One of the advantages of oil heat is that you have options as to how you use it. Heating oil can be used in furnaces or oil systems. But how does heating oil work exactly?
For both furnaces and boilers, you keep extra oil in outdoor storage tanks. However, there are several key differences to note in each of these types of oil heating systems:
For both furnaces and boilers, the explanation for how oil heat works begins with a combustion chamber, where the oil ignites. Then a heat exchanger warms the gases or water flowing through the component.
In a furnace, a fan, or blower motor, pulls in household air from cold air return ducts and sends it through the heat exchanger. Heated air then goes through warm air ducts and circulates throughout the house. Cooled air cycles back to the furnace.
Boilers use pumps to propel heated water through pipes to radiators. Cooled water returns to the boiler for reuse.
Homeowners can take protective measures to keep their oil heaters in good shape, like noting the color of the chimney smoke. For instance, black smoke indicates wasted fuel and reduced system efficiency.
Homeowners can take proactive steps as well when they are heating with oil. Cleaning the thermostat before heating season starts helps to regulate temperatures. Both the blower and the stack control component, which monitor the burner, benefit from cleaning halfway through the season. Regular upkeep removes particles and deposits that impede function.
Though both types of oil heaters should be examined and refreshed annually, sometimes a professional must step in. Even with regular yearly checkups, a homeowner could need a technician to handle a specific problem, such as cleaning a burner, unblocking the fuel line or fixing a faulty ignition spark.