Diesel fuel used in diesel-powered vehicles and other engines is basically No. 2 home heating oil. The only difference is that home heating oil has a dye added to it that distinguishes it from untaxed or lower-taxed fuels. The higher-taxed diesel fuels are used for over-the-road vehicles. However, if an emergency were to arise such as the home running out of heating oil, diesel fuel could be purchased at the local service station. Homeowners can substitute diesel fuel for home heating oil in any quantity necessary while awaiting delivery of home heating oil.
Step 1: Call Love Energy Fuel
Understandably, the first thing to do when you have no more heating oil is called Love Energy Fuel for a delivery. Keep in mind that this will take time, mainly when the snow has blocked many roads leading to your home, you will have to use a substitute fuel, such as diesel.
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Step 2: Go to your Local Gas Station and “BUY DIESEL” ***NOT GASOLINE**
Look for a gas container or buy one at your local hardware store. The ideal container should hold at least five+ gallons of fuel. Since you do not know how long the heating oil company will take to deliver the fuel, you should buy as much diesel as possible.
Step 3: Fill Up Your Oil Tank
Preferably, you should try to add the diesel fuel to your tank prior to your furnace running completely out of oil. If you do run out all the way, you will have to be able to bleed all of the air out of the oil line to get it back up and to run again. This will usually entail making sure that the filter, nozzle, and the oil pump are all clear and taking the time to ensure that no sludge makes its way through that could cause any blockage. When you get back home, turn the home thermostat that controls the oil furnace to the “off” position, fill up your oil tank with the diesel and give it 10 minutes to settle in the tank. This will allow any sediments and impurities to settle at the bottom of the tank, thereby giving the fuel intake line access to clean fuel.
Step 4: Restart The Furnace
Restarting the furnace can be as simple as pushing the red reset button on your furnace. You may need to press the reset button several times to bleed the fuel line and restart your furnace. Once the heater has turned on, your home will be heated normally. The fuel should be enough to last you until the heating oil company delivers the heating oil you ordered.
In some cases, the fuel supply system of the furnace may need manual bleeding. To perform this procedure, you will need to have a pipe wrench a quarter-inch nylon tubing, and a clean container.
Start by shutting off the furnace through the toggle switch on the unit. The next step is to locate the bleeder valve on the furnace’s oil pump. This component looks like a grease fitting and can be opened or tightened using a 1 cm wrench. Once you have located the bleeder valve, insert the 1/4 inch nylon tubing. The tube should lead to a clean empty container.
Next, turn on the furnace and loosen the bleeder valve using the wrench. Be sure to hold the nylon tubing inside the container to ensure diesel does not spill. At first, the fuel is going to gurgle out of the tube due to the presence of air. After a couple of seconds, however, only oil will stream out of the nylon tubing. When you notice this, use the wrench to tighten the bleeder valve before restarting the furnace and cleaning up the work area.