Written on: December 23, 2019
Routine heating maintenance is one of the most important ways to protect the investment you’ve made in your home heating system – but what actually happens during annual heating maintenance visit to make it so important?
Mostly, your technician is looking for ways to make your heating oil-fired system perform better or more safely, doing everything from checking exhaust draft composition and temperature to measuring combustion efficiency. But he’s also looking for common problems that occur with most heating equipment over the course of its lifetime.
Here are some of the issues typically uncovered during your heating system maintenance visit, and what the likely cause is for each:
| Issue | Cause |
| Clogged air filters | Soot/dust |
| Dirty nozzles | Soot/dust |
| Excessive wear and tear | Age |
| Electrical ignition | Faulty ignition Thermocouple problems Clogs in the device |
| Frequent cycling | Clogged filters Thermostat settings Poor airflow |
| Faulty Thermostat | Electrical wiring or age |
| Noisy Furnace | Mechanical issues Clogged burner |
| Blower won’t shut off | Broken limit switch |
| Not enough heat from furnace | Clogged filter Wrong size for home setting |
Besides these issues, a technician will often also have to replace certain items during a heating tune-up to keep your system running efficiently and reliably for longer.
Some of the parts that may need to be replaced over the lifespan of your heating equipment include:
As you can see, your heating system is pretty complex – which is why you should always call a licensed and fully insured heating professional when you want to fix – or prevent – problems with your oil-fired furnace, boiler, or burner.
For expert service and installation of oil-fired heating equipment in Connecticut and northern Westchester County, count on the pros at Westmore Fuel. Contact us to learn about our heating service plan or to schedule a heating oil delivery today!