Older tanks and expiration dates - pt 3

Originally published August, 2016

Loss Prevention Tips for New England Homeowners
 
In a blog that I posted on July 31, 2015, I encouraged homeowners to protect their homes from three kinds of heating-related damage. Since then I have blogged about two of those topics: Reducing the possibility of freeze-ups and reducing the risk of releases of heating oil from older tanks and oil lines.

The third heating-related damage that I mentioned can result from an oil heating system not being properly vented. A system that is correctly vented not only moves flue gases safely out of the home, but also provides air for combustion. It is the combustion air that I will be talking about today.

Section 5.2.1 of the NFPA 31 Standards for the Installation of Oil-Burning Equipment states: Oil-burning appliances and equipment shall be installed in locations where available ventilation permits satisfactory combustion of oil, proper venting of combustion gases and maintenance of safe ambient temperatures under normal conditions of use. Section 5.2.3 states: Where buildings are so tight that normal infiltration does not provide sufficient air for combustion, outside air shall be introduced.

What this means is that modern houses are now built to be so tight that it is possible for oil-burning appliances to suck all the air out of the room. When this happens, installers of this equipment must provide outside air. Sadly, we find that this does not always happen. Many installers and the fire departments who inspect their work are not aware of this requirement.

The result of this lack of oxygen is that the burner will run rich, which means that the combustion will be incomplete, and the residue will start to accumulate in the flue passages. If this condition continues for a long period of time, the flue passages will become blocked, and gases may escape into your home. You will know this is happening when you see gray or black particles beginning to accumulate on the appliance or the surrounding area or when your smoke detector starts to go off. It is important to respond to this situation before the gases and particles get into the rest of your home, causing a costly clean-up.

If you have had to get your oil heating system serviced or “cleaned” more than once a year, chances are your oil burner is not getting enough outside air. The fix for this situation is to install ductwork and fittings that attach directly to the oil burner’s air intake or to connect ductwork to a ducted fan that brings in air whenever the oil burner(s) come on. I will be happy to visit the home of any customer or potential customer who would like an evaluation of the outside air or other heating-related conditions.

Bob

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