How to Troubleshoot an Oil Furnace

You tried to turn on your oil furnace and it won’t heat or is making strange noises. What should you do? While Assurance Heating & Air Conditioning’s expert furnace maintenance technicians are always standing by to help, there are a few things you can try on your own before paying for a service call.

First Steps to Take

If your furnace isn’t working properly, start with the basics:

• Check the thermostat to make sure it’s set to heating mode and that it wasn’t turned down either by the polar bear in the family or an accidental touch.
• If it still isn’t running at all, use the dipstick to check the fuel level — the gauge may be stuck.
• If it has fuel but isn’t running, check your circuit breaker. Both the fan and the starter often use electricity.
• If the furnace is warm but no air is coming out, you may have a dirty air filter or blocked air vent.

If those steps solved your problem, be sure to follow ENERGY STAR’s furnace maintenance checklist to prevent a repeat.

Advanced Oil Furnace Troubleshooting

If the above steps didn’t solve your problem, you can try the following:

• Find and push the reset button on the control panel. Don’t push it more than twice as you risk flooding the furnace with fuel and causing an explosion similar to when you have trouble lighting a gas grill.
• If the furnace is running but making strange knocking sounds, you may need to bleed air from the system.

If you still haven’t managed to get your oil furnace working properly or don’t feel comfortable taking any of the above steps on your own, visit our heating page to learn more about your repair options or call (847) 388-0316.