OK You've Got Your Pellet Stove Running - Do You Check the Oil Burner Occasionally?

[MarkF48]

I've had the pellet stove going for a while with the cooler weather setting in and just to make sure if I needed it, I started up the oil furnace last week. I try to remember to do this once a month through the winter. Figure if I had a problem with the pellet stove I want to be sort of sure the furnace can provide backup heat. Also try to remember to kick over the portable generator for the same reason once a month

Anyone else make checks of the "backup" system regularly?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

How do you get your hot water, mine is off the boiler so it doesn't require any additional checks to know if it will run.

 

[DAKSY]

My DHW runs thru the Dino Boiler. Normal usage fires it up...No gas in the generator, YET.

 

[MarkF48]

How do you get your hot water, mine is off the boiler so it doesn't require any additional checks to know if it will run.

I had a 30 year old oil fired water heater up until about 3 years ago and got my monies worth out of it, but started to need more work done than it was worth. The cost of a replacement oil fired water heater was prohibitively high, so I installed an electric water heater - Marathon electric water heater that doesn't need yearly maintenance and so far hasn't cost a lot to run (all the kids are grown and gone). I have oil fired hot air for heating, which is seldom run except for routine checks now.

 

[JHASS]

My domestic hot water comes from my boiler so no need to check as long as my shower is hot.

 

[mralias]

Yep need it for the hot water. Still clean it twice a year as well. Change filter, porcelains, nozzle and vac the heat tubes once a year. You have to be nice to the old oil monster or it will bite you when you least expect it.

 

[schoondog]

Great question. Mine is running for DHW, but its overdue for cleaning and a service.Should get it done this weekend. Thanks for the reminder!

Schoondog

 

[Bioburner]

I have got a Dovre freestanding gas fireplace and yes I check it monthly and a day or two before any storm predictions. Never know if the thermostat or thermopile may give out at a inopertune time. Just patched the holes today where the oil lines where. Felt good to be rid of that demon of the pocket book.

 

[Melissa220]

My domestic hot water comes from my boiler so no need to check as long as my shower is hot.

X2

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Great question. Mine is running for DHW, but its overdue for cleaning and a service.Should get it done this weekend. Thanks for the reminder!

Schoondog

See and some folks think we are useless. We provide a service even when we aren't trying (no comment from the peanut gallery about us being trying).

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Speaking of storms that mischievous Sandy is churning around, best some of us run the check list.

 

[DexterDay]

LP Forced air Trane. I run it once or twice a year. Just to keep everything on the burner side working. Its also part of the A/C system. So the distribution blower gets a good workout every Summer.

But my back-up is the Pellet furnace. Or the Quad upstairs? Depends which is running? Never run both.

Or the woodstove... its ALWAYS burning in the coldest months. Only use it on weekends right now.


Its a good idea to make sure your actual "Primary" heater works. You never know what tomorrow brings?

 

[silverfox103]

I try to start my oil burner once every 6 weeks. I don't depend on it for anything anymore. It used to be my only source for heat and hot water. 2008 installed Harman P68, 2009 installed electric H2O heater, 2010 installed insulated window shades, 2011 installed Harman P38 and bought generator, 2012 added insulation. I no longer need oil for anything. This will be the second year I won't use any oil. Even if one of the pellet stoves isn't running, I can block off rooms and get along with one stove till the other gets fixed.

I have a hopper extension on both stoves, so they can last a weekend. If I'm going away for a few more days, the neighbor takes care of feeding them. We used to use 1300 gallons, no more.

Tom C.

 

[TheMightyMoe]

Boiler just runs for hot water / occasional garage heat (While Im in it). One annual cleaning a year.

 

[Pellet-King]

used 1/8 tank of oil last year, only because i was too lazy to start the stove