How Does My Heating Oil Gauge Work? November 11, 2019

You never want to run out of heating oil, but how can you ensure that you never need to worry about doing so? One of the easiest ways to determine how much fuel you have left is by checking your heating oil gauge. While reading your fuel gauge is simple, it is not always easy to immediately interpret the information, which is why we are here to help.

What Does a Heating Oil Gauge Do?

First, you should know that a heating oil gauge does not show exactly how many gallons of oil are left in the tank. Instead, it shows what percentage of the tank has heating oil left in it. Because heating oil tanks use a float gauge instead of another type of measurement tool, it displays the oil level instead of an exact amount. When you check your heating oil gauge, you will notice that it indicates if the tank is full, ¾ full, ½ full, ¼ full or almost empty. That means that you will need to take the reading it indicates it and compare it to the total capacity of your tank to understand how many gallons of fuel you have left.

How Can I Determine How Much Oil I Have Left?

One of the biggest complications when determining how much heating oil you have left is the shape of many tanks. When you rely on a float device to tell you how much fuel is left inside of a round or oval-shaped container, it will be most accurate at three specific levels:

1. When the heating oil is flush with the top of the tank or it has just been filled, the volume level on your tank will be completely accurate.
2. When the float is at the bottom of your tank, the heating oil gauge will accurately display that the tank is empty. You should never allow the gauge to read completely empty, as debris and water in the tank will be drawn into the heating system and require repairs.
3. When the oil level is in the middle of the tank, regardless of the shape, you can accurately see that the tank is half full.

I Need a Heating Oil Delivery!

Husky Heating Oil is a leader in high-quality heating oil delivery for homeowners in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County and Howard County. Since 1993, we have worked hard to deliver our customers cost-effective fuels to heat their homes. To check our rates or place your order, please visit our website or call us today at (410) 220-5386.