Your home furnace is a lot more complex than it looks from the outside, with a lot of parts that need to work together to make sure everything is working properly. One part that tends to cause issues with the whole system is the oil pump. A faulty oil pump can cause a lot of wear and tear on other parts of your furnace system. If you do suspect something is wrong with your oil pump, getting it looked at by a professional is the best way to figure out the next steps. A professional technician can tell you if it needs to be replaced.
What Does the Oil Pump Do?
The furnace oil pump, also known as the fuel unit, is responsible for getting oil into the combustion chamber. It then produces heat that will transfer through the rest of the system and finally heat your home. It does this by first drawing oil up from the storage tank and then pressurizing the oil to about 100psi. Next, it sends the pressurized oil to the burner nozzle, where it combines with combustion air and turbulating devices before being sent into the combustion chamber.
Signs Your Oil Pump Is Bad
There are a few telltale signs that your oil pump might be going bad. The first major sign is issues with the pressure in your oil lines. An increase in pressure in your system could be due to a number of things, but it might be a problem with the pressurization system in the oil pump. The oil pump might be applying too much or too little pressure to the oil as it is sent through to the burner nozzle.
Another sign that your oil pump might be going bad is if you notice oil seepage around the oil pump. Oil seepage is a sign that the cover of the pump is starting to warp or separate. If you do notice seepage, wipe it up and check to see if the seepage returns while the unit is running.
Changes in the flame in the burner is also another sign there might be a problem with the oil pump. If the pump is drawing in air along with pressurizing the oil, the flame might begin to flicker, rumble, or stumble while the unit is running.
Other signs of oil pump failure, like seizing or oil leaks, usually require removing the oil pump from your unit so you can inspect it. It’s not recommended you do this yourself unless you are very familiar with your furnace and comfortable doing so. We recommend calling in a skilled technician to further diagnose the problem. Plus, there are other signs of a failing oil pump they are better equipped to check and diagnose.
What Should You Do If You Suspect Your Oil Pump Is Bad?
Even if you feel confident in your system and understanding what’s wrong, you shouldn’t try to fix the issue yourself. Depending on what you’re trying to fix, there’s a strong possibility you might make the problem worse. There are safety risks as well since oil and combustion elements are involved. If you suspect your oil pump has gone bad or is starting to go bad, reach out to a heating maintenance company like Unique Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. about getting a proper diagnosis. Our technicians can inspect your oil pump and determine if you need to get it replaced. Our specialists will be able to analyze your system, figure out what the root cause of the problem is, and repair or replace the faulty parts.
Unique Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. has friendly specialists who are trained to assess and repair a variety of common household and commercial systems, ranging from home furnaces and water heaters, burner systems, air conditioning units, and air purifiers. If you are looking to install a new system or replace your old outdated system, our trained specialists can assess your home and help pick out the best system to suit your needs, give you a fair price estimate, and get the work done quickly. If your current heating system isn’t running properly, or if you’re just looking to get an estimate on upgrading to a whole new heating system, reach out to our specialists at Unique Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. to schedule a consultation today.
We offer commercial and residential heating and cooling services to Northglenn, CO residents.
