10/24/2026
Ran out of oil on a Saturday morning? Here’s what I did at my rental today.
In a pinch, diesel from the gas station works in place of home heating oil. They’re nearly the same fuel. A few things to know:
• Put in at least 5–10 gallons. The pickup line sits a few inches off the bottom of the tank.
• Hit the reset button on the burner once. If it doesn’t fire, don’t keep pressing it. Unburned oil can build up and cause a puffback.
• If it still won’t light, the line likely has air in it and the pump needs to be bled.
• Your thermostat may need time to recharge after losing power.
Then call your oil company and get on automatic delivery so this doesn’t happen in January.