Eight Steps to Bleed & Reset Your Heater After Running Out of Heating Oil

1. You're in the middle of a cold winter night when your oil furnace runs out of fuel. If the oil heating system doesn't sit back on after refilling the tank, you may require to bleed and restart the heating system by hand. Prior to you invest a day freezing, you can try bleeding the furnace yourself. Before You Begin: Take Care and Take Safety Measures The only kind of furnace you can bleed and reboot is an oil heating system. If you have a gas furnace, or you aren't sure what kind of heater you have, don't try to bleed the heater yourself. If at any point during the procedure you end up being unsure of what's occurring, stop, switch off the furnace, and call an expert. You're dealing with components that get incredibly hot and that link to electricity. It can be hazardous to deal with a heater on your own. Bleeding the furnace should not put you in any danger, but it's much better to concentrate on your safety than to start a task you're not sure about simply because you want the heating system working again. A homeowner can successfully find out to do a task such as bleeding and rebooting an oil furnace, however you should be confident that you understand what you're doing. People who are experienced with such diy jobs will probably have the ability to bleed the heating system without too much of a concern. Individuals who seldom do this type of work around your house should let an expert handle it. You can always learn if you want to, however going at it alone the very first time isn't a good concept if you don't know what's going on. Step 1: Fill the Fuel Tank If you let your oil tank get too low, the furnace may turn off and stop producing heat. Your primary step, obviously, is to refill the fuel tank. Bleeding the heater won't help you at all if your tank is empty when you start the procedure. Step 2: Hit the Reset Button As soon as you have actually refilled your oil tank, your next step is to hit the reset button. The heater needs to start working again by itself. Bleeding the fuel line isn't required unless the heating system doesn't restart once you've put more oil inside. Usually, the reason for bleeding the furnace relates to fuel levels: If you let the oil entirely run out, that's when the heater may require extra assistance launching once again. To avoid this issue, refill the tank before the oil gets incredibly low. You'll also keep yourself from freezing when the heating system shuts off. Step 3: Shut Off the Furnace If striking the reset button does not work, you need to bleed the heating system to get it working once again. Start by switching off the furnace. There should be a switch straight on your heating system for this. On numerous furnaces, the reset button immediately shuts them off, so you may not need to change off your heating system

2. manually. You'll see a red light if your reset button has the heating system switched off already. Step 4: Gather Your Tools You'll require an adjustable wrench or an Allen key to fit the bleeder valve. If you're unsure which will fit your heater, examine your handbook or bring both along and see which is suitable. You also require flexible nylon tubing with a 1/4-inch diameter. A foot of tubing must do fine. Lastly, grab a container to catch the oil waste that is going to drain out of your furnace. An old bucket or coffee can will work. Put cat litter or sawdust in the container's bottom if you don't want oil to splash. Additionally, grab an empty bottle, preferably at least 32 ounces. If you wish to reuse the fuel you bleed into the container, make sure the container is tidy and do not fill it with anything. You can then return the fuel to the heater when you're finished with the bleeding procedure, however only do so if the oil coming out is clean. If you end up with sludge, do not reuse it. Do not forget to bring an old towel with you for your hands. You may want to wear clothes you do not mind getting unclean, considering that there's a chance you'll wind up with oil somewhere on you. Step 5: Find the Bleeder Valve To discover the bleeder valve, you'll need to discover the fuel pump. The fuel pump will have tubes going to it. The bleeder valve is going to be on one side of the fuel pump, and it'll have a hex nut on it. The nut may be metal or it might be a rubber plug. Do not worry if you don't see it right now. It's a little concealed on some heaters. Loosen up the nut a little bit to guarantee you can turn it at the appropriate moment. Then tighten it again, about a quarter turn, calgary furnace repair so oil does not dribble out. Don't loosen the nut entirely. Step 6: Connect Nylon Tubing Move the tubing into the bleeder valve and position it so its other end rests inside your container. Not everybody puts tubing on his or her bleeder valve. Some people just let the fuel dribble directly out into a container. If you don't have nylon tubing and you require your furnace to restart, proceed and follow the remainder of the steps without it. Just understand that the oil might splash, and the procedure will be messier by doing this. Likewise, make sure your container is sitting directly beneath the valve so oil doesn't get on the flooring. If you have a second person helping you, that person can hold the container straight below the valve to capture the oil and to reduce the opportunity it'll sprinkle. Step 7: Switch On the Heater and Unscrew the Valve Next, turn on the heater. Keep in mind how you loosened up the valve in the past, then tightened it just enough to be sure you could turn it once again rapidly? Now's the time to loosen it. You'll most likely need less than one rely on get the oil streaming. Loosen the valve up until oil and air start to come out. Let it drain until strong fuel comes out. If nothing comes out of the valve, you may need to hit the reset button after you've turned the on/off switch. If your heater automatically shuts itself off with the reset button, you might need to give it a number of shots. If the heating system does not turn on, you'll need to hire an expert specialist to have a look. The problem might be a blockage, a damaged fuel line, or a pump issue. Step 8: Tighten Up the Valve

3. When the oil comes out in a steady stream, tighten the valve. At this point, the burner should turn on. You'll know it when you hear it; this is the sound you associate with the furnace kicking on. If that happens, congratulations! You have actually effectively bled and rebooted your heater. Remove your tubing, clean up your container, and enjoy the warmth. If the heater's burner doesn't turn on after bleeding the oil the first time, try once again. Start by loosening the bleeder valve and letting fuel come out. You can try this several times. Nevertheless, if your heating system isn't shooting up until you've done it numerous times, then you've got used out parts and you need to call somebody in to look at it. It shouldn't take more than once or twice to bleed and reboot your heating system when the heater is in correct working order. When All Else Stops Working: Call an Expert Only an expert can properly identify why your heater isn't starting. If at any point in the procedure of bleeding the heating system something appears odd or you lose self-confidence, it's time to call a professional. Likewise, if the process doesn't work, something else is incorrect and you require a specialist to take a look at the furnace. Even if bleeding the furnace does work, however you find you need to do it often, it's probably time for an expert viewpoint.