Do sidewall-vented mid-efficiency oil furnaces often suffer from poor reliability?

Sidewall-vented mid-efficiency oil furnaces are known to frequently experience reliability issues, primarily due to their design and the conditions in which they operate. These furnaces rely on a power venting system that expels combustion gases through the wall rather than via a chimney. While this may simplify installation, it also leads to certain vulnerabilities.

One major concern is that their performance can be heavily influenced by the quality of the installation. If not installed correctly, issues such as condensation in the venting system can arise, leading to rust and eventual failure. Moreover, the reliance on electrical power for venting means that outages could disable the furnace, further affecting reliability.

Another reliability factor comes from their operating characteristics; mid-efficiency models do not utilize the same combustion technology as high-efficiency units, which can lead to incomplete combustion and contribute to maintenance problems over time.

Thus, many professionals in the HVAC field agree that sidewall-vented mid-efficiency oil furnaces have a tendency to suffer from poor reliability due to these inherent design and operational factors.