Written on: October 28, 2024

Common Furnace Problems

Troubleshooting Tips to Try Before Requesting Service

furnace Stamford, CT There are various reasons why your heating oil furnace stops working one day. For simple problems, you may be able to find the solution yourself and save yourself a service call. In other more complex cases, you will need to reach out for help from the Westmore service team. The last thing you want to do is start guessing and try to make a repair on your own. You may end up causing an even bigger, more expensive problem with your furnace.

Before we begin with diagnosing simple problems that often arise, here’s a primer on how heating oil furnaces work. Getting to know your furnace better makes you more informed if a heating problem does happen this winter.

How Your Oil Furnace Works

Because it generates heated air, a furnace is also known as a forced-air or warm-air system. Here is how it produces heat.

Has the Power to Your Furnace Been Interrupted?

If your heat stops working and you’ve confirmed that there isn’t a power outage in your community, your next step should be to check for a tripped circuit breaker or a blown fuse. You also should check to see if the power switches to your furnace have been accidentally turned off.

If you find that power switches for your heating system have been turned off by mistake, simply turn the electrical switches back to the “on” position and your problem may be solved.

If your power switches are not the problem, next check your circuit breaker box to see if all circuit switches are still in the “on” position. Flipping the proper switch to on again may be all you need to get your system running again.

However, please keep this in mind: a circuit breaker rarely ever trips for no reason. If this happens once and never happens again, it may be just a fluke. But if this happens more than once, contact us for an inspection, as this could mean a serious problem.

Check Your Thermostat

Many instances of furnaces not working can be caused by the thermostat, whose signal to your heating oil furnace to turn on may be interrupted if the wiring of the thermostat has begun to deteriorate. A build-up of dust inside your thermostat is another common reason why your thermostat is not operating correctly. Another thing to look for are weak batteries in the thermostat.

Make sure your thermostat is set to at least five degrees higher than your current room temperature so the furnace “knows” you need more heat.

No Heating Oil in the Tank

If you call to order your fuel, make sure to check your heating oil tank regularly—especially in the middle of a cold snap. You should not let your oil tank fall below the ¼ mark. To prevent runouts, ask us about switching to our automatic delivery service, which is designed to prevent runouts and does not cost anything extra.

Replacing Your Furnace

Like any piece of equipment, your heating oil furnace will eventually have to be replaced one day. A new furnace can be a better choice than paying for another furnace repair because you will be able to reduce your annual heating expenses substantially.

The most modern oil furnaces have adjustable speeds and are very energy efficient. They feature high-pressure flame-retention burners, durable heat exchangers and microprocessor-based controls. This could save you a lot of money on heating costs in the years ahead.

If you think your furnace is wearing out, research your replacement options soon and then reach out to our equipment experts for advice.

Equipment Financing for Your New Heating System

Westmore partners with the National Energy Improvement Fund (NEIF) to provide financing so our customers can take full advantage of the equipment upgrades we offer.
NEIF provides loan lengths of three, five or 10 years on its EnergyPlus financing for qualifying purchases with NEIF-approved contractors like Westmore Fuel. NEIF does not run credit reports, so your credit will not be affected in any way. Read more about financing through NEIF.

Heating Oil Service in Stamford, CT and Beyond

From Greenwich, Darien, Stamford and Port Chester to Mount Kisco, New Rochelle, White Plains and surrounding communities, Westmore Fuel has been taking care of our heating oil customers in New York and Connecticut since 1938.

Contact us today to become a Westmore Fuel customer and get all that you want and need for your home comfort.