Oil Fired Boiler Tune Up Guide 2011

Before the winter season starts you should always make sure that your oil fired boiler is running in top shape. This means you should have the oil filter changed, the boiler vacuumed and also make sure you have all of your C02 levels tested to make sure that the boiler is firing correctly. Its always best when you hire a licensed professional to to this type of boiler work for you. In this article, we will explain what the boiler repair man will be doing to your boiler when he comes to your home to do the tune up.

Have The Oil Filter Replaced

The oil filter is a very important part of your oil fired boiler. If the oil filter is bad, it can either let unfiltered fuel into the oil pump or it can clog up. If your boilers oil filter clogs up then the line that feeds the boiler oil will also clog up and your boiler will shit down, This means you will have no heat. The oil burner repair man will change the oil filters for you when he gets there. There are two filters on your oil burner, There is one “in line” which cleans the oil as it comes out of the tank. The second oil filter is located in the fuel pump. This is more of a secondary filter that refines the oil even better then the in line oil filter.

Have The Boiler Vacuumed

When an oil burner burns fuel it creates something called “soot”, and after some time that soot builds up inside of the oil burners chambers. Twice a year you should have your oil burner vacuumed and cleaned by an oil burner professional. Failure to have your boiler vacuumed can result in something called a “puff back”.

When boilers are vacuumed the oil burner technician will bring a special vacuum with a special soot filter. You cannot use a regular vacuum to vacuum out your oil burner so do not even try it.

Have Your Pipes Bleed Free of Air

If you have ever heard a rolling sound inside of your pipes then chances are you have some water mixed with air inside of you heat loops. Your heat loops are the pipes that carry the forced hot water through all of the baseboard radiators. After a long summer or off season, some of the water can evaporate out of the boiler causing your boiler to have low water and then you will hear that rolling water effect. When the oil burner tech shows up at your house to do the oil burner tune up he will bleed your pipes free of air and also fill the boiler to the correct water pressure.

Your Oil Burner Nozzle Needs To Be Changed

Inside of your oil burner is something called an oil burner nozzle. This is the part of the oil burner that sprays the fuel into the firing chamber. After a while this oil burner nozzle will clog up and need to be changed. When the oil burner repair man / women comes into your home, he will remove your old oil burner nozzle and replace it with a new one. Oil burner nozzles come in many different sizes and flow rates. So do not try to change this part yourself.

Always Hire A Licensed Professional

When it comes time to deal with any type of repairs on your home heating system you should always call a professional. There are just way to many things to know about the adjustments of your oil burner to try to do it yourself. Professional oil burner repair techs will have all the right training and tools to get the job done and keep your family warm all winter.