Is Oilheat Safe For Your Home?
In the northeast, millions of families rely on heating oil for generations, which has been proven to be a very stable and efficient means of heating during the coldest months of the year. When it comes to safety, home heating oil can also boast a really good track record.
However, despite this, many people are still concerned about the well-being of their households. These families are still looking for some kind of guarantee of oilheat safety. And if you’re one of those people, let us already tell you that it really is.
Is Oil Heat Safe For Your Home?
As a matter of fact, using a heating oil furnace is one of the safest ways of heating your home compared to other alternatives. That’s why in this article, we’re discussing what aspects make oilheat safer in comparison to other heating fuels.
Heating Oil and Flammability
One thing that makes heating oil safe is the fact that it’s not flammable at room temperature. Instead, it mainly stays in its liquid form that is fire-resistant. This means that even if the oil comes in contact with a lit match, it will not burst into flames, burning your house down.
Compared to other heating oils, a lit match is not enough to make a heating oil combust. That’s why heating oil furnaces come with advanced burners that can do the job.
These burners are designed to vaporize heating oil by heating it at a temperature of more than 140 °F. This is the only way for the oil to burst into flames, which is not a problem at all as it is controlled specifically for residential heating.
Heating Oil Tanks
Aside from the fact that the heating oil is non-flammable, the fact that they’re stored in tanks also makes them safer.
You can easily keep them in your basement, garage, outside your house, or even buried on the ground. The best part is, when oil runs out, you just need to call a supplier to deliver oil for you, and then a delivery truck would come by to provide a fresh supply of oil tanks so your furnace can operate without any problems.
If you’re not aware yet how heating oil works, it will simply continue burning while there’s oil. A pump will draw the oil to the burner; the liquid is then pre-heated before atomized and heated again to ignite. But the system will stop heating automatically once your home achieved your desired temperature.
The Low Risk of Carbon Monoxide
Many people are concerned about carbon monoxide poisoning due to the exhaust fumes produced by their furnaces. And you can’t really blame them because it can actually be alarming.
Fortunately, heating oil systems produce very little carbon monoxide. And when it does make even a little amount, the oil burner releases visible smoke that will immediately alert you that something is wrong.
This little warning sign is very helpful as it will give you time to process the situation, move to a safer place, and call for help. Usually, the people you’ll call are your providers, as they can immediately send an emergency response team to check your home and fix any problems they can find.
In comparison to natural gases that produce carbon monoxide discreetly, heating oil systems are definitely safer. With natural gases, carbon monoxide will be colorless and odorless, giving you very little chance to detect it unless you have sensors installed.
By the time you’ll know there’s carbon monoxide production, you might already be experiencing fatigue, dizziness, and headaches, which are possible symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can be lethal at high concentrations, so if you’re using natural gas, it’s best to have a carbon monoxide detector in your home. This way, you can guarantee your safety, and you’d also have peace of mind.
Another thing you can do, regardless if you have a heating oil system or natural gas, is installing smoke or fire alarms as a precaution.
The Availability of Remote Monitoring
With the advancement of technology, it’s a lot easier to feel safer and more secure. And now, you can even monitor your oil tanks.
You can install a remote monitoring device so you can check your oil tank levels remotely. Most of these devices come with Wi-Fi modules that will allow you to connect to the internet and monitor your oil tank via phone. This way, you won’t ever run out of heating oil because you can call the delivery company any time you’d need a refill.
Oil tanks can also come with built-in alarms that can be triggered when the oil reaches dangerously high levels. This alarm is usually so loud to warn everyone nearby about the danger and also to signal the oil supplier that they should stop refilling.
Protection via Regular Maintenance
Heating oil furnaces can last for over a decade without having any problems. And you can help them extend their life and, at the same time, keep your home safe by getting regular HVAC maintenance.
Simply schedule an annual tune-up with your service provider, and it’s best to do this during the fall as part of your winter preparations. This will give you enough time to fix any problems before it’s too late.
Heating technicians will always inspect all of the vital parts of your system. At the same time, they can clean it to prevent dirt and dust from building up. This ensures that your system remains efficient and safe for many years to come.
Conclusion
As you can see, heating oil is a very safe fuel source for residential use. On top of that, oil tanks and furnaces always come with built-in mechanisms that will further improve household safety. Homeowners can also add alarms and monitors for additional protection.
If you’d like to get more information about what measures you can add to improve the safety of your heating oil systems, contact R.F. Ohl for more details.
Call R.F. Ohl for Solutions to Ensuring Comfort in Your Home
If you need to have heating oil delivered to your house, call R.F. Ohl. Our prices for quality discounted heating oil are the best. We also offer efficient heating solutions for your family and home.
The expert technicians on our team are equipped to handle any HVAC repair or maintenance. Contact us to hear about our various services. We can assist by answering your questions and concerns. For more information about our efficient HVAC services or oil deliveries, call R.F. Ohl today!
Call us today to learn more. Click here or call us at (610) 377-1098 to contact us today!
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