A traditional home comfort system has two parts: an outdoor unit, such as an air conditioner or heat pump, and an indoor unit. The furnace is the indoor unit that heats and circulates warm air through your home in the winter, and in the summer, it takes the cool air from the outdoor unit and works as a fan to circulate it throughout your home. The indoor and outdoor units are designed to work together. And when the furnace is properly matched with a heat pump or air conditioner, the result is maximum efficiency and extended system life.
On the whole, oil furnaces are considered to be among the most durable household appliances. Even though many manufacturers claim that their units have only a 10-year usable life, a homeowner can often expect 15 to 20 years of service from a properly maintained furnace.
Oil furnaces offer efficient heating, plus proven reliability, rugged construction, simple controls, and easy annual service. All units are built for long life and efficient operation.
Oil furnace manufacturers, for the most part, have stayed below 85-percent AFUE, to lessen the likelihood of chimney moisture problems resulting from exhaust vapors that are too cool. Condensation of moisture in the exhaust from an oil-fired furnace can lead to soot buildup and stack corrosion.
Furnace oil prices are made up of various components including the cost of:
- crude oil
- transportation
- refining
- storage
- marketing
- provincial and federal taxes
