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Oil Furnace Maintenance Tips to Improve Performance

Regular furnace maintenance is the best way to ensure your home stays warm throughout the winter. Use the oil furnace maintenance tips below to keep your HVAC system running smoothly, and remember to call your local American Standard Customer Care dealer for regular professional maintenance.

Oil furnace maintenance tips
Schedule annual furnace maintenance visits from your local American Standard Customer Care dealer

While it’s always best to have professionals inspect and perform maintenance on any part of your home’s HVAC system, there are a few things you can do yourself if you’re experiencing trouble with your system. Use this oil furnace maintenance checklist to help you troubleshoot your problem:

Turn off the system. To avoid injury, always turn off the fuel source and the electrical supply before you begin to inspect your system.
Remove carbon soot and other debris. Remove debris from your furnace's combustion chamber. It’s important to keep the combustion chamber clean as it plays a key role in your furnaces’ day-to-day performance. Evaluate the flue pipe. Your system’s flue system ensures your furnace’s combustion products exit your home properly. Pay attention to the flue pipe to identify cracks, holes, or leaks.
Replace the oil filter. The oil filter stops small impurities from clogging the oil-burner nozzle which can cause your furnace to misfire and shut down, so it's important to replace the oil filter twice per heating season as it only takes minutes.
Replace the air filter. An air filter that’s caked with dust and other particles can put a significant strain on your system. Clean or replace your air filter per the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid costly energy bills.
Clean the floor vents. This can be a tedious task but it’s important to ensure your floor vents remain free of dirt, dust, pet hair, and other debris for consistent furnace performance.
Clean around the furnace. It’s always a good idea to keep the area around your furnace clean and free of debris since the furnace air intake needs to be kept clear to ensure efficient operation. While the air filter captures most of the dirt and dust, you can also remove the screws on the panel covering the filter and wipe it down with a damp cloth.
Seasonal Inspection. Before the cold weather hits, it’s also a good idea to have your system inspected by an American Standard Customer Care dealer. This will help make sure that if any problems are present, you can take care of them immediately to avoid costly repairs or an interruption of service later on. The professional technician can also perform a combustion analysis, if needed.