Tell a Texan New Englander about oil furnaces

[D. Tillery]

HELP!

We finally got our house and my business moved from San Antonio to Providence just in time for winter and a heck of a flood. It is already cold to me here and I figure I'd best get used to it.

We rented a place with an oil burning furnace which I know nothing about. The landlord says just turn the thermostat and everything will work. I've been in the basement when the neighbors unit fires up and it sounds like a jet engine. I guess that is normal? Do these furnaces use up oxygen to a point that it would be dangerous to a pet down there?

What problems might I anticipate or look for? like leaks. I guess there is steam going through the system so do they ever blow?

How about buying oil. I called the # on the tank and looked on the internet and got two very different quotes.

Please school me on the ins and outs of operating one of these contraptions.

D. Tillery

[mikeschn]

You'd better go into your profile and change your location.... Otherwise we'll be instructing you how to run an oil fired air conditioner!!!

Mike...

P.S. That reminds me... I'm supposed to pass this information on to you...

December 9
We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering every inch of the landscape. What a fantastic sight! Can there be a more lovely place in the Whole World? Moving here was the best idea I've ever had. Shoveled for the first time in years and felt like a boy again. I did both our driveway and the sidewalks. This afternoon the snow plow came along and covered up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got to shovel again. What a perfect life.

December 12
The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Such a disappointment. My neighbor tells me not to worry, we'll definitely have a white Christmas. No snow on Christmas would be awful! Bob says we'll have so much snow by the end of winter, that I'll never want to see snow again. I don't think that's possible. Bob is such a nice man. I'm glad he's our neighbor.

December 14
Snow, lovely snow! 8" last night. The temperature dropped to -20. The cold makes everything sparkle so. The wind took my breath away, but I warmed up by shoveling the driveway and sidewalks. This is the life! The snowplow came back this afternoon and buried everything again. I didn't realize I would have to do quite this much shoveling, but I'll certainly get back in shape this way. I wish I wouldn't huff and puff so.

December 15
20 inches forecast. Sold my van and bought a 4x4 Blazer. Bought snow tires for the wife's car and 2 extra shovels. Stocked the freezer. The wife wants a wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think that's silly. We aren't in Alaska, after all.

December 16
Ice storm this morning. Fell on my ass on the ice in the driveway putting down salt. Hurt like hell. The wife laughed for an hour, which I think was very cruel.

December 17
Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go anywhere. Electricity was off for 5 hours. I had to pile the blankets on to stay warm. Nothing to do but stare at the wife and try not to irritate her. Guess I should've bought a wood stove, but won't admit it to her. God I hate it when she's right. I can't believe I'm freezing to death in my own living room.

December 20
Electricity's back on, but had another 14" of the damn stuff last night. More shoveling. Took all day. Goddamn snowplow came by twice. Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said they're too busy playing hockey. I think they're lying. Called the only hardware store around to see about buying a snow blower and they're out. Might have another shipment in March. I think they're lying. Bob says I have to shovel or the city will have it done and bill me. I think he's lying.

December 22
Bob was right about a white Christmas because 13 more inches of the white sh** fell today, and it's so cold it probably won't melt till August. Took me 45 minutes to get all dressed up to go out to shovel and then I had to piss. By the time I got undressed, pissed and dressed again. I was too tired to shovel. Tried to hire Bob who has a plow on his truck for the rest of the winter; but he says he's too busy. I think the asshole is lying.

December 23
Only 2" of snow today. And it warmed up to 0. The wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house this morning. What is she ... nuts??? Why didn't she tell me to do that a month ago? She says she did but I think she's damn well lying.

December 24
6". Snow packed so hard by snowplow, l broke the shovel. Thought I was having a heart attack. If I ever catch the son of a bitch who drives that snowplow, I'll drag him through the snow by his balls. I know he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shoveling and then he comes down the street at a 100 miles an hour and throws snow all over where I've just been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing Christmas carols with her and open our presents, but I was busy watching for the goddamn snowplow.

December 25
Merry Christmas. 20 more inches of the !=3D@x@!x!x1 slop tonight. Snowed in. The idea of shoveling makes my blood boil. God I hate the snow! Then the snowplow driver came by asking for a donation and I hit him over the head with my shovel.

December 26
Still snowed in. Why the hell did I ever move here? It was all HER idea. She's really getting on my nerves.

December 28
Warmed up to above -50. Still snowed in. THE BITCH is driving me crazy!!!

December 29
10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or it could cave in. That's the silliest thing I ever heard. How dumb does he think I am?

December 30
Roof caved in. The snow plow driver is suing me for a million dollars for the bump on his head. The wife went home to her mother . 9" predicted.

December 31
Set fire to what's left of the house. No more shoveling.

January 8
I feel so good. I just love those little white pills they keep giving me. Why am I tied to the bed?

[Chris C]

Oh God..............................I may never, ever, ever, never quit laughing!

[D. Tillery]

Mike, I like that story. Especially the part about burning the house and KO ing the plow driver!

I looked at snow blowers at Home Depot today. How the heck do you pick out one of those woodchippers with augers? They even had electric ones which gives me visions of neon signs!

What about that oil burning dragon in my basement?

[Nitetimes]

If it isn't particularly old (hopefully) you shouldn't have any problems. Just turn up the thermostat and let her rip. The blowing sound is the blower vaporizing the oil in the burner so it will burn. That's perfectly normal, especially if it's an old one. And no it won't suck out enough air that you can't keep a pet down there, not to worry. If it's a radiator system there should be safety blowoffs to let off excess pressure if it builds up too high, I've never heard of it actually blowing the system but it is possible I suppose.
On a more possitive note, your fuel bills should be considerabley lower than your neighbors with natural gas, even at the higher oil costs.
When buying fuel it is usually best to call several local suppliers and get prices, they tend to be a bit territorial so it may take a few calls.

[mikeschn]

What about that oil burning dragon in my basement?

Sorry, I didn't mean to hijack your thread. I don't know anything about oil burners, but certainly someone here does... I'll go back to my corner now!

Mike...

P.S. As for picking out a snowblower, if you are just going to do a driveway, get the biggest driveway model you can afford. We bought a new one last year... A toro 3650...

[madjack]

...to add to the hi-jack....
I moved to the Co. Rockies in '79 to work a plumbing job, having never seen more than 4" of snow(lasted almsot a week) I was ecstatic when it started snowing and staying in Oct. That is until mid Jan when a hub busted on my PU from ice build up...I cursed the stuff from then until about mid June when most of it had melted/dryed up.
madjack

p.s. it just so happened that they had a record snowfall that winter...242 inches

[goldcoop]

D. Tillery-

A little background on oil burners:

1st it is only a furnace if it is a hot air system.

A hot air system will have large rectangular duct work leading out of the furnace to hot air outlets (like floor registers). If so keep the air filter clean, your fan motor oiled and your drive belt snug.

If it is steam or hydronic (circulated hot water) it is a boiler.

A steam system will have fairly large diameter pipes coming out (like 2" dia.) at the boiler and branched down to like 1" dia. pipes to the individual radiators which are vented with automatic vents.

Usually steam systems are one pipe systems with one pipe feeding the hot steam to the radiator and then once the radiator cools the condensate will return to the boiler via gravity thru the same pipe.

On a steam system you want to make sure it has water, there should be a sight glass on the side of your boiler, the water level should be half way up (some systems have automatic water feeders when the water gets low) There are also low water cut off switches that should shut off the boiler in the event the water gets too low. If it is a mechanical style make sure it has been cleaned or sometimes they can not work causing the boiler to run when dry and then you get that boom you referred to.

A hydronic system will have smaller pipes coming off the boilers like 1 -1/4", there will be a expansion tank close to the boiler (up high) and you will see a circulating pump attached close to the boiler as well.

Most hot water systems are closed loop or sometimes 2 way systems with the circulating pump pulling the water thru the system.

On a hot water system you will likely have coin vents at each radiator to bleed the system of air. Best to open the highest and furtherest from the boiler with a coin (hence the name coin vent) and allow air to escape until you get steady water then close the vent. These systems have a constant flow of feed water from the pressure regulator attached to a cold water line.

All oil systems should have yearly tune ups including oil filter, cleaning, oil nozzle and a effeciency test.

Both boilers will have a pressure relief valve on the top of them (like the ones you see on hot water heaters) It's a safety device that allows excessive pressure to blow off so that the boiler does not go boom!

I'm sure I forgot something, but if you have any more questions feel free to ask!

Cheers,

Coop

[Dennis T]

Good job Coop. The answers are good. I have many books on oil fired burners and furnaces/boilers. If you know nothing about it have a pro come in and do the work. Maybe knowing the make of burner and boiler will help when it comes to questions? How many circulators are? Are they sealed or have a coupling? Sample questions. Then I can dig out my books.
Hope I'll be able to help in the future along with the others.

Dennis T

[goldcoop]

Dennis-

Thanks!

When all else fails: Lay it on thick & make it stick!

Cheers,

Coop

[Woody]

Did someone mention a Hi-Jack happening over here on this thread, I want in, can I play?

[goldcoop]

No Woody! Go Away!

Poor D. Tillery can't sleep at night because he's afraid his house is gonna go BOOM!

The least we can do is confuse the hell out of him!

Cheers,

Coop

[Woody]

No Woody! Go Away!

Geez, My wife says the same thing to me in the bedroom

[goldcoop]

Hey all!

Seven years ago I had a McDonnell & Miller #67 LWCO fail on me, my water went low and BOOM the boiler sections cracked and separated.

http://www.mcdonnellmiller.com/prod/67lwco.pdf

The concussion and noise was so loud I thought a tractor/trailer ran thru the house, had all the neighbors out looking, we thought the nuculear end was near!

Water all over the basement!

New boiler install & lots of $ lost because of failure of a simple mechanical device!

Live & learn!

Cheers,

Coop

[SteveH]

Stay warm up there, D.