It’s currently peak heating oil season, so it’s very important to ensure that your system is operating at peak performance. Your system is the most important tool in keeping your home warm during the cold months of the year. But, with the rising prices of heating oil and systems getting older as the days go by, system efficiency is of the utmost importance. With it being this late into heating oil season, I’m sure that you’ve already got your tune-up. But if in the off chance that you haven’t, I’ll be covering why your system’s maintenance is so crucial. You should make sure to do this every year to stay on top of your system!
Important Maintenance Advice
Before you service your system, it’s important to replace your air filters. You should be doing this annually. However, if you have pets (especially cats and dogs that frequently shed) you might find yourself changing these out more often. These filters tend to fill up with pet hair, dust and dander! But, they also ensure that you have fresh air in your home! So by catching all that stuff, they are functioning as normal! But if you’re unsure how to replace these, you can follow our heating oil season prep guide here, where I briefly touch on it.
Heating System Tune Ups
These tune-ups are often when your HVAC technician examines your system. When they are in your home, they’re looking at possible problems with your system. They’ll want to make sure that there is nothing broken or anything that could be a potential problem in the future.
There are several major areas that your HVAC technician will look at when inspecting your system. During this inspection and tune-up, the tech will replace anything that needs replacement. But here are some of the more common replacements:
Oil Supply Line: The very first thing that the technician will check is the supply line. This is to make sure that oil is traveling through it from the tank to your burner. If it’s not then the tech will replace it, because you cannot have heat without it!
Oil Filter and Strainer: These are more important components of the system. Similar to air filters, these components will catch any unwatched debris that you don’t want in your boiler. The filter will see frequent/annual replacement, because it constantly absorbs heating oil like a sponge. During tune-ups is when you’ll end up replacing it whenever it needs it. This is often due to how quickly they can absorb and store oil.
Oil Nozzle: The burner’s nozzle, is part of the conversion process. Before your oil is converted into heat, it must be atomized by the nozzle beforehand. This converts oil into an ignitable state. The nozzles electrodes are connected to the nozzle and these will typically ignite the fuel that’s been atomized into heat. As time goes on and services happen, the nozzles and electrodes will be replaced as needed.
Additionally, the below list are common parts that will need to be replaced or serviced as time goes on and more services are done.
- Belt Checks
- CAD Cell Eye, Electrodes and Fan Controls
- Heat Exchanger – Performing Combustion Tests
- Vacuum Test on Oil Line
- Oil Tank inspection
- Checking the Flue Pipe
- Testing Pump pressure, stack relay and solenoid valve
- Thermostat Check
How Important is Annual Maintenance?
Your Heating Oil Maintenance is VERY important. It’s crucial that you make sure your system is working properly. You must make sure that you get your system tuned up or checked at least once a year. This is often because soot can get built up which will back up your system, and make it less efficient.
Your Yearly Maintenance
Regardless of whether or not you sign up for an annual maintenance plan, it’s crucial that you get your system tuned up and checked out annually. Especially before heating season! But when you do get this done, make sure the person you’re hiring is a qualified and seasoned technician and someone that you can trust! Make sure you do as much research as possible before hand!
Topping of your tank is smart too! This will help you stay on top of your system and ensure you have fuel ready before the tune up! You can use our site FuelSnap to check the local dealers in your area to see who has the best price possible!
Happy Heating,
Hunter
