Diy: How To Troubleshoot and fix Your Oil Furnace

An oil-burning furnace is basically a blowtorch in a fire resistant box. Electrical ignition sets off a high-pressure mist of oil and air, heating the air in an adjacent holding chamber. A blower propels the warmth all over your residence. Despite its complexity, complications with an oil-burning furnace are uncommon. The good thing is that several normal complications can be sorted out conveniently by a home owner. Still, some fixes will need an Hvac expert. If the household is already getting chilly and anxious, take immediate steps to maintain the safety and comfort of you and your family before you venture into furnace analysis. 

Begin simple
Inspect the thermostat. Is the fan mode set to automatic? Is the thermostat set to heat? Check your fuel oil supply. Don’t just rely on the gauge - it’s as prone to failure as any piece. Unless you just had it filled fairly recently, examine the fuel tank itself. Employ a dipstick to determine how much fuel you have. By the way, it’s never a good idea to allow your fuel level get low; that’s when sludge and sediment get drawn into lines and plug up filters. Check out the furnace. Can you hear it operating? Is the cabinet warm to the touch? The air filter can simply be so dirty it’s blocking the flow of heated up air. Take out the filter. Problem solved? Great. Install a clean filter. In rare cases, congested ducts can limit air flow sufficiently to decrease the performance of your furnace. Duct cleaning is dirty work that’s best left to professionals. 

If the furnace isn’t functioning, go back to the thermostat and crank it up by 5 or 10 degrees. Does the furnace start? If not, switch the fan setting from “automatic” to “on” or “run". If air isn’t moving and the furnace fan isn’t running, take a look at your circuit breaker. If the circuit breaker is tripped and resetting it only causes it to trip once again, have an electrician examine the wiring and circuit capacity. If the fan is working, your circuit is fine. Next, look for the “reset” button on the furnace control module. If it's popped up, your issue may be fuel-related - either a shortage of supply or an congestion in its movement. Press the reset button and check your oil tank and in-line filter. Clean or substitute the filter if it’s gunked up. Don’t hit “reset” more than twice. The process pumps oil into the burner chamber, where it can accumulate if you have no ignition. When the furnace finally does start, it can do so explosively. So if the button won’t reset, or quickly pops up again, it’s time to get in touch with a professional repair service. 

As you take a look at your furnace system, watch for two potential offenders: Leaks in oil lines and soot in the burner chamber. Leaks let air into the system, which can damage performance. And soot indicates inefficient combustion that can contribute to other problems. Both of those conditions should be corrected by an expert.

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Park Mechanical Plumbing, Heating & Air
3104 O St. Ste 15
Sacramento, Ca 95816
916-452-4154