OIL FURNACE TROUBLESHOOTING CHART

260-315 1285 Ch8r8 4/5/06 9:36 AM Page 274 housing. You can access the air blower and filter through a metal panel on one side of the furnace. The panel is held by either hooks or retaining bolts; slip the panel up and off the hooks or remove the bolts and lift the panel off. Most furnaces have switches and reset buttons located on the motor or in a switch box outside the furnace housing. These are usually identified with stampings or labels, such as DISCONNECT

SWITCH, RESET, and so on. The stack control sensor, a safety device that monitors burner operation, is positioned in the stack and held with a series of retaining bolts.

Problem

OIL FURNACE TROUBLESHOOTING CHART

Possible Cause Solution

Furnace won’t run 1. No power.

2. Switch off.

3. Motor overload.

1. Check for blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers at main entrance panel or at separate entrance panel; restore circuit.

2. Turn on separate power switch on or near furnace.

3. Wait 30 minutes; press reset button.

Repeat if necessary.

4. No fuel.

5. Fuel line blockage.

4. Check tank; if necessary, refill tank.

5. Clean oil filter and oil pump strainer.

If problem persists, call a professional.

1. Check tank; if necessary, refill tank.

Burner won’t fire 1. No fuel.

2. No ignition spark.

2. Press reset button on stack control, once; if necessary, clean stack control.

If no result, call a professional. If furnace has electric-eye safety, clean safety; if no result, call a professional.

1. Raise thermostat setting five degrees.

Not enough heat 1. Thermostat set too low.

2. Air filter dirty.

3. Blower clogged.

4. Registers closed or blocked.

2. Clean or replace air filter.

3. Clean blower assembly.

5. System out of balance.

4. Make sure all registers are open; make sure they are not blocked by rugs, drapes, or furniture.

5. Balance system; see section on forcedair system.

6. Adjust or replace belt.

6. Blower belt loose or broken.

7. Burner dirty.

Furnace turns on and off 1. Air filter dirty.

repeatedly

2. Oil filter dirty.

7. Call a professional.

1. Clean or replace air filter.

2. Clean or replace oil filter.

3. Motor and/or blower needs lubrication. 3. If motor and blower have oil ports, lubricate.

4. Blower clogged.

4. Clean blower assembly.

5. Stack control faulty.

Blower won’t stop running 1. Blower control set wrong.

2. Limit switch set wrong.

5. Call a professional.

1. Reset thermostat from ON to AUTO.

2. Reset limit switch.

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