Oil boiler lockout: what to do (and what not to do)
Your boiler has gone to lockout and the house is getting cold. Here are the safe, sensible steps, and the one thing you must never do.
By MyOil Team ·
These are general steps. If you are unsure, stop and contact an OFTEC-registered technician. Never repeatedly reset a boiler. For a suspected leak or carbon monoxide, leave and call for help.
First, stay safe
If you smell oil strongly, suspect a leak, or your carbon monoxide alarm is sounding, stop, leave the property, and call a registered technician or emergency services. Do not try to diagnose those yourself.
The one-reset rule
If the boiler has locked out, you may press the reset (lockout) button once. Never press it repeatedly, each failed attempt pumps unburned oil into the combustion chamber, which is a genuine fire risk.
Common, safe checks
- Is there oil in the tank? A run-out is the most common cause of lockout.
- Is the fuel valve open and the electricity supply on?
- After a run-out, the line often needs bleeding to clear air, many people do this in a few minutes, but if you are not comfortable handling fuel lines, stop and call an OFTEC-registered technician.
If one reset doesn't restore heat, book a professional rather than trying again.
Catch the dips, not the spikes
Set a price-drop alert and we'll email you when oil gets cheaper in your county.
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Pop in your tank and last fill, and we'll estimate how many days you've got left.
See when you'll run out →Never overpay, never run dry.
Tell us your county and we'll watch the price by the fill, not the cent. Add your tank and we'll tell you when you'll run out, and nudge you in good time to order.