How To Troubleshoot Black Smoke From An Oil Furnace

Black, gray or thick smoke coming from an oil-burning furnace is a sign of a serious problem and should be considered an emergency, whether the smoke is coming from the chimney, exhaust vent or combustion box. If the problem is not identified and resolved immediately, the furnace could start a structure fire or cause an explosion.

Protect Yourself

In many cases, the black smoke coming out of an oil furnace does not feel hot and does not irritate your eyes and nose. It is still dangerous, however, and contains carbon monoxide and carcinogens that can cause serious health problems. Avoid the front or door of the furnace, which could blow open if too much pressure builds up inside. Call the fire department immediately if you have a fire, explosion, white vapor cloud or other emergency.

Incomplete Ignition

Commonly called puff back, improper ignition occurs when the oil is pushed into the combustion chamber but is not immediately ignited. When the oil does ignite, it does so in a small burst or miniexplosion that produces a large puff of black smoke. A leaping flame is a trademark of puff back as the fire travels to the scattered oil droplets. Sometimes the flame will follow the oil out the furnace door, which can result in a house fire. If the small explosions become too strong, the burner and furnace can be damaged and the situation can become dangerous.

After Fire

After fire is a result of improper burning or an oil leak. During combustion, a small amount of oil puddles in the bottom of the combustion chamber. This oil keeps burning even after the furnace has shut off. Because it is not controlled and the fan has turned off, it quickly consumes the oxygen in the combustion chamber and produces thick clouds of black smoke. If a flame remains after the furnace has cycled off, you have an after fire.

Quick Action

Immediately turn off the electricity and fuel supply to the furnace. In most cases, an emergency electric shutoff switch will be somewhere near the furnace. It’s important, however, to also turn off the supply of oil. Most furnaces have two shutoff valves — one at the burner and one at the tank. If it is safe to do so, turn off both. Do not turn the furnace back on until it has been checked by a licensed repairman.

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Amy Smith

2021-05-12

Alex was able to fit me in quickly and did a thorough chimney inspection for me. I had a great experience with Emberstone and hope to use them again in the future!

Boessel Lodge

2020-09-22

Alex and his crew came and provided us with a chimney sweep and inspection to my Asheville home. Communication was great, showed up on time, wore a mask and left the place very clean. Going to have them do some repair work soon, they found a few issues.

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2020-05-18

They arrived on time and were very professional in repairing my gas logs. Fair pricing, also.

Larry Strickland

2019-06-09

After our 110 year old farm house was damaged by a tornado I contacted Alex with Emberstone. He came out quickly to look at our two damaged chimneys one of which was completely down to the roofline. Knowing that our roof could not be repaired until the chimneys where, he and his crew came on a weekend to do the repairs as soon as possible. Not only did they complete both in one day the work they did was superb. I have over 30 years experience in construction inspections and this company is top notch. Their work is superior and so is their work ethic. They maintained a clean work site and when they left you could not tell they had been. I highly recommend Emberstone. Give them a call.

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2019-03-03

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2018-12-18

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2018-11-21

Great experience with this company from the first phone call. Everyone is professional, knowledgeable, and so nice! On time, thorough and completely transparent in their reporting. They made sure to take the time to explain issues. We are so glad we found them and wholeheartedly recommend!

Michael Hurley (DJSIDETHREE)

2018-11-13

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2018-09-26

Before a few months ago I’d never lived anywhere with a fireplace. Deciding to be on the safe side in my new home I scheduled to have a Emberstone come out to inspect and possibly sweep my chimney. When I called to schedule the appointment the gal I spoke with was very pleasant and informative, giving me fees and letting me know what to expect. Today Alex came out for the appointment. He called before he arrived and arrived within the scheduled window. He was professional, courteous, and also very informative. After the sweep and inspection he went over the state of our chimney and he gave me a little fireplace 101. I would absolutely recommend Emberstone’s services, it could not have gone better!

How To Troubleshoot Black Smoke From An Oil Furnace