All residential oil tanks come equipped with an oil tank gauge.
The gauge lets you know how much oil is left in your tank and indicates to you when you should call your oil company for your next delivery.
Knowing how to read your oil tank gauge is an essential piece of home-maintenance know how that will help you keep your home warm. Familiarity with your oil gauge will also alert you to when something could be wrong with your home heating system.
Locations of residential home oil tanks
There are two primary locations for home oil tanks.
- Indoor – Indoor tanks are the more popular option. Indoor tanks are often in the basement of a home where they don’t interfere with everyday activities. Indoor tanks are safe but should be installed at least 5ft away from combustion appliances. Indoor tanks are more popular because they are not exposed to the elements and therefore have fewer maintenance risks affiliated with them.
- Outdoor – Outdoor oil tanks are typically installed on the side or in the backyard adjacent to the home. Outdoor tanks are popular when there is no basement in the home. Outdoor oil tanks pose more concerns than indoor oil tanks. They are prone to eventual rusting or corrosion from the elements, require a special blend of oil to prevent it from freezing or “gelling” in cold weather, and are not the most pleasant sites.
Indoor tanks are often preferred for their convenience and reduced maintenance worry. If you have an indoor oil tank, it is also easier to check your gauge!
Understanding your tank’s oil gaguge
The exact location of your oil gauge may vary based on your tank. However, the oil gauge is typically located on top of your tank.
Many gauges are a plastic tube with a plastic “float” inside.
This plastic float rises and falls based no the amount of oil in your tank.
The float usually has several markings on the outside indicating the oil levels.
- F – Full
- ¾
- ⅓
- ¼
The top of the float indicates how much fuel is left in your tank.
How much oil your tank holds
Residential heating oil tanks hold approximately 275 gallons of oil.
The typical oil furnace burns between 1 and 1.7 gallons of fuel per hour. Many homes use between 4 and 10 gallons of fuel per day. During the winter, this equates to roughly 1 fill-up per month. More oil deliveries are often needed if the month is very cold!
Schedule an oil delivery when your tank reads ¼ full
This is the ideal time to schedule an oil delivery. The efficiency of your furnace and how much you run the furnace will determine how long your oil will last.
For this reason, it’s best to call ahead or schedule your delivery when you still have enough oil in your tank to last for at least several days.
Running out of oil can cause problems – and increase costs to you!
Knowing how to read your gauge is key to keeping your furnace running
Keeping an eye on your oil tank gauge is key to not running out of oil. Automatic oil delivery is another option that puts your delivery schedule in the hands of your experienced oil delivery provider–ensuring you don’t run out of oil.
