How To Read a Heating Oil Tank Gauge

If you’ve been relying on oil heat in your Michigan home for more years than you can remember, you’re an old hand at reading your oil tank gauge and knowing when it’s time to call for more fuel. Of course, you may have asked your oilheat company to put you on their automatic delivery so you don’t have to deal with this task.

But if you’re fairly new to living in an oil-heated home, you may not be familiar with the basics of reading your heating oil tank gauge.

• Your heating oil tank gauge is usually a clear glass or plastic cylinder located at or near the top of the tank. The gauge is marked with numbers that look a lot like a car’s fuel gauge: F, ¾, ½, ¼. A red marker or float tells you how much fuel you have left. If the marker is at the bottom of the gauge or not visible, your tank is empty—or close to it.
• To make sure the gauge is working, carefully remove the outer case and gently press the float down. If it bobs back up to the original position, the gauge is working. If the gauge is not working, arrange for a repair.
• Order more fuel when the gauge reaches ¼.

As noted before, if you don’t want to spend time reading your tank gauge and placing an order when you need more fuel, your oilheat company may be able to set you up on an automatic delivery schedule. Your heating oil supplier will estimate when your next delivery is needed based on computer modeling and your past usage. In most cases, they will get your heating oil to you when your tank is about one-quarter full.

Weather forecasting: how much heating oil will you need?

Many factors will affect how much heating oil you will use. This can include outdoor temperatures, the overall efficiency of your heating equipment, and how well your home is insulated. But here’s one measuring stick: if outdoor temperatures average about 32° over a 24-hour period, a 2,500 square foot house will burn about 6-7 gallons of heating oil per day.

If you have questions about your heating oil tank or heating oil deliveries, contact your local heating oil company and they will be glad to help.