What to Do If You Run Out of Heating Oil

Posted Sunday May 24, 2026

Running out of heating oil on a cold Long Island night is stressful, but it's fixable. Here's exactly what to do to get your heat back on quickly and safely.

1. Turn Off the Burner

Switch your heating system off at the emergency switch. Running a burner with no oil can pull air and sediment into the lines, making the restart harder.

2. Order Oil Right Away

Place an order for delivery as soon as possible and choose the earliest date. Oilex Fuel offers same-day and emergency delivery across Nassau County when it's available — or call (516) 333-2703 for urgent help.

3. Add Priming Service

When a tank runs completely dry, air gets into the fuel lines and the system usually won't restart on its own. Add priming service at checkout — after we deliver, our technician primes the lines and restarts your unit. Someone needs to be home for this.

4. Stay Warm and Safe While You Wait

Use blankets and layers, close off unused rooms, and avoid unsafe heat sources like ovens. Space heaters should be used carefully and never left unattended.

Why Systems Run Dry (and Why It's a Problem)

Most run-outs happen for simple reasons: a stuck or ignored tank gauge, an unusually cold stretch that burns oil faster than expected, or just losing track during a busy winter. The trouble is that an empty tank doesn't only mean no heat — as the last of the oil is drawn down, sediment and air get pulled into the fuel lines and filter. That's why a dry system almost always needs professional priming to run again, rather than simply firing back up once oil is added.

Make Sure It Doesn't Happen Again

Once you're warm, the best fix is prevention: enroll in automatic delivery and tank monitoring so Oilex tops off your tank before it ever runs low. Learn to read your tank gauge and reorder at a quarter tank.