Oil Furnace Repair
How Does It Work?
An oil furnace is similar to other types of furnaces. The main difference is that heating oil fuels the burner that heats the air. An oil furnace uses a low-grade petroleum derivative as fuel to heat air, hot water, or steam. An oil forced-air system (OFA) includes the blower and ducting to distribute the heated air throughout the house. Modern home oil systems use pressure burners. Oil is sprayed into a combustion chamber at high pressure, propelled by a blower and ignited by an electric spark. The oil burns as the mist is sprayed. These units are more efficient than older models.
What Can Go Wrong?
Oil burners are generally quite reliable. Routine maintenance is the key to avoiding expensive repairs. And there are several things you can do before calling for repair service. The burner may not run, or may run but not fire. The burner may cycle too often or it may smoke or squeal. The chimney may smoke.
Repair Tips on Oil Furnaces
Oil furnaces provide heating to many homes where natural gas is not available and electricity is too expensive for efficient heating. The oil in the furnace is sprayed into a combustion chamber to create heat. The furnace contains a variety of parts that need regular cleaning, including the filter and nozzle tips. If your oil furnace is not working, check these parts first, and then call a service technician.
Furnace Won't Start
There are a variety of causes that lead to an oil furnace failing to start, and some of them can be fixed by very easy and inexpensive repairs. The experts at Mother Earth News recommend first locating and pressing the manual restart button on the furnace. In many cases, this will restore regular functionality. If it does not, the problem is likely caused by a broken burner assembly motor or a burnt-out starting switch. Both require an experienced service technician. Also, check that the fuses aren't blown and the circuit breaker is on before assuming the furnace has died.
No Flames
If the furnace is running but no heat is being produced, something is preventing the flame from igniting or burning. The G&S Mechanical Services website says to remove the nozzle and replace it first to see if this will fix the problem. The nozzle on the oil sprayer is easily clogged by debris or water mixed in with the oil. If the furnace experiences the same problem after a new nozzle is installed, drain some of the oil from the supply lines and look for water settling on the top. This prevents the oil from igniting or clogs the nozzle, and indicates cracks in the storage tank.
Failure to Ignite
If you've verified that the oil is coming through to keep the flames lit, but there is still no fire or heat, the problem may be in the ignition. The ignition system in an oil furnace uses a transformer and electrodes to create the spark needed, and both of these parts can break or get dirty, say the experts at G&S Mechanical Services. You should leave the testing of the transformer to a professional as it carries 10,000 volts of electricity. Examine the electrodes. If they are covered in dust or soot, cleaning them with a basic solvent like alcohol can solve the problem. Cracked or damaged electrodes need replacement.
Noisy Operation
An oil furnace is naturally noisy during operation, even when working properly. But some noises indicate problems with parts of the furnace that should be promptly repaired. High-pitched shrieks or loud grinding noises coming from any part of the furnace indicate a damaged belt or failing bearing, which should be replaced and repaired immediately, says Inspectapedia. Loud or choking rumbling noises during the start-up process mean the system needs cleaning, and if the same noises occur when the furnace shuts off, this may mean oil is continuing to leak into the combustion chamber. This can cause a dangerous reaction known as a puff-back, so the symptom should prompt a service call.
