Oil-Fired Boiler Explained
In simple terms, an oil-fired boiler is an alternative way to heat a house or building similar to a natural gas boiler or electric heater, but that uses oil to heat water or produce steam. The oil mixes with oxygen and an ignition device to create a controlled combustion. The heat or steam created is then pumped through a heat exchanger and dispersed throughout the building in need.
These oil burners cost less than gas furnaces, can achieve a combustion efficiency of 80% or higher, and with proper maintenance can last a long time. But they require oil to be delivered to you and stored in a tank. Overall costs are also subject to the fluctuations in the oil market.
The Versatility Of The Oil Fired Boiler
When you’re looking into installing a boiler, furnace or heater the key elements that you’re looking for are ease, convenience, and efficiency. Oil fired boilers burn for both heat and hot water. Having one boiler to do both functions means there’s less to maintain and therefore fewer things to repair.
An oil fired boiler is easily adaptable to a variety of supplemental installations. One such installation is an indirect water heater, which is an insulated water tank heated by the water from the oil fired boiler.
Oil fired boilers require limited pumping energy, and are popular in areas where natural gas is scarce. It is also easy to limit the firing for your boiler, especially in warmer months. It is also simple to limit the heating capacity of your boiler – and to make it operate more efficiently – for instance through the installation of a smaller nozzle.
The boilers are also adaptable to the changing times. As our society becomes more environmentally conscious, oil providers have learned to blend oil with bioheat. The blend is perfectly functional in an oil fired boiler, but produces less pollution than pure heating oil.
Oil-Fired Boiler Maintenance
As is the case with all major household appliances, proper on-going maintenance of oil fired boilers is important to remove soot and dirt buildup. The nirvana of an oil fired boiler is complete combustion. To achieve complete combustion, excess air should mix with the oil – but only to a certain degree. Too small an amount of air or too much will reduce efficiency. This is where professional maintenance comes in handy.
Let the heating professionals at Princeton Fuel Oil answer any questions you may have about providing heat and helping you feel comfortable. Contact us at 800.253.9001 today!