Prepare for Winter Comfort: Steps to Prime an Oil Furnace for Cooler Weather

Priming an oil furnace is a simple, easy task that you can do on your own if your furnace needs replenishing with fuel. The most important part is to make sure to properly follow the steps to ensure accuracy and safety.

Before you start, make sure you switch off your furnace and turn off the electricity and power at the main switch. Also, check your thermostat and make sure it is set to the temperature you desire.

The first step to prime your oil furnace is to locate the bleeder valve. This will be situated on the oil feed pipe which connects the oil tank to the oil furnace. To access this valve, follow the copper pipe to the spigot pipe attachment featuring a lever set at a right angle to the attachment. This is the bleeder valve.

It is necessary that you place a glass jar underneath the valve to catch any oil which may be sputtered out while priming. To open the bleeder valve, twist the lever so that it is parallel to the pipe attachment. When the lever is at a 90-degree angle to the pipe, it indicates that the bleeder valve is closed.

Once the valve is open, you may turn on your oil furnace. The act of expelling oil from the bleeder valve is the priming process. If you find oil is sputtering all over the place, you may attach a rubber hose to the bleeder valve with a hose clamp. Place the other end of the hose into the glass jar. Remove the hose when the priming process is finished.

Now that priming has been completed, the oil flow should automatically resume. Because the furnace has no more air in its lines and the oil has been distributed in the upper compartment, it should now be capable of functioning as usual. Of course, if the problem persists, then you can always contact a professional technician or plumber to investigate.

The overall takeaway is to always be smart about refilling your furnace with oil. Do not let the fuel reservoir deplete completely, as this can lead to a troublesome process of having to prime the furnace. Regularly monitor oil levels and refill before the tank runs completely empty. With this advice, hopefully you can have a trouble-free oil furnace that continues to heat your home through cold winter nights.