Here’s What to Do If You Run Out of Heating Oil

by | Jul 28, 2020 | About Oil Delivery

In 2018, around 5.5 million households used heating oil for their furnace in the United States. What is heating oil? It’s exactly as the name sounds. Heating oil is fuel to help an oil furnace run. It’s important for homeowners who live in states with frigid winters to stock up on heating oil. However, maybe there were days that got unusually cold or winter ran longer than predicted. If you run out of heating oil during winter, what do you do? Keep reading this article to find out.

Call Your Heating Company!

If you run out of heating oil, first up on your to-do list should be to call your heating oil company and ask for a refill. Some companies, like Sperr’s, offer on-demand delivery where you can get more heating oil either the same day or the next. It is important that you avoid substituting with other fuels. If you use heating oil often, look into scheduling your residential fuel delivery. For example, with Sperr’s, you can arrange to get a delivery every 4 weeks. So what will be done to your furnace and how?

Filling and Reseting

Once a technician arrives, they will fill your tank with fuel. They will then hit the reset button. If the furnace does not restart after more oil is put inside, the technician might need to bleed the line.

Bleeding the Furnace

Bleeding the furnace requires that it first be shut off. The technician will then locate the bleeder valve and open it. Once opened, air will come out of the furnace. A tube will then  be connected to the fuel line valve, the valve will be turned on and the fuel will begin to flow out of the furnace. Once there is no longer air in the fuel and the fuel is clean, the technician stops the bleed. Remember, bleeding a furnace should be left to the professionals to ensure a properly operating furnace.

Additonal Services

Your furnace may also require additional cleaning or refilling before it’s turned on again. This will ensure everything will operate properly for the future. The technician may also change the furnace filter. Sometimes a thorough furnace bleed requires more than one cycle. The technician will check the furnace performance and determine if it needs to be bled again.

What Is the Current Heating Oil Price Per Gallon?

If you’re out of fuel, you might be asking yourself, “what is the current price of home heating oil”. After all, you need to first know the cost before you can plan for how much you can afford to buy. The cost of heating oil currently is around $2.45 a gallon. The EIA forecasts that in 2021, the cost will rise slightly to $2.47. Prices are down from 2019, when heating oil averaged about $3 per gallon.

How Can I Prepare for the Future?

Preventative maintenance care can help save you from a potentially disastrous event. Sperr’s offers a yearly service contract that will keep your furnace running without any hiccups.  With a contract through Sperr’s, you’ll get:
  • Cleaning for one furnace
  • Tune-up for the burner
  • Complimentary service for burner
  • Replacements parts for furnace
Our HVAC technicians are also trained to service air conditioners. If you allow one of our technicians to tune-up your air conditioner in prep for summer, this can help lower your cooling costs and lower the chance of breakdowns.

Heating Oil When You Need It

If you want to ensure you have heating oil delivered often or are struggling to restart your furnace, then consider using the services of a professional. Avoid the stress of running out of heating oil in the first place by signing up for automated deliveries. Sperr’s has been in business for over three decades, since 1984. It is a family-owned business that places importance on providing quality service to people living in the Glen Mills, Pennsylvania area. Contact us today to set up heating oil home delivery.