Does an oil furnace need to stay on 24/7 when it's not being used for heating?

Question

Is it harmful to my oil furnace if I turn the emergency wall switch off in the warmer months when I won't be using hot water for most of the day or if I go away for the entire weekend? With the cost of heating oil, it seems a waste of money to heat water when you won't be needing it for anything.

Answer 1

I can't answer your question, but maybe it is time to consider a separate hot water heater like one of the ones that only come on and instantly heat the water when you need it.  The cost of installation maybe be paid back in a reasonable time period given the increased cost of heating fuel.

Answer 2

No it isn't harmful.  I had a rented farmhouse some years ago that had the hot water system as part of it. (lousy system).  I set it up so the first person up in the morning would flip the red switch.  then the last person done with hot water flipped it off.    In the evening we turned it on at supper time for dish washing and earlier than usual showers.  It did not hurt the furnace at all and saved us lots of money.