Heating Oil Safety Tips

Heating oil is generally one of the safest fuels you can use to heat your home, much safer than gas. You do not have to fear oil fumes in a house the way you do with gas fumes. If your house smells like oil, there is probably another culprit.

Nevertheless, safety is always important, as is your peace of mind, when it comes to fuel in your house. Here are some home heating oil safety tips to know.

Be Aware of Carbon Monoxide Risk

You are not in danger of succumbing to oil fumes from your heating oil, and you don’t need to worry about an oil fire. Heating oil is nontoxic, nonexplosive and nonflammable as a liquid. However, the process of heating oil going through your burner can produce carbon monoxide gas, which is odorless, colorless and can be deadly. Although this is unlikely, it is important to take steps to protect yourself.

You can buy a carbon monoxide detector at any home supply or hardware store. Install one close enough to the burner that it will go off long before gas can fill the house, but also where you can easily see and hear it. Check the batteries regularly.

If you experience the sudden onset of dizziness or nausea that increases as you approach the burner and decreases as you move away from it, open all the windows, exit the house if possible and call a licensed heating contractor for an emergency inspection. Again, oil heating is very safe and this scenario is unlikely, but it is important to know what to do if it occurs.

Keep Clear of the Burner

Make sure that anything flammable is at least 3 feet away from your oil burner. Extreme heat may ignite such things and cause a fire. Also, make sure if you have any children in the home that they know to stay at least 3 feet away. If your children are not instructed about heating oil safety tips, they could burn themselves badly.

Have Your Burner Inspected Regularly

Do a maintenance check of your burner with a licensed heating professional at least a couple of times a year. This can not only help you make sure your burner is using heating oil safely, but can also make sure it is using it as efficiently as possible.

Use Quality Heating Oil

You want the best heating oil possible in your tank, and only as much heating oil as you need. If your home is located in central Pennsylvania, Marstellar Oil and Concrete can help you with this. We offer quick delivery of high-quality oil at low prices, and you can order heating oil online in batches as low as 50 gallons per order.

To order heating oil from Marstellar Oil and Concrete now, just go online and fill out a simple form for delivery that usually arrives in two business days or less.