Many people think of oil heat as a service intense form of heat. A little old school maintenance and some planning makes for a trouble free heating season.
The annual cleaning/tune up has been the standard for most people who want to start off the year on the right foot. The annual cleaning involves a new oil filter and nozzle and making sure the strainer is clean. This insures that a steady supply of clean oil is available for efficient burning. The vacuuming of the boiler removes any residual deposits of soot, carbon or combustion byproducts from the inside of the boiler.
Removal of any buildup by vacuuming the inside of the boiler is an integral part of saving your heating dollars. Any build up will impede the heat transfer from the combustion gases to the heating medium (either water, or forced air). In other words the energy contained in your fuel will be wasted by escaping up your chimney rather than warming your home. At today's price for energy or all types everyone should be interested in getting the most out of your energy budget.
Should you have steam heat you have some concerns that are important to the longevity of your boiler. A costly replacement can be avoided as long as you regularly drain the boiler to remove any sediment from inside the boiler. Rust, scale and mineral deposits will build up inside and cut the efficiency of the boiler and eventually fill up the low water cutoff and allow the boiler to overheat and crack. Make sure you know how to drain the boiler and how often. Usually the boiler should be drained weekly.
While at your home the service technician can address any other issues or questions you may have for them. Make a list of questions too ask and make sure that you are knowledgeable about the operation of the system.
