What You Should Do If You Run Out Of Heating Oil (And How To Avoid It)
Running out of heating oil can be stressful and even a little scary, especially in the middle of the winter. Once that happens, you can no longer heat your home. Depending on your other appliances, you also may not have hot water or be able to use the dryer.
The good news is that it’s a quick fix. All you need is an oil delivery, and you’ll be back up and running.
However, you should still take a couple of quick, easy steps to ensure you don’t damage your system until that happens.
And, of course, you’ll want to prevent it from ever happening again!
We’ll cover all that and more here. This article dives into:
- What To Do If You Run Out Of Heating Oil
- Will Running Out of Oil Damage My Heater?
- How Low Should You Let Your Oil Tank Get?
- How To Avoid Running Out Of Heating Oil
And, if you need oil delivery in Bryn Mawr, Ardmore, Havertown, or anywhere on the Main Line, call John Cipollone, Inc at (610) 446-7877. We’ve served the area since 1953 and offer free inspection and cleaning with every delivery.
What To Do If You Run Out Of Heating Oil
Follow these steps if you run out of heating oil to prevent damage and get your home warm again as soon as possible:
- Check For Other Issues
- Turn Off The Heat
- Call For Emergency Delivery
Check For Other Issues
The first thing you want to do is make sure that running out of heating oil is the problem. Start by checking the tank and confirming there’s no oil in it. Most tanks have a float-level gauge on top of it.
Remember that the gauge won’t give you an exact number of gallons. Instead, it tells you how full your tank is percentage-wise. And, it’s clear when there’s nothing in there.
Next, check around the tank for signs of a leak. You wouldn’t want to fill the tank only to run into the same problem again.
If there’s still oil in the tank, check your electrical box for a tripped circuit. It’s possible your furnace shut off from the breaker. Then, check the furnace itself for error codes.
There should be a blinking light on the control panel and a chart telling you what light pattern is regular and which ones indicate problems.
Once you’re sure a lack of oil is the problem, move on to the next step.
Turn Off The Heat
Manually turn off your thermostat. By now, your furnace should have stopped running already. But you don’t want it to keep trying to turn back on because your house is getting cold.
All that extra wear and tear can cause damage to the components. And, you can end up with sediment in the oil lines or other problems as it sucks air from the empty tank.
Once that’s done, you’re ready to call for a delivery.
Check For Other Issues
The first thing you want to do is make sure that running out of heating oil is the problem. Start by checking the tank and confirming there’s no oil in it. Most tanks have a float-level gauge on top of it.
Remember that the gauge won’t give you an exact number of gallons. Instead, it tells you how full your tank is percentage-wise. And, it’s clear when there’s nothing in there.
Next, check around the tank for signs of a leak. You wouldn’t want to fill the tank only to run into the same problem again.
If there’s still oil in the tank, check your electrical box for a tripped circuit. It’s possible your furnace shut off from the breaker. Then, check the furnace itself for error codes.
There should be a blinking light on the control panel and a chart telling you what light pattern is regular and which ones indicate problems.
Once you’re sure a lack of oil is the problem, move on to the next step.
Turn Off The Heat
Manually turn off your thermostat. By now, your furnace should have stopped running already. But you don’t want it to keep trying to turn back on because your house is getting cold.
All that extra wear and tear can cause damage to the components. And, you can end up with sediment in the oil lines or other problems as it sucks air from the empty tank.
Once that’s done, you’re ready to call for a delivery.