If you have just moved into a home with heating oil for the first time, you may have a number of questions. Below are some of the most frequent questions we hear and some answers which we hope you will find helpful:
• What size is my oil tank?
Knowing the size of your oil tank and its capacity will make future orders much easier to make. The average domestic tank capacity usually ranges between 1000 litres to 1350 litres. Some larger domestic tanks have capacity of up to 2500 litres. All recently manufactured oil tanks must state their approximate maximum capacity (in litres) on the Product Label, which is generally located on the front or side of the tank. If you are still unsure of your tank’s capacity and want advice, please click here.
• How much oil should I order?
This normally comes down to available budget and if you like to keep your tank full. Filling the tank can be expensive and we recommend that you only order what is affordable. You can see average ordersizes throughout the UK on our Heating Oil page. We have created a pre-payment scheme to enable you to have money set aside in advance of your next oil order, click here for details.
• What is the lowest amount I can order?
Generally throughout the UK, the lowest amount you can order is 500 litres; however in some areas you will be able to order less than this. You can check by entering your postcode and an amount lower than 500 litres to see what we can do in your area.
• How long does delivery take?
Standard delivery is usually around 5 working days. In some cases there may be 10 working day window if it is to a remote location or far from the depot. If there is snow on the ground this also usually stretches the delivery window.
• How long will my oil last?
There are a huge number of factors which will affect how long your oil will last, and this is a very difficult question to answer. In previous blogs we have tried to answer this question and also provide tips on making sure your oil lasts as long as possible. One thing we would suggest is to make sure your boiler is serviced annually, to keep it running at its peak.
• How do I know when I am running low on oil?
Many tanks will come with a sight gauge (however these can get dirty and difficult to read) and you can also purchase a digital monitor which will let you know when you are running low on oil. If you do not have either of these, you can ‘dip’ the tank using a long wooden stick.
• What happens if I run out of oil
We would advise you to order as soon as you realise you are running low. Running the tank dry may mean your boiler will need bled – in this instance you will most likely need to call a plumber or heating engineer to get your heating running again. In some areas our drivers are trained to carry out a boiler bleed, and if you think this is necessary you will be able to select this at stage 1 of the order process (if available in your area). If you select a boiler bleed please make sure you leave your heating system switched on, so the air lock can be removed.
We hope you find this useful – if you have any other questions we have not answered please let us know and we will do our best to answer them.
