Our Company Blog

Proper Maintenance of an Oil-Fired Appliance

Nearly half of fall has already passed by with the arrival of November. Winter is just a few weeks away, and the weather is here to prove it. Long gone are hot afternoons full of shorts and sandals. Instead, most people do not leave the house without bundling up in a jacket and scarf, and everyone has the impending winter season on their minds. Homeowners especially should at least begin turning on their heating appliances to ensure they are in working order, and for those who rely on oil-fired appliances, now is the time to schedule annual servicing. Oil-fired heating systems can consist of boilers with hot water distribution or furnaces with forced air distribution. Both setups contain finely tuned mechanisms that require regular maintenance to keep them working safely and efficiently.

An oil-fired appliance functions by spraying a fine mist of fuel oil into a combustion chamber along with a steady flow of air, and igniting the combination with a spark. The resulting flame creates hot air that heats up the heat exchanger walls before flowing out through the exhaust stack. The heat exchanger walls transfer the heat to the distribution medium (either water or air), which is then forced throughout the home. Boilers utilize this mechanism with the distribution medium of water, and the heated water travels throughout the water pipes in the home to radiate heat in the various rooms. A furnace also uses this mechanism, but it heats up air instead of water, which is blown through ducts to the rest of the house.

Whether the system uses water or air does not affect the fact that the oil-fired appliance will still need servicing. A number of problems can arise with the oil system that requires a professional eye to find and repair. One such problem is an inefficient mixture of air and oil entering the combustion chamber, which can cost extra money every winter in surplus fuel burned. Different situations can cause this problem, such as an old or clogged burner nozzle, an improperly calibrated fuel pump, and incorrectly adjusted air volume and draft controls. While these fixes are simple, they should only be made by a professional to ensure they are done correctly.

Another common issue with oil-fired appliances is failure to create a flame. This can be a result of a variety of problems, and fixing it immediately is crucial to avoid explosions or poisoning. The combustion chamber could be leaking, the stack control may not be functioning properly, or the ignition electrodes might be dirty or broken. A professional can spot and repair these issues quickly and effectively.

If your home utilizes an oil-fired appliance for heating, call to schedule its annual servicing before the temperatures drop any farther. For those living in Suffolk County, New York, you can contact Chief Chimney Services, Inc. for a professional consultation.

Reasons to Reline Your Chimney with Stainless Steel

The seasons have officially changed, and fall has arrived in full swing. Vibrant leaves decorate the ground as they fall from the trees, and the chilly wind has everyone dusting off their light jackets. In addition, the colder temperatures have homeowners looking ahead to heating their homes throughout the upcoming bitter New York winter. Many homeowners utilize heating appliances such as stoves and fireplaces, and because these units have chimneys, they require special care and maintenance. While your chimney sweep is out to clean and inspect the chimney, ask him or her to check for a flue liner in the chimney. If your chimney does not have one or if the current liner is damaged, you may want to consider making the investment before winter.

A damaged or missing flue liner comes with a wide variety of problems. If water finds a way inside the chimney, a flue liner prevents it from going on further. Without a liner or with a liner full of cracks, the water can cause damage. A masonry chimney interior absorbs the water, and during the freeze and thaw cycle of winter, the structure becomes damaged. Cracks and holes will form, and eventually, the structure may collapse.

Additionally, the gases from the fire that are meant to flow out of the home through the chimney may actually seep through the unlined chimney back into the house. Dangerous chemicals like carbon monoxide and creosote create numerous health hazards, so keeping them out of the house is crucial.

You may also be losing money on fuel by leaving your chimney unlined or with a damaged liner. Newer heating appliances have a higher efficiency than older appliances, meaning they burn at lower temperatures. Due to the physics of hot air, these highly efficient units need a narrower flue to function properly. If the chimney is too wide, the heat will dissipate too quickly, causing more fuel to be burned and even resulting in some toxic gases settling back into the home. You can save costs on fuel and keep your home safer by having a chimney sweep install a stainless steel flue liner with a size that fits the efficiency of your particular unit.

Another frightening issue associated with unlined chimneys is unintentional house fires. A study done by the National Bureau of Standards showed that when a fire was burned under an unlined chimney, the adjacent woodwork took just 3 ½ hours to catch fire itself. In just one evening with a lit fire, your home could burn to the ground.

If you live in the Suffolk County area of New York and you need your chimney relined with a high quality stainless steel flue liner, contact Chief Chimney Services, Inc. for a professional consultation. The experts at Chief Chimney Services, Inc. can help save you money and keep your home and family safe.