If you have a new oil boiler heating system installed inside your home, then you probably want to utilize the new heating system without any issues or difficulties. Proper installation and usage are essential in keeping problems at bay. However, there are also a few extras that can be added to your heating system at the time of installation that can help keep problems from forming. Keep reading to learn about a few of these things that will specifically keep fuel issues down.

External Line Sleeve

Most oil boiler heating systems come fitted with large oil tanks to hold the fuel that the boiler needs to run. While inside and buried tanks are an option, most residential homeowners will have outdoor tanks installed instead. Oil tanks have a small spigot on the bottom that allows oil to be transported through an oil delivery line. The thin oil line is typically made out of copper, steel, brass, or iron. To reach the inside of the home, the very end of the line is typically buried and secured through the concrete of your foundation. This buried part of the line will be susceptible to corrosion and leaks. This can cause you to lose heating oil, and air can enter the line through the openings. Your boiler will not receive the right amount of fuel when this happens and the boiler may not work effectively.

To reduce this potential concern, ask your heating installation contractor to secure a protective sleeve over the oil line. This will prevent corrosion and wear across the entirety of the line. Most sleeves are made from silicone, nylon, or another non-metallic material. Once the sleeve is secured, you may want to ask your contractor about a line warmer as well. Line warmers are heating tapes that are wrapped around oil lines to keep the oil from freezing. An outdoor line that is also meant to be used with a flammable material will be needed.

Dual Oil Filter Canisters

Most oil boiler systems will have a singular filter attached to the oil line that feeds the heater. Oil will run through the small canister and an absorbent fabric filter will pick up debris before it can clog the nozzle that sprays oil into the combustion chamber of the appliance. With a new system, you probably only need to think about having the filter cleaned or replaced during 6 or 12 month maintenance sessions. However, you may find yourself cleaning the filter far more often as you use the heater much more consistently. The inside of your oil tank can deteriorate over time and cause rust to move through the oil line. Water, gel, and other types of debris may build within the tank too. To collect all of these materials, a parallel or double filter canister system should be added.

The double canister filter system requires the addition of extra piping to secure both filters side by side, so it is wise to have the filters added during the initial installation period. Other practices that include adding additives into the oil tank and having water pumped out of the tank on occasion may be helpful to keep clog issues at bay as well. Also, the placement of an oil tank with a higher than normal spigot can assist you too. This will allow a much more significant amount of debris to sit on the bottom of the oil tank before it enters the spigot and moves into the oil line. 

If you are having a new oil heating system installed inside your home, you should think about the extras that can be added to the system itself that will cut down on fuel problems. The placement of a line sleeve and dual filters can help. A heating specialist from a company like Glendale Heating & Air Conditioning may also have some other suggestions for you, so make sure to ask during the installation process.