When a heating oil tank runs dry, the burner shuts off and your home stops making heat. Even after oil is delivered, the system often will not restart on its own. Your heating service technician may need to bleed air from the fuel line and reset the burner, so call them as soon as you know you are out.
What actually happens when the tank is empty
An oil burner pulls fuel from the tank through a line, filters it, and sprays it through a small nozzle into the combustion chamber. When the tank has nothing left to give, the pump starts drawing air instead of oil. The flame cuts out, the safety controls shut the burner down, and the house slowly cools.
Many systems also have a reset button on the burner control. If the burner tried to fire without fuel, that safety control may have locked out. That is a good thing, since it keeps the system from running when something is wrong, but it means the burner will not simply start again when oil arrives.
Why a delivery alone may not bring the heat back
Air in the fuel line is the usual reason. The burner pump is built to move liquid oil, and a line full of air can stop it from priming. A qualified heating technician can bleed the air out of the line and get the pump moving oil again.
There is a second concern. Over the years, a thin layer of sediment can settle on the bottom of a tank. When the level gets very low, the pump can pull some of that material toward the filter and nozzle, and it may clog them. If the burner starts and then quits, or never fires, a clogged filter or nozzle is one possible cause. A technician can swap those parts.
For a closer look at the restart itself, see our guide on restarting your furnace after running out of heating oil.
What to do right now if you are out
- Confirm the tank is empty. Check the gauge on the tank. Gauges can stick, so if the reading looks wrong, ask your technician to check it another way.
- Order oil. You can order heating oil online in a few minutes, or call 631-994-1277 and the team will place the order for you.
- Ask about timing. Most OK Petroleum orders are delivered same-day or next-day, depending on your area and when the order comes in. That is not guaranteed, so call 631-994-1277 to check same-day availability. Our page on same-day heating oil delivery on Long Island explains what affects timing.
- Call your heating service technician. Tell them the tank ran empty so they can plan to bleed the line and reset the burner after the oil goes in. OK Petroleum delivers fuel; it does not do burner service, so this call goes to your own technician.
- Keep the path to the fill pipe clear. You do not need to be home for a delivery as long as the driver has safe, clear access to the fill pipe. In winter, that means shoveling snow and chipping ice away from the pipe and the walkway to it.
How to keep the house warm in the meantime
Close doors to rooms you are not using and keep everyone in one or two warmer spaces. Draw curtains at night. If you have a safe, properly vented backup source, use it as the manufacturer directs. Do not heat the house with a gas oven, a charcoal grill, or any fuel-burning device that is not made for indoor use, because carbon monoxide is a serious danger.
If the house is going to sit cold for a long stretch during a hard freeze, water pipes can be at risk, especially on exterior walls. Let faucets drip on those walls, open cabinet doors under sinks, and call a plumber or your technician if you are worried. If anyone in the home is elderly, very young, or unwell, consider staying with family or friends until the heat is back.
Is running out bad for the system?
For most systems, running out once is an inconvenience, not a disaster. The bigger costs are usually a cold house and a service call. Repeated run-outs are a different story, because each one stirs up tank-bottom sediment and gives air another chance to get into the line. The best answer is to avoid the situation altogether.
How to avoid running out
- Reorder at about a quarter tank. Deliveries take a day or so, and the last stretch of a tank goes quickly in a cold snap. Our checklist on oil tank levels before the first cold snap walks through what to check.
- Read the gauge on a schedule. Pick a day, such as the first of each month, and write down the reading. Weekly is better in January and February.
- Set up Scheduled Deliveries. With automatic heating oil delivery, you choose the schedule and the gallons, and orders place themselves. It is free to set up from My Account and takes about two minutes. Because you set the schedule, you still want to watch the gauge, especially if the winter turns out colder than you planned for.
If you are low but not out
If the gauge is near empty but the heat is still on, order now. Do not wait for the burner to quit. A delivery that arrives while the system is still running means no restart, no air in the line, and no cold house. If a storm is on the way, our guide to emergency fuel oil delivery when you run low can help you plan.
Need oil now?
OK Petroleum is a family-owned Long Island company, and local people answer the phone. Order heating oil online or call 631-994-1277. Delivery is free on every Long Island order, and the price is shown and confirmed before you pay.
