Guide To Troubleshooting Problems With Your Oil-Burning Furnace

If you have an oil-burning furnace, you may discover that it is not heating your home like it should. If so, use the following guide for troubleshooting potential problems to see if they can be easily fixed by you.

The Furnace Is Not Working At All

Examine the furnace to see if it is working at all. If not, the power supply may have been interrupted. First, check the circuit breaker to make sure a power surge has not caused it switch off. If this is the case, turn the breaker back on. However, if the breaker continues to blow, you may have an electrical issue with your furnace that needs to be inspected by a professional.

If the circuit breaker is not off, check the wall-mount switch next to the heater. It may have accidentally been turned off. If so, turn it back on.

The Furnace Has Power, But The Burner Is Not On

After making sure the furnace is getting enough electricity, you may discover that the burner is not running. If so, find the red reset button that is typically located on the front or side of the heating unit.

Once you have located the reset button, press it to re-ignite the burner. If the burner does not start up immediately, do not push the button again. There could be a problem with the oil pipes or wiring that will need to be examined by a heating service technician.

The System Is Emitting Odors

After you have ensured that your system is running, you start to notice strange odors coming from it. An oil-burning furnace system should not have any odors emanating from it. If you do smell something odd, you may have one of two problems. Either there is an oil leak in one of the pipes or the furnace is not able to properly combust.

When your furnace is emitting odors, turn off the system immediately to avoid a possible fire or explosion hazard. Then, call a heating repair service and explain that you have a possible oil leak in your home. They may be able to send a technician to inspect it as soon as possible.

After going through the guide, you may find that the problem does not have a simple solution. If so, you may want to contact a heating repair professional to inspect the furnace and offer possible options for getting warmth back into your home.

Share