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Photograph of  a modern oil-fired heating boilerOil Burner Visual Inspection for Problems

  • POST a QUESTION or COMMENT about oil burner inspection, diagnosis, & repair, troubleshooting procedure, how to get the oil burner running again, best order of diagnostic steps.

Visual inspection at the oil burner itself:

Looking closely at the oil burner and the furnace, boiler, or water heater (calorifier, geyser, cylinder) where the oil burner is mounted gives very important oil burner troubleshooting information, as we describe here.

This article series explains to inspect, diagnose & repair oil burners used on oil-fired heating boilers or furnaces using a visual inspection approach as well as (optional) simple test equipment.

We include a description of common oil burner adjustment and operating problems and we illustrate some of the basic oil burner tests and measurements made in servicing and adjusting the equipment for safe, efficient operation.

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- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?

Signs of Trouble at the Oil Burner Itself - Visual Inspection

Oil burner backpressure (C) Daniel FriedmanThe oil burner inspection becomes detailed, and diagnostic, when you can actually see the equipment.

It's obvious that you should notice oil leaks, soot in the boiler or furnace room, noises, odors, signs of repeated repairs, piles of junked parts, signs of unprofessional work (covers off of controls, sloppy wiring or plumbing).

But a closer look at the boiler and the oil burner can tell us about operating problems even before the heating equipment is actually turned on.

[Click to enlarge any image]

Watch out: Do not miss these diagnostic clues as some of them also involve serious safety concerns.


oil shutoff valve (C) Daniel Friedman
Oil burner fuel unit air bleed valve (C) Daniel Friedman

Oil burner fuel unit air bleed valve (C) Daniel Friedman

Oil Burner Won't Run: Diagnostic Steps - what to check in what order

This topic has moved to at OIL BURNER WONT RUN

Readers needing an approach to heating system inspections that assures thoroughness, should also

see HEATING SYSTEM INSPECTION PROCEDURE where we explain an organized approach to inspecting the entire heating system, beginning outdoors, continuing indoors, and ultimately in most detail in the boiler or furnace room.

This article explains the inspection, diagnosis, & repair of oil burners used in heating appliances such as hot water boilers, steam boilers, & water heaters.

In the oil burner inspection article provided here we explain visual and other clues of oil burner problems.

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OIL BURNER VISUAL INSPECTION at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.


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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to HEATING OIL, OIL BURNERS, OIL FIRED HEATERS, OIL TANKS

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