It's possible that your oil burning furnace has never had a problem, and then, almost overnight, you started noticing that it is using more fuel than usual. This is despite the fact that you have done nothing different and the house is the same temperature as always. Though small fluctuations in consumption are not uncommon, noticeable increases can be caused by many things. Some common reasons are listed below.

There's a leak:

As your furnace system ages, seams and seals can wear down, and your chance of leaks will increase. Leaks can occur in the furnace and in the piping, and they are made worse when the pump pressure is too high. The leak may be accompanied by a chemical smell. They may start out small and be hidden in places such as under the burner, so if you suspect you have a leak, then you need to check out each part of the system.

Your thermostat is faulty:

It's possible that your thermostat has a bad connection or something even simpler such as worn batteries if it's wireless. If you have a programmable thermostat and haven't checked your programming for a while, then it may be time to do that. The good thing that, if the problem is only a thermostat, and the rest of the your system is fine, then the thermostat is easy to replace. If your heating system is old, then you may want to consider upgrading to a digital thermostat.

You have a bad nozzle:

The size of the nozzle controls how much oil is sprayed into the combustion chamber. If the nozzle is worn or broken, then more oil than necessary is used. If you've recently had work done on your furnace, then check with the repair person to see if they saw anything unusual with the nozzle or switched to a larger size.

The oil pump is faulty:

The oil pump is comprised of valves that keep the oil flowing through the nozzle at a steady rate so that it burns as completely and efficiently as possible. However, valves can stick open or closed, causing the amount of oil to burn less completely and potentially set up the possibility of a dangerous puffback. Bad oil pumps also put pressure on other components contributing to things such as leaks and breakdowns.

These three issues are all things that can be fixed by a trained professional. In order for your system to run efficiently, all components must be in good condition as a problem with one can directly affect another component. To reduce problems, make sure you have your furnace checked and any clogged filters cleaned or replaced.  

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