How Much Heating Oil Will I Use in Winter?

Factors That Affect Heating Oil Usage in Wisconsin

While there are many variables that affect fuel usage, including outdoor temperatures, the quality of insulation in your home, the efficiency of your heating system and your family’s own heating preferences, there are general guidelines that can help you estimate how much heating oil you can expect to use.

Here is an example. If outdoor temperatures average about 32° over a 24-hour period, a typical 2,500 square foot house will burn about six or seven gallons of heating oil per day. On the other hand, if the average temperature was 40 degrees the next day, you would probably use a little under four gallons during that time.

So, if temperatures are right around the freezing mark and you have a quarter of a tank of oil left in your 275-gallon tank, you’ll have enough oil to last about a week. This is why you should call for your heating oil delivery when your tank gets to about the one-quarter level, especially during cold weather.

Remember: it’s always better to be conservative and order your heating oil early rather than getting stuck in a no-heat emergency because your tank went empty. The best way to avoid these risks and hassles altogether? Ask your heating oil supplier about automatic heating oil delivery service, which frees you from the task of always checking the fuel level in your heating oil storage tank because you’re worried about running out. They can calculate this for you.

How to Read Your Heating Oil Tank Gauge

Even if you’re a long-time heating oil consumer, it never hurts to review the basics of reading the heating oil tank gauge, especially in preparation for winter. Here are three key points.

1. On top of the tank is a clear glass or plastic cube that is marked with numbers that resemble the gasoline gauge of your car: F, ¾, ½, ¼. A red marker or float commonly shows the amount of fuel left in your tank – if the float is at the bottom of the gauge or not visible at all, your tank is empty or nearly empty.
2. To make sure the gauge is working, 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 your heating oil service provider to get it fixed.
3. The most common size of heating oil tank is 275 gallons, but the size of the tank doesn’t indicate how much fuel it holds. Here’s what we mean. When full, a 275-gallon tank holds approximately 225 gallons; the rest of the space is left to allow for air or sediment at the bottom of your tank. So, if your gauge reads “½” in a 275-gallon tank, you have about 110 gallons left, not 135 or so as you might first expect.

Finally, filling your heating oil tank before the cold weather sets in means you don’t have to worry about it later—when everyone is asking for fill-ups. Try to make it a point to contact your heating oil supplier in the early fall to request a delivery—and be sure to ask about the availability of automatic delivery for your heating oil.

Count on Your Wisconsin Heating Oil Company

When it’s cold, your heating oil company will have an ample supply of fuel on hand to make sure you stay warm. And when it’s time to upgrade your heating system, your heating oil company can help secure rebates that could save you money on new high-efficiency heating oil equipment, including heating oil storage tanks, vent alarm whistles and tank fill pipes.