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What should I do if my heating system doesn’t work? |
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Before you call or email us to set up a service appointment, go through the troubleshooting guide below to make sure a service call is really needed. This will save you the cost and inconvenience of an unnecessary service visit and it will ensure that our technicians are working where they are needed most. |
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Are all switches ON? (You may have a red emergency switch at the top of your basement stairs and/or a switch on your heating unit, on the side or elsewhere. If you don’t know where your switches are, ask us the next time we’re at your home to service your system.) |
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Is the thermostat set above room temperature? |
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Check your oil tank to make sure it’s not empty. |
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Press the red reset button on your burner, but don’t press it MORE THAN ONCE. |
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If the system is not running at all, check for a blown fuse or a tripped circuit breaker. |
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If you’ve checked all these things and still don’t get heat, call Mass Energy immediately. |
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| Q: |
How does a furnace work? |
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Heat is generated by burning oil or propane inside the furnace. This happens in the combustion chamber, which gets very hot. Air absorbs this heat in the furnace’s heat exchanger. Next, the blower sends the heated air through a system of ducts, and warm air circulates through the home. |
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| Q: |
How is a furnace different from a boiler? |
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The basic heating principle is the same. The difference is that a furnace heats air and a boiler heats water. With a boiler, a circulator pumps the hot water through a system of pipes, distributing the water to radiators, baseboards or air handlers throughout the home. Some boilers are designed to create steam, which circulates by means of a system of pipes. The pipes are connected to steam radiators throughout the home. |
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| Q: |
What is a "cracked" furnace? |
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The main component of your furnace is the heat exchanger. If it has a crack or rust hole (even a hairline crack or a tiny hole), combustion fumes, including carbon monoxide, can contaminate the air in your home. This is a potentially deadly situation and must be addressed IMMEDIATELY. A cracked heat exchanger usually requires replacement of the entire furnace. If you think there might be a crack in your furnace's heat exchanger or suspect a carbon monoxide problem with your furnace, turn the system off immediately and call us for service. |
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| Q: |
On mild winter days my furnace runs in short blasts and my home keeps alternating between being too hot and too cold. How can I fix this? |
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A two-speed or variable-speed system is the perfect solution. |
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Two-speed furnaces can run on their lower speed up to 90% of the time. This means they operate more quietly and run for longer periods of time than single-speed furnaces. Longer operating periods mean fewer on/off cycles and smaller swings in temperature. Plus, when your system's fan runs for longer periods, it prevents air "stratification" — warm air rising to the ceiling and cold air settling on the floor. You get more consistent, even heat throughout your home. |
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Variable-capacity furnaces provide the ultimate combination of comfort, efficiency and performance. In addition to the benefits of two-speed furnaces, they offer "smart" motors that automatically adjust the volume and speed of air to provide the most efficient heating or cooling, no matter how mild or cold the weather. Additionally, smart fan motors use less electricity than traditional motors. They operate so efficiently that they actually increase the efficiency rating of central air conditioning systems. |
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I hear a lot of talk about high-efficiency heating systems. How do you determine a heating system’s efficiency? |
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There are two indicators of efficiency. |
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1. Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE): All heating equipment manufactured after 1980 has been required to have a label indicating its AFUE. The AFUE ratio is a measurement of a heating system’s seasonal efficiency, taking into account how well the system performs over an entire season of starts and stops. Modern heating systems can range in efficiency from 81% to 95%. If your system’s AFUE is lower than this range, talk to us about your replacement options. |
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2. Combustion efficiency: When we tune up your heating system, we do a combustion efficiency test that tells us how well your burner is converting oil into heat. If your combustion efficiency is below 78%, you may want to evaluate your upgrade options, which could include an oil burner retrofit. A new burner will burn the fuel/air mixture in a cleaner, more controlled manner, resulting in lower heating costs and less air pollution going out of your chimney. |
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| Q: |
Is there anything we can do about the smell of heating oil? |
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As long as your heating system is working properly, you should not smell heating oil in your home. If you do, it means something is WRONG! An oil smell could come from a leak, combustion or burner troubles, heat exchanger failure or exhaust system problems. Give us a call and we'll come over to correct the problem. If you have a leak, we'll help you remove the oil and get the smell out of your home. If you ever smell oil coming from your heating vents, call us immediately. A faulty furnace could be releasing dangerous exhaust gases. |
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| Q: |
At what temperature should I set my thermostat? |
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Different people feel comfortable at different temperatures. Pay less attention to the numbers on the thermostat display (or the position of the temperature indicator on a non digital display) and more attention to how comfortable the room feels to you. Check the setting when you feel comfortable. That's the right temperature for you. |
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Should I install a programmable thermostat? |
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Absolutely! Programmable thermostats are especially useful for people who are away from home at regular intervals. They allow for customized comfort settings around the clock, and they can cut heating and cooling costs by as much as 10%! |
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