Oil Furnaces & Boilers in Northern Allegheny & Butler Counties
Natural combustion oil furnace. Older style oil furnaces like this one are easy to service and maintain. They operate at around 80% efficiency. Newer condensing furnaces can operate above 90% efficiency.
New oil heating systems offer proven performance and high efficiency
Oil heating systems are more common in the Northeast than in most other parts of the country. Heating oil can be used to fuel a furnace (often system referred to as an "oil burner") that heats air for distribution throughout the house. It can also be used in a boiler that heats water.
A pump distributes the hot water to radiators installed in different parts of the house. Hot water baseboard radiators are the most commonly used radiators. If you have an indirect water heater, this means that your oil furnace or boiler also heats the water you use for washing.
An oil boiler can also be part of a hydro-air system. This is a forced-air heating system that utilizes hot water (pumped through a heat exchanger) to heat air for distribution throughout the house.
Contact Kennihan's Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning to schedule an estimate to have your oil heating system repaired or replaced by one of our experts. We provide our heating and cooling services to residents of Cranberry, New Kensington, Wexford, Bradfordwoods and nearby.
Details about oil-burning furnaces & boilers
Size, efficiency and combustion
If you have an oil furnace, you’ll also have a ductwork system that distributes warm air to different rooms throughout the house. With an oil-fired boiler, heated water is pumped to baseboard or other radiators in different parts of the house. Alternatively, the boiler can provide hot water to a “hydro-air” forced-air heating system.
Use the guidelines explained below to compare furnaces and boilers:
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BTU output: Maximum heat output, measured in thousands of BTUs (80,000btu, for example).
Versatile heat source. Fuel oil is a reliable & safe heat source for furnaces, boilers and water heaters. New, high-efficiency furnaces and boilers can operate at 90% efficiency.
- Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE): The standard measure of efficiency for boilers and furnaces. AFUE tells you the percentage of input energy the unit can convert to output energy for warming your home.
- Combustion: How combustion air is supplied and how combustion gasses are vented. Older furnaces and boilers are typically “atmospheric” combustion or “natural venting” models. New “high-efficiency” furnaces and boilers feature “sealed combustion,” and “direct vent” technology. They don’t require a chimney to vent combustion gasses. Instead, a small exhaust fan simply blows combustion gasses outside through a plastic pipe.
Replace your old furnace or boiler before it stops working
A furnace or boiler more than 10 years old is probably operating in the range of 75%-80% AFUE. Today the best “high-efficiency’ furnaces and boilers can operate above 90% AFUE. Many homeowners choose to upgrade to a high-efficiency furnace or boiler even though an older model is still working well. As energy prices continue to rise, an appliance that’s more than 20% more efficient really starts to pay for itself.
If you are considering replacing your furnace, learn more about the heating systems available.
Call 1-724-898-2587 or contact us online to schedule a comprehensive heating inspection and oil heating replacement or installation estimate. We also offer a comprehensive home energy audit to detect energy deficiencies in your home. Kennihan's Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning provides heating and cooling services to Bradfordwoods, Wexford, Cranberry, New Kensington, as well as Allison Park, Gibsonia, Butler, Beaver, Beaver Falls, New Castle and nearby.
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