Did your furnace run out of heating oil? In many instances, your furnace or boiler should just restart once your heating oil delivery is complete. However, if it does not, it is possible for you to restart it without much effort. Nonetheless, the ideal situation is for you not to run into these circumstances, but it is a good idea to know what to do if this ever occurs.

Restarting Your Furnace

Step 1: Check the Thermostat – The very first thing to do is ensure your thermostat setting is above the current temperature in your home. You would be surprised how many service calls resulted from the thermostat not being turned up.

Step 2: Check the Emergency Shut Off Switch – Typically, somewhere in your home, there is a red emergency shut off switch that turns your furnace off quickly when needed. Check to make sure this is turned on.

Step 3: Press the Reset Button – This button is on the furnace and is typically red and labeled “reset”. Some modeled may also light up with a message code. Press this button and your furnace should restart. If it doesn’t, wait 10 minutes and try again.

Step 4: Bleed the Line – At this point, if your furnace does not start, there is likely an air bubble in the line. If you are not familiar with your furnace, we recommend calling us to have a technician come out. The fix is not difficult, but you do need to be handy.

  1. Switch off your furnace.
  2. Find the bleeder valve.
  3. Attach a short piece of 1/4″ nylon tubing to the valve.
  4. Open value a half turn.
  5. Turn the furnace back on.
  6. Press the reset button.
  7. Bleed line until there is a steady stream of fuel.
  8. Retighten the bleeder value.

At this pint, your furnace should restart and run without a problem. However, if there is still an issue, it may be a sign of a bad pump or another issue. Other problems can occur, such as a crushed line or damaged filter. At this point, it is recommended that you call a professional.

What haven’t we covered yet that is important to you? If you would like to talk about your furnace not starting after running out of heating oil, then refilling, or need more information, please contact us.