Heating oil is by and large one of the safest fuels you can use to heat your home – however, safety is always important, especially when dealing with the safety of your family and your home. Today, we want to go through any potential risks associated with your home oil burner and provide you the peace of mind to enjoy the holidays at home with your family.
Carbon Monoxide – Silent, but Deadly
While you are certainly not in danger of oil fumes or oil fire from your heating oil (this oil is non-toxic and non-flammable), the process that heating oil endures through the burner can produce carbon monoxide gas. Carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless, and can be deadly with enough exposure.
Keeping a carbon monoxide detector in your home is a great way to keep tabs on your home. Install it close enough to your oil burner that it will detect any leaks and go off long before it can permeate the rest of the house.
If you experience sudden dizziness or nausea that increases as you approach the burner and decreases as you move away, open all the windows in your home and exit the house, being sure to call a heating contractor for an emergency inspection.
Inspect Your Burner Often
In order to ensure that your burner is running properly and won’t cause any problems down the road, it’s important to have your oil burner inspected at least a couple of times a year by a licensed heating professional. Not only will an inspection keep your burner running safely, but it will also ensure that the system is running as efficiently as possible to keep your energy bills low.
Steer Clear of the Burner
When it’s not being inspected, it’s important to keep everything clear of your oil burner. Remembering to keep anything even remotely flammable at least 3 feet away from your oil burner, as extreme heat may ignite such things and cause a fire. It’s also important to teach young children to stay away from the oil burner, as it is capable of reaching extremely high temperatures and could result in accidental burns.
Use Quality Heating Oil
Using low-quality oil can reduce your burner’s efficiency, but it can also lead to buildups in the oil tank and subsequently require premature oil tank replacement. If you live in the Upper Perkiomen Valley, Young’s Home Comfort is your one-stop shop for quality heating oil and oil tank/burner maintenance. To get started, give us a call at 215-234-4351 or send us an email. We look forward to keeping you warm all winter long!