely on Oilheat for comfort. Germany and Italy, along with the United States, are leaders in the manufacture of Oilheat equipment.

Oilheat customers are satisfied customers. According to heating oil industry research, 95% of Oilheat users are satisfied with their dealer's overall performance and feel they do a good job delivering oil and servicing heating equipment.

Preparing your Home

for the Winter Heating Season

Have your heating system professionally serviced.

Having your heating system cleaned and serviced regularly could reduce your fuel costs by 10 percent or more. Getting your system professionally serviced now reduces the likelihood of needing emergency service come January. As a general rule, oil systems should be cleaned and serviced annually, while gas systems should be serviced every other year.

The service technician should:

Make sure the pilot light (if you have one) and thermostat are working correctly.
Check the fuel pipe and heating exchanger for cracks or leaks.
Test the efficiency of your heating system (how effectively your furnace or boiler converts fuel to heat).

Since all conventional heating systems produce carbon monoxide as a byproduct of combustion, getting your system checked is a safety issue, too.

Change the filter in a forced hot-air system monthly during the heating season to help keep the system at peak efficiency. Most homeowners can change the filters themselves.

Seal those air leaks
You wouldn't leave a window open all winter long, but small air leaks around windows, doors, pipes, recessed lighting, and electrical outlets can cause an equivalent loss of heat. Sealing air leaks can reduce your heating bills by 10 percent to 20 percent and possibly more depending on specific conditions in your home. Here's how:

Seal door leaks with weather-stripping or a door sweep; seal window leaks with caulking. Rope caulk is an effective alternative to cartridge caulking and can be easily removed in the spring.

Most heat loss occurs as warm air rises and exits the house through gaps around the chimney or attic, while also drawing cold outside air in through cracks in the basement and foundation (home airflow schematic). Pay particular attention to the attic hatch or pull-down stairs and to any interior-wall top plates in the attic, as these areas are frequently leaky.

Exterior points such as bulkhead doors and the spaces around pipes where they enter your house (called plumbing penetrations) can also let in cold air and should be sealed.

Another significant source of air leaks is ductwork that extends throughout the house. Several studies have indicated that sealing ductwork alone can result in an average annual savings in heating bills of 17 percent. Seal ductwork joints with high-quality foil tape or mastic paste. Despite the name, duct tape doesn't work well. Avoid it.

Homes do need to "breathe." Harmful flu gases from the heating system and mold can accumulate in homes without adequate ventilation. A blower-door test can determine if you have sufficient ventilation.

"Seal tight and ventilate right" should be the guiding principle when it comes to sealing air leaks. The trick: making sure your home doesn't lose valuable heat but does provide enough fresh air to maintain good indoor air quality. You can have both.

Is it time to replace your current home heating system?

What to look for in a home heating system and see if you can cut heating costs even if your home heating system is relatively new. Here are a few common reasons to upgrade your boiler or furnace:

Cut fuel costs with a high efficiency boiler or heat and hot water system
Cut greenhouse gas emissions
Replace an older boiler or furnace which is no longer reliable or has failed
Improve home comfort
Expanded use requires more heat or hot water output; a home addition is an example (although boilers are frequently oversized)
Improve comfort and efficiency with pools or spas
Improve home resale value

Maintaining Your Heating System:

The Thermostat

Thermostat settings, because they have such a direct effect on furnace heat, must be inspected and adjusted on a regular basis. When heat is too high or too low, the furnace may work inefficiently. The thermostat is a crucial component in maintaining desired amounts of heat.

Today's oil furnaces are more than just hot air!

Modern oil furnaces range in efficiency from 81% to 95%. Some of the innovations found in today's oil furnaces include:
Low-mass combustion chambers and sophisticated heat exchangers, which together improve heat transfer 
Solid-state or microprocessor-based controls, which result in more reliable operation 
High-pressure flame retention burners, which result in clean, efficient comfort

MAINTENANCE & CONSERVATION

Maintain your heating system. Have it checked by a professional at least once a year and change the filters regularly.
Adjust thermostats; keep it 65 degrees during the day and 55 degrees during sleeping hours or when the house is unoccupied.
Replace old thermostats with programmable thermostats.
Open drapes and blinds on the south side of your home during sunny days, close them at night and on cloudy days.
Do not block registers and hot water radiators.
Place foil-covered cardboard between cast iron hot water radiators and the wall to reflect the heat into the room and away from the wall.
Install storm doors and windows. The space they create makes an excellent insulator.
Have adequate insulation throughout the house and around your water heater. Seal cracks and holes around windows and doors.

Mass Oil Council Says:

Winter of 2011-2012 – So Far Warm is the Word

Right now homeowners are benefiting from a winter that is on track to be 20% warmer than last winter. February can certainly be cold, but consumers are saving money now because of Mother Nature. There are still simple things homeowners can do to improve energy efficiency and save additional money.

If you haven’t done so already, get a heating system tune-up.

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