I thought that being diligent about replacing air filters and cleaning supply and return vents was enough to keep my oil furnace operating properly.
I believed that professional maintenance was a waste of time and totally unnecessary.
When my oil furnace quit and needed to be updated, I changed my opinion. My oil furnace was only eight-years-old when it failed completely. It malfunctioned during a January blizzard, when the outside temperature was down to downside twenty. The heating plan was running just about non stop and struggling to keep up with demand. Because the cabin felt chilly, I raised the thermostat setting numerous times. The lack of usual upkeep allowed a significant amount of dust, dander, insects and other debris to accumulate inside the oil furnace. This build up blocked essential airflow, restricted moving parts and increased the strain on all components. Eventually, the oil furnace overheated and shut down. Fiddling with the thermostat, hitting the reset button and increasing the air filter did nothing to fix the problem. I had no option however to hire a licensed Heating as well as Air Conditioning company. The two of us couldn’t go without heat and I was sad about the water pipes chilly. Calling in the middle of the evening meant paying extra for overtime service. The company checked the oil furnace and found a hairline crack in the heat exchanger. That didn’t sound all that serious. He then informed myself and others that a new heat exchanger costs more than replacing the oil furnace. Apparently, the heat exchanger is the component that prevents carbon monoxide and other combustion gasses from entering the breathing air. It’s essential to safety. Because I had failed to keep up with maintenance, my warranty would not cover any of the expense.