When to Service My Heating Oil System

How and When to Service My Heating Oil System

Ahh…sunshine! Remember that? During the not-so-lazy days of summer, we are usually too busy squaring away our vacation time to give our heating oil system a single thought. Between barbecuing, swimming, taking road trips, and even summer camp for the kids, heating oil is about the furthest thing from our minds. Setting up heating oil delivery, or worse yet, getting our heating oil systems serviced feels like such a daunting and unnecessary task!

But as summer winds down to fall, the first light chill in the air is our friendly reminder to ensure your heating oil system is running in tip-top shape! We don’t know about you, but in our humble opinion, there are few sounds more satisfying than the smooth, gentle hum of a home heating oil system doing its job. It means that no matter how cold and blustery it gets outside, you will remain cozy and warm thanks to a little technology known as heating oil.

Having said that, let’s not confuse the gentle hum of a well-maintained home heating oil system with the unwelcomed clunks and rattles that may occur when you are overdue for maintenance.

Maintaining Your Heating Oil System

Happily, the home heating oil systems of today run remarkably cleaner and more efficiently than those of the past. Regular cleaning and maintenance, however, is an important part of ensuring that your heating oil system runs safely and efficiently. Why? Your heating oil furnace does a lot of heavy lifting to keep your home warm, and that means it can accumulate soot, dust, and debris throughout the year.

Making sure your heating oil furnace is clean will do the following:

Help extend the life of your heating oil system. A cleaner heating oil system means that the individual parts don’t have to work as hard to warm your home. Less stress on the components means fewer equipment repairs and replacements.
Lower monthly costs. When your heating oil components are clean, they run more efficiently, which means that you can get by using less heating oil, which in turn lowers your heating oil delivery costs.
Help keep your home safe. Although modern heating oil systems are considered very safe, any HVAC system is safest when kept clean and free of debris. Doing so helps minimize the risk of fire or other damage.

How Often Should You Have Your Heating Oil System Inspected?

At Star Home Heating Oil, we recommend that you have your heating oil system professionally inspected and serviced every year. The best time to call for oil heater service is in the early fall, at least a month before you expect to turn on your heat.

While annual maintenance may seem like a lot, you want to make sure that your heating oil system is running smoothly and efficiently for the long winter ahead. Taking care of your heating oil service early allows your technician the time to order any parts or troubleshoot well before you expect to need that precious heating oil! After all, what good is heating oil delivery if your system is on the brink of failure?

A professional heating oil system inspection generally includes:

Testing the thermostat settings to ensure that your heating system is properly performing
Inspecting and ensuring the health of the electrical connections
Ensuring adequate voltage to the system
Cleaning the interior
Lubricating any moving parts
Inspecting the drain for obstructions
Inspecting all of the vital parts for cracks, holes, or signs of leaks and replacing as needed

DIY Tips for Your Heating Oil System

Fortunately, as a homeowner, you can play an important role in optimizing your heating oil system by ensuring that it is kept clean and in working order throughout the year. Depending on your level of comfort with your boiler or furnace, you can either do some simple cleaning or take a deeper dive into your heating oil maintenance. Quickly acquaint yourself with your furnace manufacturer’s manual before opening anything up, and make sure that the boiler is completely shut off and cooled down before proceeding.

While you are cleaning your heating oil system, be mindful of damaged parts. For example, cracks or holes in any of the components or any signs of heating oil leaks. If anything seems confusing or unsafe, stop and contact a local oil heater service provider.

Basic Cleaning Techniques for Your Heating Oil System

Suit up. Start by changing into comfortable, breathable clothing with long sleeves and pants that you don’t mind getting dirty. Apply utility gloves to protect your hands, safety goggles to protect your eyes, and a dust mask to protect your lungs against soot and other carcinogens from the heating oil machine.
Inspect the burner mounting plate and other parts. This is the plate that connects the burner blower to the furnace shell. If you see smudges, it could be a sign of a heating oil leak. Also look for signs of corrosion or rust on the exhaust stack, which could be another sign of a leak. Notify your oil heater service provider if you see any potential problems.
Cleaning inside the heating oil furnace. Next, locate the service door on your furnace and carefully vacuum any loose dirt, soot, or debris inside.
Wipe down with a microfiber cloth. Mist a microfiber cloth very lightly with water to wipe down the inside compartment including the burner motor to make sure it is free of dust, grease, and accumulated oil. The cloth should be barely damp. Be careful not to disturb any electrical wires in your heating oil system as you clean.
Lubricate the burner motor. Locate your home heating oil furnace’s manual. If it includes information on lubricating the motor burner, you may do so, following the instructions completely.
Wipe down the service door. Before closing the service door, wipe down the inside and ensure that the machine is completely dry before turning the machine on again.
Wipe down the exterior with a dry cloth. Once you have completed these steps, wipe down the outside of the heating oil furnace one more time, using a clean, dry cloth.
Change the oil filter. Your furnace’s filter helps catch dust, debris, and other impurities from clogging the heating oil burner nozzle. If you are good with equipment, you may want to try performing this task yourself by consulting the manufacturer’s manual. The oil filter is usually located close to the furnace. We recommend changing the heating oil filter two or more times throughout the winter. Before changing, close the oil valve and remove the old filter. Discard while following the best practices for hazardous waste disposal. If you are unsure, it is best to leave this task to your professional oil heater service provider.
Clean floor vents. Although cumbersome, this is an important step in your furnace’s ongoing maintenance. Take the time to vacuum the floor vents clear of any dirt, dust, hair, or other debris. Doing so helps increase the efficiency of your heating oil furnace as well as improve the air quality in your home!
Cleaning the furnace and surroundings. Dirt and debris have a way of getting into the furnace. Take a look around your heating oil furnace. Are there cobwebs hanging around the outside or lining the surfaces? Using a shop vac, thoroughly vacuum the area all around the heating oil furnace including the floor, walls, and overhead. After you have vacuumed, mop the area around the furnace to ensure a clean furnace environment.

If you have a background in machinery and are good with instructions, you may want to conduct more in-depth maintenance on your heating oil system, such as evaluating the flue pipe and testing the efficiency of the burner. When in doubt, always contact a professional oil heater service provider.

The Star Home Heating Oil Advantage

Star Home Heating Oil has built a heating oil delivery platform that allows homeowners to conveniently shop for the best heating oil price in their area. We’ve aggregated our own network of pre-vetted, reputable heating oil companies into one system. This means that customers like you no longer need to call around, haggle, or wait for price quotes for heating oil delivery. Instead, you’ll get matched with the lowest price we can find from local heating oil companies that we have solid experience working with.

Star Home Heat offers the easiest, most convenient way to find today’s NY fuel oil prices as well as to the surrounding areas. Book your home heating oil delivery today!