Ran out of heating oil? What to do now

Is the tank really empty?

A boiler can stop for lots of reasons. Before you order, check the tank. Read the gauge, or dip the tank with a clean stick (see how to check your oil tank level). If there is still a good depth of oil, the problem is more likely the boiler, so go to oil boiler not working.

If the tank went from plenty to empty much faster than usual, you may have a leak or a theft. If you smell oil or see staining around the tank, read what to do if your oil tank is leaking. If anyone feels dizzy, sick or drowsy indoors, get everyone outside and call 112 or 999.

How to get heating oil delivered fast

Your best bet is a delivery from a local oil supplier. A few things help:

• Ring, don't just order online. Say plainly that you have run out, and ask whether they have an urgent or next-day service.
• Ask about the smallest amount they will bring. Order sizes and minimums vary by oil supplier. A smaller top-up now and a bigger order later can make sense if money is tight.
• Ask what an urgent or next-day delivery costs. Certa, one Irish oil supplier, says an emergency delivery will cost more, and that suppliers may take a while to reach you in winter when demand is high.
• Try more than one oil supplier. Delivery days depend on each one's routes, so the cheapest may not be the soonest.
• Make sure the driver can get to the tank, and tell them it ran dry.

Tankful can do the ringing round for you. Find me a delivery asks the best-priced oil suppliers near you, one at a time, and tells you when one confirms. You can also compare oil supplier prices in your county and call them directly.

Can you buy heating oil at a petrol station?

Yes. The Health and Safety Authority says selling home heating oil in 20 and 25 litre containers at retail outlets and fuel depots is common practice in Ireland. Some fuel stations sell it ready-filled. Others have a kerosene pump where you fill your own container.

A 20 litre can won't go far. A typical home burns about 7 litres a day in January, so one can buys you about 3 days. That can bridge the gap until a delivery arrives.

Using cans safely

• Use a container made for kerosene. The HSA says cans sold to the public must have a child-resistant cap and a raised warning triangle you can feel, and must carry the hazard label.
• Never use a drinks bottle or any container that could be mistaken for something else. Kerosene may be fatal if swallowed. Keep it away from children.
• Don't use a petrol can or put petrol or road diesel in your tank. Irish home heating oil is typically kerosene, which is what your boiler is set up for. See kerosene vs gas oil if you're unsure which you use.
• Carry the cans upright and wedged in the boot, with the caps tight. Open a window on the drive home.
• Wear gloves when pouring, as kerosene irritates skin. Use a funnel into the fill point of the tank. No smoking or naked flames nearby.
• Mop up any spill with an absorbent such as cat litter or sand. Don't hose it into a drain. Store spare cans tightly closed in a cool, dry, ventilated place, away from flames and heat, as the HSA advises.

Getting the boiler going again

Adding oil doesn't always restart the boiler. When the tank runs dry, air is drawn into the fuel line, and sludge from the bottom of the tank can block the filter.

1. After the oil goes in, give it about an hour for anything stirred up to settle.
2. Press the boiler's reset button once.
3. If it fires, keep an eye on it for the first day.
4. If it locks out again, don't keep pressing reset. Repeated resets can leave unburnt oil in the boiler. The fuel line may need bleeding or the filter changing.

If you haven't bled a fuel line before, ask the oil supplier or an OFTEC-registered technician. Our oil boiler not working guide has the full set of safe checks.

Keeping warm until the oil arrives

Heat one room and keep the doors shut. Electric heaters are fine if they are in good condition and kept clear of curtains and bedding. Older people, babies and anyone who is ill feel the cold most, so check on them first.

Never bring a barbecue, patio heater or generator indoors to keep warm. They give off carbon monoxide, and Gas Networks Ireland warns that barbecues keep giving it off after they seem to have gone out. A carbon monoxide alarm near any boiler or stove is worth having.

Help paying for heating oil

If you ran out because you couldn't afford a delivery, ask for help now, not after the next bill.

• The Additional Needs Payment can help with an essential cost you can't meet from your income, and the Department of Social Protection lists heating among them. You don't need to be on a social welfare payment to apply. Apply on MyWelfare.ie or at your local Intreo Centre.
• Fuel Allowance is paid through the winter if you get a qualifying social welfare payment, or are 66 or over and pass a means test.

Our guide to heating oil grants and help with costs has amounts and who qualifies.

How to avoid running out again

• Order well before the tank is low. Certa suggests reordering with at least a quarter of the tank left. That also keeps the boiler away from the sludge at the bottom.
• Check the tank every week or two in winter, and write down the readings.
• Use the Tankful tank planner. It uses the weather forecast for your county to work out the date you should order by. You can save that date to your calendar.
• Set a price alert so you hear when prices in your county drop, and order before you are in a hurry.
• Know roughly how long a fill lasts for a house like yours.

Common questions

Get oil on the way

Need oil now? Ask Tankful to find you a delivery. Once the tank is full, put your level into the planner so you know when to order next time.