Woke up to a cold house

So far so good. The house temp is above what the thermostat is set to, so the furnace won't run for that, but it does fire up occasionally to heat the water which I heard several times today.

This is the invoice I received after the first technician visit after which I started having problems. I understand that ATU means "annual tune-up", but I don't know what the other two items are - probably parts.

furnace bill2.jpg
 
Furnace out again! Called the first thing this morning. They said the nearest technician had a service call in Hadley he had to see to first (that's about 35 miles away) and can't say for sure when he would get here. It's 59F in the house now. It would happen just as colder weather settled in. I don't know why these technicians can find out what the problem is.
 
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hollydolly said:
be as nice as you possibly can... but play up the old lady freezing to death role
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It just amazes me that whenever I call for service they say, "We're very busy." Maybe if they fixed the heaters properly in the first place, they would have time to respond to emergencies. They aren't the only heating company around here, but others require a credit or debit card to pay bills or want me to upgrade the oil tank and feed line.
 
debodun said:
It just amazes me that whenever I call for service they say, "We're very busy." Maybe if they fixed the heaters properly in the first place, they would have time to respond to emergencies. They aren't the only heating company around here, but others require a credit or debit card to pay bills or want me to upgrade the oil tank and feed line.
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😟 Could your feed line be the problem, or water in the oil tank?? Maybe a can of Heet if it happens again??
 
Probably not done.

Regular maintenance, including annual servicing, nozzle replacement, and tank cleaning, helps prevent most common issues. By systematically checking fuel, power, thermostat, and lockout status, many oil heating problems can be resolved quickly. For persistent or complex faults, professional inspection ensures safety and reliable operation.
Preventive maintenance may be a feature offered by oil dealers & IMO since Deb is alone & a senior it could be worth the cost.

Meanwhile looking at igniters on Amazon without knowing the brand of heater the most expensive igniter was $212.00 most were in the range of $50.00.
 
I replaced an igniter before. A got a cheap one on Amazon. It failed after a couple months. I bought a second one at a local appliance part store. I think it was guaranteed for a year. Hasn’t failed in over a year. I think it was 39.95 plus tax. This was a natural gas igniter, not fuel oil.
 
debodun said:
Furnace out again! Called the first thing this morning. They said the nearest technician had a service call in Hadley he had to see to first (that's about 35 miles away) and can't say for sure when he would get here. It's 59F in the house now. It would happen just as colder weather settled in. I don't know why these technicians can find out what the problem is.
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meanwhile, you can user a space heater as a temporary solution.
 
That Lady in PA said:
You are limiting who you can deal with by not having a CC. And you just may be paying higher prices.
Why not get a CC for emergencies such as this, and open up some options?
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You can get a credit card and freeze it so it can’t be accessed by others. Check it out.

Key Details on Freezing/Locking Cards
  • How to Do It: Most major issuers (e.g., Capital One, Chase, Amex, Discover, Citi) offer a lock/unlock feature within their banking apps.
  • Effect: The card is immediately unusable for most new charges, protecting you from fraud if lost.
  • Recurring Payments: Subscription services and recurring bills are usually not interrupted.
 
It's not a good idea to rely on one source of heating. Get yourself a small electric heater so you have back-up. An electric shower which operates separately from your boiler is a good idea too.
 
EmptyCup said:
I replaced an igniter before. A got a cheap one on Amazon. It failed after a couple months. I bought a second one at a local appliance part store. I think it was guaranteed for a year. Hasn’t failed in over a year. I think it was 39.95 plus tax. This was a natural gas igniter, not fuel oil.
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I was charged $187 for the igniter plus a labor fee:

furnace bill.jpg
 
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