​Heating oil systems are like any other systems; they require all of the components to work together. But some parts are more important than others. The part that’s key to the efficient and effective operation of a heating oil system is its burner.

The burner is truly the “engine” of the heating system. It is responsible for the beginning of the energy process and for the transformation of heating oil into its heat-able state. Here’s how today’s oil burners work:

• An electric motor in the burner drives the fan and fuel pump.

• The fan pushes air to the burner’s air tube to support combustion.

• The pump draws oil from the tank and delivers it to the nozzle.

• The regulating valve, located in the pump housing, produces the right amount of pressure to atomize or break down the oil.

• The ignition/transformer produces a high-voltage spark that provides enough heat to vaporize the atomized oil from the nozzle and achieve ignition.