An oil furnace is designed to keep your house warm during the winter season. Even though most people begin preparing for the winters beforehand and connect with furnace services but some ignore oil furnace maintenance. Therefore, we are going to share some important tips that will help you maintain your oil burner along with helping it burn less oil. Let’s begin!

Turn Off Your Furnace

The first step pertaining to maintaining your oil furnace is turning it off. Make sure that the furnace is not receiving any kind of power and you should consider switching it off from the main switch as well just to be on the safe side. Furthermore, make sure that you protect yourself by wearing safety clothes and that the furnace is not too hot before touching it.

Once the furnace is switched off, you might want to run an inspection to check for any leakages, damages, or cracks. Sometimes, oil furnaces may develop leaks or cracks that go unnoticed. Therefore, since the furnace is turned off, you have the opportunity to go through it properly.

Clean The Combustion Chamber Of The Oil Burner

The next step is cleaning the combustion chamber of your furnace. Be sure to remove soot and debris from it. Even though it might take some time to remove the soot, carbon dioxide, and water vapor from this area but you can easily reap the benefits of thoroughly cleaning this area in the long run.

The combustion chamber is perhaps the most important component of an oil burner. The gas burners of the furnace are surrounded by a metal box and the burners heat it. Eventually, the combustion chamber opens from the top ensuring that the hot gasses are vented through a metal flue pipe into the exterior. At the same time, the combustion chamber walls ensure that these gasses do not enter your house.

Depending on the carbon soot buildup and other debris, you can either use a soft cloth or a hard brush. If the combustion chamber has not been cleaned in a long time, you are going to need something abrasive to remove the soot. Once you are done cleaning, do not forget to inspect the chamber for holes or cracks.

Evaluate The Flue Pipe

Your furnace flue pipe is designed to perform a specific purpose. It ensures that the combustion gasses exit your home properly. With that said, it is important that you go through it as well to look for leaks, cracks, or holes.

Perform an inspection of the flue pipe. If you notice any small holes, you can fix them temporarily using foil tape. However, if the holes tend to be bigger, consult an expert to fix them.

In addition to that, keep an eye on the flue pipe’s barometric damper too. The barometric damper is available in furnaces that have an annual fuel utilization below 83%. To adjust the damper, you are going to need the user’s manual. It will help you adjust the barometer according to the factory settings to help the furnace run at a normal temperature consistently.

Replace The Filters

Both the air and oil filters play an important role in oil consumption. While the oil filter helps purify the oil before it enters the furnace, the air filters ensure that contaminants are removed from the warm air as it enters your house.

Replacing both filters is quite easy and does not take more than a few minutes. At the same time, you should replace the filter at least twice per heating season if the oil furnace is being used constantly. In addition to that, always opt for the best quality replacement and make sure it is compatible with the furnace.

Once you are done with the maintenance, re-assemble the parts and run the oil furnace. It should run perfectly or even better in some cases. However, if you still encounter a problem, do not hesitate to consult a professional.

Final Word

An oil furnace will burn less oil if it is regularly maintained. Usually, oil furnaces consume more oil when they are under stress due to excessive soot deposits and dirty filters. Therefore, make sure that you follow the tips mentioned above and maintain your oil furnace regularly to help it run efficiently and effectively. Hire only expert oil burner repair services ronkonkoma for repairs to keep it efficient.