If you’re reading this, then you might find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having run out of oil. But don’t worry, this happens to everyone at least once. There are steps that you can take to resolve this and ensure that it doesn’t happen again. In this article, we go over various steps to ensure that you’ll be ready for when you need to order heating oil and get your system back up and running!
In this article, I’ll be covering each of the following:
- Making sure that you’re actually out of oil.
- Scheduling an oil delivery! If you’ve run out of oil, this is very important to do!
- Putting 5-10 gallons of diesel in your tank. This will hold you over until your delivery arrives.
- Restart your burner by pressing the reset button.
Check to Make Sure that You’re Definitely out of Heating Oil
Running out of oil isn’t the only failure that your home’s heating oil system can have. This means that running out of fuel isn’t always the problem. So if you’re suspicious that you’ve run out of oil. A couple of winters ago, I thought I had run out of oil, but my float gauge said I had half a tank. Turns out, it was a faulty starter! So be sure to be mindful that you might’ve not run out of oil!
Most heating oil tanks are equipped with some kind of float gauge. This type of gauge in particular will measure the level of your oil tank using a bobber. This will give you an estimation of how many gallons of oil are in your tank. Inside the gauge’s translucent cylinder, you will see a colorful disc. Gently pressing on the disc will help you get an idea of if it’s accurate or not. If you press down on it, it should slowly return to normal if there is oil in the tank. But if it doesn’t, then you are most likley out of oil. If there is oil in your tank, then you can skip “Restarting Your Burner”
Scheduling an Oil Delivery
After you’ve made sure that you are out of oil, you must place an order for oil as soon as you can! Using our FuelSnap website, you can access prices and dealers locally. This will give you the ability to shop around and get the cheapest prices available to you! By typing in your zip code you’ll get access local dealers in your area. You also won’t have to worry about additional charges in the case of an emergency! So feel free to order using the website whenever you are low! It’ll save you in a pinch!
If you are using the Smart Oil Gauge app, you might notice that on your “Tank Detail” screen, you see an option that says “Check Oil Prices”. This will let you order from FuelSnap through the Smart Oil Gauge app! After the press of a few buttons, you can have a delivery of oil placed and ready to go!
Once you’ve placed an order using FuelSnap, you’ll get a confirmation email for your order. This email will contain useful information such as the dealer’s name, number, and email. You’ll be able to contact them with any issues or questions regarding your order! If you need an exact time, you can contact the dealer and they will let you know when the dealer’s ETA is!
Add Some Diesel
When your tank is out of oil, it’s not good to leave it empty. After you place your order, immediately head over to your local gas station and pick up about 5-10 gallons of diesel. Depending on the prices for diesel in your area, this might run you about $20-$50. Diesel is very similar to heating oil, so putting some in your oil tank will not damage any of the parts of your system. But, this should only be used as a temporary solution. Diesel needs a special system to be a long-term heating solution.
If you don’t already have one, you should purchase a yellow jug from your gas station to fill it up. This will normally help differentiate between other forms of crude oil. Red is usually for gasoline and blue is for kerosene. The 5-10 gallons you get will help you get through the night and keep you warm during the winter. During the spring and summer, the diesel will last you a couple of days. But, if you want to be on the safe side, getting 10 gallons would be best!
Restarting Your Burner
The final step is to check your oil burner. The reason for this is that the issue might not be that you’ve run out of oil, but it could be related to the burner! If you have oil in your tank and you wake up to a cold house, there is likely an issue with your heating system. This could be anything from a faulty starter or a clogged feedline. For any issues regarding your heating oil system, it would be best to contact an HVAC technician to handle these particular issues.
If you put some diesel into your heating oil tank, then you should restart your burner ASAP. This is because with your furnace being deprived of oil for so long, it will need a reset for it to get back up and running. In the below image, you can see where the reset button on your burner is located. It’s usually the button in the center of the starter and will either be flashing a red light or nothing at all. After you’ve pressed the button, give the starter 15 seconds and you should start to hear the system start back up. The system will either continue to stay on, or it will turn right back off.
If your heating oil system doesn’t turn back off, you will likely need to bleed the air off the lines. However, DO NOT attempt this if you are not mechanically proficient. It would be best to contact an HVAC technician to handle this. After the line shave been bled, press the reset button again and see if that gets the system up and running again. If at this point, your system is back up and running, you MUST contact an HVAC technician to inspect your heating oil system.
Conclusion
Running out of oil is not enjoyable at all. Waking up in the morning to a cold house will sour your mood for the rest of the day. In best case-scenario, you’ll simply just have to run to the gas station to grab some diesel. Be sure to order some oil using our FuelSnap website! Or if you have the Smart Oil Gauge app, feel free to order oil from there!
But, if your issue lies with the burner, you’ll need to contact an HVAC technician. Your burner could’ve sucked up some sludge and clogged from the feedlines, or worse. If this is the situation that you’re facing, you’ll need to contact an HVAC technician.
Overall, the best way to prevent this is to purchase a Smart Oil Gauge! The gauge will be able to give you an accurate reading of your tank’s level as well as your oil usage! This will help understand how much oil you have and are burning! It’s all accessible to you at the touch of a button! You can even receive push notifications and email alerts when your tank’s low and when you get a fill! Best of all, you can even order oil right from the app! With the Smart Oil Gauge, you’ll never have to worry about running out of oil again!
Happy Heating,
Hunter
