How to Read An Oil Tank Gauge: Heating Oil 101

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If you’re not a Penguin automatic heating oil delivery customer, one of the most important tasks you have is to keep an eye on how much fuel you have in your storage tank. To do that, you need to know how to read a heating oil tank gauge.

Tank Gauge Reading Basics

On top of the tank is a clear plastic cube with markings on the outside that look a lot like numbers you would find on a car’s fuel gauge: F, ¾, ½, ¼, etc. A red marker or float typically indicates the amount of oil in the tank; if the float is at the bottom of the gauge or not visible, your tank is empty or nearly empty.
The most common size for a heating tank is 275 gallons, but it’s important to realize that a 275-gallon tank does not actually hold that many gallons of fuel: the real-world capacity is closer to 225 gallons of fuel or so. The rest of the space is needed for air or debris that collects at the bottom of your tank. This is important because it means that when your gauge reads “½”, you actually have about 110 gallons left, NOT 140.
Other tank sizes include 340 and 420 gallons, which are typically used for very large homes and commercial spaces.
An average 2,500 square foot house will use anywhere from five to eight gallons of heating oil per day if the temperature outside is at or about the freezing level. That means that if you have a quarter of a tank of oil left in your 275-gallon tank (which, remember, holds only 225 gallons), you’ll have enough fuel to last about a week – which is why we urge you to call for your heating oil delivery when your tank reaches about one third full. The colder it is outside, or the larger your home is, the faster your heating system will consume fuel oil, so please keep this in mind when you order your heating oil.
To make sure the gauge is working properly, 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, contact us–we’ll check it out.

For reliable heating oil delivery at a great price anywhere in our Sullivan, Orange and eastern Ulster County service area, trust the pros at Penguin Energy. Contact us today to learn more, or to become a Penguin Energy customer!