Oil Furnace Systems

Oil Furnace Repair and Service in Kitsap County

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An oil furnace heats your home by spraying heating oil as a fine mist into a burner, lighting it, and using a blower to push the warm air through your ducts.

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Oil heat is still in plenty of Kitsap homes, especially older houses where the oil tank sits in the basement, garage, or yard. If you have one, you already know it’s different from gas or electric: your fuel is delivered, stored on your property, and burned in a unit that needs regular attention to stay clean.

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The oldest working oil furnace we’ve ever come across was on Bainbridge Island. It was an “octopus” style furnace, also called a gravity furnace, with no blower motor. It relied on the natural way warm air rises: large ducts reached out from the furnace like an octopus’s arms, and the heated air rose through them into the home.

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Not sure what’s wrong? 

Check these first

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A few quick checks can save you a service call, or give us a head start when you do call:

• Your oil level. Look at the tank gauge. Running low or empty is a common reason for no heat.

• The thermostat. Make sure it’s set to heat and calling for warmth.

• The power switch. Oil furnaces usually have a switch that looks like a light switch near the unit, and it can get flipped by accident.

• The filter. A badly clogged filter can cut airflow and shut the furnace down.

• The red reset button. If the furnace has locked out, you may see a red reset button on the burner. Press it once, no more. Pressing it repeatedly can flood the combustion chamber with oil. If it shuts off again, call us.

If it still won’t run, write down what you see and call us.

Oil Furnace Maintenance

An oil furnace burns a heavier, dirtier fuel than gas, so it builds up soot and wears nozzles and filters faster. A yearly service in early fall keeps it burning clean and cuts down on midwinter breakdowns.

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A service visit includes:

• Replacing the nozzle and oil filter - if we are servicing your system for the first time, please have that nozzle number handy when scheduling.

• Cleaning the burner and the combustion chamber

• Checking the ignition electrodes and the flame sensor

• Testing the fuel pump pressure

• Checking the flue and draft

• A limited visual inspection of the heat exchanger

• Testing the blower, controls, and safety devices

• Replacing or checking the air filter and confirming the thermostat works

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We measure and record what we find, then recommend work only when it’s needed.

Between visits, keep an eye on your oil level, keep the area around the furnace and tank clear, and make sure your carbon monoxide detectors work.