You rely on your oil-fired heating system to keep you warm in the harshest of winters. When it comes time for repair and maintenance, MGM Mechanical team of repair specialists can help you to diagnose the issues and get the appropriate fix. We’re proud to serve our neighbors in Harrisburg, Selinsgrove, Mifflinburg, and Lewistown, PA.
Benefits of Regular Maintenance and Repair of Your Boiler
With regular maintenance and quality repairs, you can extend the standard life of your oil heating system from 10-15 years to nearly 30 years.
With MGM Mechanical’s preventative maintenance program, you can schedule one of our expert HVAC professionals to:
- Clean heat exchangers
- Clean exhaust vents
- Replace filters and nozzles
- Check gas or oil pressures
- Inspect electrodes, ignitors
- Set up with analyzer for maximum efficiency and safe CO levels
- Inspect relief valves and expansion tanks
Basic Maintenance Tips for Oil Boilers
Some simple maintenance checks that you can do yourself to keep your oil heating system up and running include:
- Clean or replace your filters (if applicable)
- Inspect the area around your furnace
- Clean your floor vents (if your home utilizes a warm air system)
- Check your flue pipe
If you have concerns about anything you find or aren’t sure that you can properly address any issues, call one of our repair specialists at MGM Mechanical.
Common Problems with Oil Heaters
Corrosion and Mineral Build-up
The fuel line that connects your oil tank to the furnace can easily become blocked. The best way to prevent blockages is to make sure that you don’t run out of oil. If you notice a buzzing or clicking sound with the furnace is on, check to see if the fuel line is bent or has sludge, mud, or rust on it.
Rust can cause oil to seep out and minerals to build up, which provides less fuel to your burner, clogs your fuel line, and reduces heat circulation in your home. Call one of MGM Mechanical’s experienced technicians to assess the issue and make any necessary repairs.
Faulty controls
Control issues prevent your oil furnace from receiving signals that allow it to function properly. An MGM Mechanical HVAC professional should handle any electrical issue related to your heating system.
Smoking burners and strange noises
If you notice smoke or strange noises including hissing or gurgling sounds coming from your oil furnace, turn it off and call one of our HVAC professionals immediately. Smoking could indicate a clogged nozzle or misplaced burner. Unusual noises may indicate that your boiler needs repair sooner rather than later and could lead to larger issues if not addressed immediately.
Things to check if your boiler isn't working
Check that the burner has fuel and power
- Make sure you haven’t run out of oil and that the power switch for the burner is on.
- If you have oil and the switch is on, check your circuit breaker to make sure the breaker wasn’t tripped.
Look at the thermostat
- If your thermostat is set too low, your boiler may not start.
- Turn up the temperature setting and your system should start up again.
Clogged ductwork
- Check your system’s ducts for any clogs.
- Clear out any clogs and replace the filter.
If your home’s oil-boiler heating system still isn’t working, don’t wait; call MGM Mechanical. We’ll have one of our friendly heating specialists diagnose the problem and get your heater back up and running the first time.
How your oil heating system works
Your oil heating system can distribute heat in one of three ways – pushing warm air through vents, running hot water through baseboards, or sending steam through radiators.
When your thermostat senses that the temperature of your home has fallen below the thermostat setting, it sends a signal to your heating system to heat your home. When engaged, oil travels from a storage tank to the oil burner where it becomes a fine mist that mixes with air and is ignited in the combustion chamber of your burner. Your home’s heating system then works to distribute that heat throughout your home depending on the type of system you have.
Water-based systems (hot water or steam) heat the water in a cast iron or steel boiler and then send it through your home. A hot water system circulates hot water through radiators or baseboards, while a steam system turns water into steam that passes through pipes to the radiators.
In a warm air system, a blower sends the heated air from your furnace through ducts and out of vents in your floors or walls. Cooled air passes through a return duct and goes back to the furnace and repeats the cycle.
If you notice that your home’s oil heating system is not operating at its best, contact MGM Mechanical to get your oil furnace back to running at peak performance.
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