Oil Furnaces in Maryland

Not long ago, people thought that the dawn of electric and natural gas furnaces would make oil furnaces obsolete. today, however, great strides have been made toward making oil furnaces much more efficient, and now they are enjoying great popularity as an economical and environmentally friendly means of home heating. If you live in Montgomery County, Maryland or NW Washington, DC and want to instant and highly efficient heating in your home, call James A. Wheat & Sons to install an oil furnace today!

How oil furnaces work

Oil furnaces use petroleum based fuels such as to diesel or kerosene to create heat. The oil furnace consists of a storage tank, an oil burner, a heat exchanger, filters and a blower motor. Oil from the tank is sprayed onto electrodes in the burner and ignited, transferring the heat to the heat exchanger. This violent type of ignition allows oil furnaces to heat your home very quickly. When the air inside the heat exchanger gets warmer it rises and pushes the cold air down into the burners. The hot air is then pushed out into your home’s ductwork by a blower fan, and return ducts bring more cold air into the furnace.

Benefits of oil furnace installation

Most oil furnaces have an average Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) of 83, meaning that 83% of the fuel they burn goes to heating your house. In some areas, traditional furnace oil can be mixed with biodiesel to reduce the harmful environmental effects even further. Oil furnaces also have a very long lifespan, usually lasting upwards of 15 to 20 years with little to no maintenance aside from periodic changing of the fuel filter. Also, oil furnaces draw fuel from a storage tank located on your property. This way you always have your own supply, even when other sources of fuel, such as natural gas or propane, are not available.

In addition to being energy efficient, oil furnaces are a very safe and clean choice for your home’s heating system. Modern oil furnaces produce very little smoke and soot and their exhaust stays in the furnace instead of being released into the atmosphere. Fuel deliveries are also very inexpensive for oil furnaces, costing an average of about $1.50 per gallon depending on where you live. For further increased efficiency, you can also add a two stage burner when you install an oil furnace. A two stage boiler runs more quietly, is more energy efficient and can prolong the life of your furnace.

If you want all of the efficiency of an oil furnace in your Montgomery County, Maryland or NW Washington, DC home, call James A. Wheat & Sons today. We can install an oil furnace in your home so that you stay comfortable all winter long. We can also service your existing oil furnace to make sure you get as much life out of it as possible.