Oil furnaces are traditionally very stable and reliable sources of home heating. When the inevitable occurs and your heating system starts acting up, you can benefit from the following tips on troubleshooting an oil furnace. These techniques may save you the trouble and expense of a professional service call.
- Check the thermostat settings: Make sure the temperature settings at the thermostat have been set to a seasonally appropriate level. Ensure the fan is set to automatic and the system is set to heat. Make sure any automated settings at a programmable thermostat haven’t simply caused the system to shut down or provide less heating.
- Make sure you have fuel in the tank: Check the gauge on the fuel tank to see how much fuel you have. Confirm the readings by using a dipstick to physically check the level of fuel in the tank.
- Check and change the air filter: Air filters in oil furnaces should be checked monthly and changed when dirty. When they get dirty and clogged, they interfere with airflow and can cause furnaces to malfunction or break down. Check the filter and, if it’s dirty, take it out and put in a new one.
- Press the reset button: Press the reset button on the furnace control panel. This may be sufficient to get the system working again. Don't press it more than twice, as it puts oil into the combustion chamber each time it’s pressed, and too much oil in this chamber could be dangerous.
- Check the circuit breaker: See if the circuit breaker controlling the furnace has been tripped at the main breaker box. An occasional trip of the circuit breaker is usually nothing to worry about. If you reset the breaker and it keeps tripping, call for professional repair as soon as possible.
Griffith Energy Services, Inc. has a long history of serving customers in the Mid-Atlantic region, providing heating and cooling services for more than 100 years. Contact us today for more information on troubleshooting an oil furnace or for the professional repair you need if your oil furnace isn’t working like it should.
