Residential Heating Oil Furnace

Information You Should Know

Essential elements in running an efficient home heating program using
residential oil heating furnaces and boilers.

 
Picking a Qualified Service Technician: The technician should be able to provide proof of his Oil Heating License; law requires it. This and other factors in determining his/her qualifications are discussed in my Special Report titled heating oil secrets and tips .

Chimney Liner and Flue Size: The flue size in an existing chimney may be too large for the required venting in newer high-efficiency furnaces and boilers. These smaller flues should be backfilled with high-temperature insulation to keep the exhaust gases as hot as possible until they reach the chimney. The opportunity to gain some heat in the home as the gases leave through the flue is lost, but it is minimal. The exhaust gases from newer systems are cooler than those in older type systems. These cooler gases lend themselves to the problem of mixing with water vapor in the air to form an acid that decays a chimney from inside out. To protect the chimney from this possibility, a chimney liner should be installed as well. Other considerations for venting are also discussed in my Special Report titled heating oil secrets and tips .

Check Air Vents on Steam Radiators: These small vents on the side of each radiator allow air to escape when the radiator is filling with steam. The valve will hiss as the steam enters the radiator. If the radiator heats up and no steam escapes, then the valve is working properly. If steam escapes from the valve, it should be replaced. Other measures the homeowner can perform are discussed in the Special Report as well titled heating oil secrets and tips .

Derating Your Heating System: While derating boiler systems is not recommended, derating forced air or hydronic systems can offer you substantial savings. But there are special considerations to keep in mind when reducing fuel nozzle size to reduce fuel usage. These options are discussed in the Special Report titled heating oil secrets and tips .

AFUE Ratings: While the AFUE ratings of an oil heating appliance may be lower than the “combustion efficiency” ratings of the appliance in the field, it is the rating that the homeowner should be most concerned about. Both of these ratings and their significance are fully explained in the Special Report titled heating oil secrets and tips

 

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Heating Oil Inventories

Oil refiners are limited in the amount of heating oil they can make to meet the demands of the winter heating season. Some winter heating oil is produced by refineries in the summer and fall months and stored for winter use. On the other hand, if consumer demand is high for a seasonal product, such as gasoline, refiners may delay producing heating oil for the winter, which may lower inventories at the start of the heating season. More about refineries can be learned in the Special Report.

Home Heating Oil terminology that can save you money

Additives to Fuel

This is a combination of petroleum distillates that keeps the fuel fresher longer. The current heating oil is a lower quality fuel then the fuel from years past and the lower quality creates havoc on your heating system. (the new fuel goes through a cracking process that destabilizes it)

It will also reduce the amount of sludge that builds up in your tank, conditions the fuel to burn better (more efficiently) reduces the chances for the oil to freeze and gel at low temperatures and reduces the corrosion in your oil tank.

PRO : The right combination of petroleum distillates works wonders on the quality of the fuel and the wear and tear on your equipment. Service issues, tank problems, fuel efficiency, gelling and fouling issues are all reduced and almost a thing of the past.

CON: Some people call it snake oil and in many cases they are right. Unless you are using a top grade, certified and tested product (really tested) it's easy to pay a lot of money for essentially nothing but marketing magic. You need to know which ones work and which ones don't. OR you end up wasting your money and putting your entire heating system at risk.

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