Many US homes prefer oil furnaces as their primary source of heat during the winter. It provides natural warmth that is distributed evenly throughout all the rooms of your home. If you want the furnace to function like it should for a long time, you must schedule oil furnace maintenance at least once every year.
Why You Should Schedule An Oil Furnace Tune-Up Every Year
In this article, we have listed some of the reasons you must schedule yearly furnace maintenance.
- Why You Should Schedule An Oil Furnace Tune-Up Every Year
- Oil Furnace Maintenance Schedule
- Cleaning Dirty Filters
- Ensure High Oil Quality
- Make Sure The Oil Is Not Contaminated
- Prevent Moisture Accumulation
- Ensure Proper Airflow
- Prevent Leaks
- Avoid The Need For Costly HVAC Repairs
- Increase Efficiency Level
- Avoid Long Queues
- Ensure Your Home’s Safety
- Keep Furnace Breakdowns From Happening
- Uphold The Manufacturer Warranty
- Connect With An Oil Supplier In Your Area
Oil Furnace Maintenance Schedule
Adhering to a heating system maintenance schedule means that the process becomes automatic, especially since it is always done on the same month every year. When you fail to do this yearly, it is easy to backslide and forget the time your furnace was last checked by a professional. A furnace that isn’t used often might not even receive any professional attention unless a problem with its functionality pops up. On the other hand, a furnace that receives annual maintenance means that the HVAC technician can determine existing issues and correct them immediately.
Cleaning Dirty Filters
Furnace filters ensure that dust, dirt, and other particulates are not circulated in your house. As time passes, these contaminants will clog the filters. Therefore, filters should be checked frequently. It is one of the easiest components to check that even a homeowner with little DIY experience can do it. Check if the filter needs to be cleaned or replace every few months to ensure proper airflow. Annual maintenance can also help you determine when you need new furnace filters.
Ensure High Oil Quality
Yearly furnace checkups will ensure that your oil supply is of high quality. This way, your heating system combusts fuel properly and works at maximum capacity. A system that burns oil cleanly will not produce toxic fumes. A professional technician will thoroughly inspect the oil supply to make sure that it has the right color and consistency. They can also tell you if your oil supply is low and whether you need to order refills more frequently.
Make Sure The Oil Is Not Contaminated
Furnace inspection includes checking if you have issues with your current oil supply. There might be some residue that is affecting your oil’s quality and damaging your system. Contaminated oil can lead to issues, such as corrosion and high humidity levels in the tank. If you recently moved houses, you might have mixed new oil with leftover contaminated ones. A pro should be able to help you determine if there is any contamination via an oil test. This will help you decide whether you need to replace the oil in your tank.
Prevent Moisture Accumulation
Unfortunately, a cold environment allows any lingering moisture to enter your heating system. This can lead to furnace damages. High humidity promotes the spread of rust, and this leads to corrosion. If your tank is running low on oil, it becomes more vulnerable as this becomes a space for the moisture inside your tank to accumulate. The interior walls and metal linings will corrode as a result. A furnace technician will help you with any moisture build-ups in your tank. They can also suggest any changes you need to make to ensure that the moisture level in and around your furnace remains low.
Ensure Proper Airflow
If you want to keep your home warm during the cold months, your furnace must be able to distribute heated air evenly and consistently. Dirt, gunk, and other blockages can restrict airflow. Without proper airflow, your system will strain to function properly. This can eventually lead to system damage. Not to mention it will affect your furnace efficiency and can ramp up your monthly utility bills significantly. A furnace that is inspected annually will ensure that there is proper airflow. The professional technician will check all passageways in your furnace to make sure that there are no blockages and that air flows properly.
Prevent Leaks
An oil furnace that does not receive annual maintenance can develop leaks that can cause severe damage. Yearly maintenance will ensure that the corrosion does not spread to other parts of your furnace. Otherwise, you might have to deal with damaged connectors, among other unseen issues. A professional technician can find all leaks and other damages. This way, the problem is resolved immediately. This way, your furnace does not need to have costly replacements of parts or even suffer from premature system failure.
Avoid The Need For Costly HVAC Repairs
Maintenance is a preventative measure to keep small problems from escalating. All existing issues are detected early, so they are resolved early as well. During this stage, the repairs needed are fast and cheap. If you leave the problems unchecked, they can eventually spiral out of control, and your furnace will break down. Prevent these headaches from happening with annual furnace inspection.
Increase Efficiency Level
A furnace that operates like it should runs smoothly and provides even heat throughout all the rooms in your house. A furnace that remains unchecked slowly deteriorates. It will work harder and harder to reach the set temperatures. Your furnace becomes less efficient, and you will need to ramp up the temperatures to keep your home warm and comfortable. Your cost-effectiveness decreases, and your home heating bills will increase. Annual maintenance can help save you money by ensuring that your system remains highly efficient for a long time.
Avoid Long Queues
The best time to schedule your annual furnace maintenance is from late summer to early spring. This is because the weather is still mild, and there is a shorter wait time. This is because professionals have a more flexible schedule at this time. Most homeowners tend to not think about their furnaces while it is still hot out. Waiting until the temperature drops might put you on a long waitlist as more homeowners schedule service appointments at this time.
Ensure Your Home’s Safety
A furnace in tiptop shape means it facilitates proper fuel combustion. Otherwise, the gases will build up in the tank and produce toxins in or around the tank, depending on the kind of tank you have. Make sure that your furnace operates as it should by having a professional conduct an annual tune-up.
Keep Furnace Breakdowns From Happening
Your furnace goes through a long hibernation period as they are not in use during the warm months. You must have your system inspected by a professional so that you can count on it to work when you turn it on again when winter arrives. Otherwise, your system might not work when you need it the most.
Uphold The Manufacturer Warranty
A furnace that is periodically tuned-up helps keep your furnace warranty intact. After all, many manufacturers require that the heating unit receive professional maintenance at least once a year. Homeowners that neglect to do this might void their furnace warranties. Make sure to keep all maintenance records so that you can provide proof when the manufacturer asks for them. Maintenance can even help you detect any problems that might warrant a replacement to a better heating unit.
Connect With An Oil Supplier In Your Area
The Better Home Heat Council (BHHC) is a local association that aims to help homeowners with everything that has to do with fuel oil heat. We provide you with knowledge, especially on things regarding the economic and efficient use of heating oil. Also, we assist people in identifying and solving issues about energy-efficiency in their homes or office. We accomplish this by pushing them towards an effective and affordable path to ensure that their living areas become more efficient and cost-effective.
The BHHC also supports heating oil delivery service companies that offer services, products, and solutions to homeowners in the Lehigh Valley. If you are searching for a superior home heating oil delivery service near you, click here. Rest assured that most of the fuel oil delivery service companies in our system also provide free energy consultations.
For questions and concerns concerning your HVAC system or oil delivery, click here to contact the Better Home Heat Council today.