How To Be Proficient At Oil Burner Repairs


Running into any sort of problems while using your oil burner or furnace is quite likely but becoming knowledgeable about how to troubleshoot the problem is not impossible and can save you a few pennies from having a serviceman do it for you so here are a few oil burner repairs tips you could use to do just that.

Despite what many people think or know oil furnaces or burners are actually very dependable and durable but that isn’t to say that they will remain faultless forever. Sometimes you’ll need to make a few adjustments on those cold winter nights so knowing how to do a few oil burner repairs can come in very handy.

Most brands and manufacturers will basically claim that their units generally have a lifespan of 10 years but you’ll be surprised to find that a well maintained oil burner will tend to last as long as 15 years. At worst you’ll need to hire a technician to service your unit but knowing a few a few troubleshooting techniques will do no harm.

So here are a few of the most common problems you’ll encounter plus a few ways that you can perform some oil burner repairs.

1. The Oil Burner won’t start – The most common cause would be that it has no power so have a look for blown fuses or busted circuit breakers at the main panel and restore the circuit. Sometimes the motor overloads so what you can do here is to wait for say 30 minutes and press the reset button, alternatively you could have a fuel line blockage of sorts so the best oil burner repair method here is to clean the oil filter and pump strainer which should sort the problem out.

2. The Oil Burner won’t fire up - A very common oil burner repair so the first thing to do is check if the tank is empty of fuel and refill it if necessary. If you find that there’s no ignition spark then simply push the reset button on the stack control but if this doesn’t fix it you need to contact a professional.

3. Doesn’t produce enough heat – Check the thermostat and raise or set it to 5°. Check the air filter and replace or clean it if you find it to be dirty. Sometimes the blower is clogged so a simple clean up of the blower assembly should do the trick. Remember to keep an eye on the blower belt and replace or adjust if necessary.

4. Oil Burner starts to rattle and make noise – Simple troubleshooting includes checking and fastening all access panels for starters. Next have a look for squeaking belts and treat with fan belt dressing. A last approach would be to lubricate any motor or blower ports even if they seem fine, this always helps.

The above are simple oil burner repairs that could help you from day to day if any problems arise but always remember to be safe so if there’s anything that you’re not sure of always consult a professional.