In my mind, there wasn’t much the residential market could throw at me. I should have guessed something was up by the half-amused look on my customer’s face when he described the problem as “a real hair raiser,” and that a measure of caution was in order … but what could be dangerous about a small furnace?
The Heating, Airconditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International’s (HARDI’s) monthly Targeted and Regional Economic News for Distribution Strategies (TRENDS) Report showed an average growth for November 2010 of more than 20 percent versus November 2009.
Source: Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI). Industry figures are estimates that are derived from the best available figures supplied by a sample of AHRI member companies.
Red-tagging is characterized by the installation of a red tag on a furnace, stating that it has been shut down and is dangerous to operate unless repaired or replaced. Questions are: Is this enough action to prevent the building owner from turning the furnace back on? And what other steps are necessary such as contacting the local utility company?
Safety of the appliance should be the primary goal of all technicians. The production of carbon monoxide (CO) in the flue gases should be kept below 100-ppm air-free, even though the allowable limit in the stack is 400-ppm air-free.
When facing a residential oil-fired furnace that is acting up, you want to get the situation under control as quickly as possible. A problem during the heating season will bring a call from an anxious and possibly agitated customer. The following are some of the most common issues that a service contractor addresses when troubleshooting an oil furnace, along with the possible cures.
Following up on Howard Leonard’s October 10, article, “Hidden Problems Can Cause Carbon Monoxide,” Leonard elaborates on the discharge side of the combustion air system, the flue.