What Is That Whistling Sound During An Oil Delivery?
Filling your oil tank can seem like a daunting task, especially if you are a new heating oil consumer. When you have a reliable oil delivery company on your side, you can rest easy knowing that they will handle the delivery well and even guide you through it carefully. The process is a quick and simple one as long as you have a well-maintained and fully-functioning system.
If you’ve had oil delivered already, you might have heard a whistling sound being emitted by your tank. Don’t worry, as this is perfectly normal. The oil tank vent alarm causes the sound. This article will discuss this sound and why it is vital to your heating oil system.
Where Is The Whistling Sound Coming From During An Oil Delivery?
Heating oil is delivered to homes through large trucks. The oil is put in tanks, which are connected to your heating system. The oil depletes the more you use your system. As the liquid dwindles, air replaces it inside the tank. During the refilling process, the air is pushed out and passes through the oil tank vent alarm. The whistling sound is produced this way. Tanks are equipped with this alarm as it acts as a signal that can be heard to the delivery truck.
When Will The OilTank Vent Alarm Whistling Sound Stop?
The air in your tank passes through the vent alarm as it goes out through the vent pipe. As long as there is air, the whistling sound will not stop. This will only happen when the tank is full. Since no more air needs to escape and the whistling has stopped, the personnel will stop the delivery process. This is done manually to be more precise so having a reliable and audible signal is a must.
Keep in mind that each home has different sized tanks. You might not know the exact size of the one you have, especially if the tank you have is underground. Fortunately, knowing your tank’s capacity is unnecessary as the oil tank vent alarm helps you know the refill’s state.
Why Is This Whistling Sound Important?
The whistling sound is crucial as the refilling process depends heavily on it. Most heating oil companies do not allow tank refilling if there is no oil tank vent alarm. This is usually determined by letting the oil flow through the tank, as doing so will trigger the alarm immediately. If no sound is heard, then they stop the delivery as soon as possible. Without this sound, they will not know when to shut things off. The oil might end up spilling throughout your home and cause damage. As a safety measure, many heating oil delivery companies have a no vent alarm, no delivery policy in place.
What Does It Mean If I Don’t Hear A Whistle During Heating Oil Delivery?
Some of the possible reasons you do not hear a whistling sound during the delivery include:
- Incorrect Oil Tank Connections: The lack of whistling can be attributed to the absence of a tank connected to the pipes. It is a rare occurrence, but it does happen. For example, you might be a new homeowner and the previous owners already excavated the old tank without your knowledge. The tank might also still be there, but the pipe connections have been severed.
- Damaged Seals: Openings in the tank allow the air to escape through these instead of through the proper channels. If the tank is sealed incorrectly, the air does not reach the vent alarm, and no sound can be heard. Remember that the airflow must only be through the vent pipe so that the whistle can be triggered. Make sure the hole is sealed so the refilling process can continue.
- Problematic Vent Pipe: The vent pipe might be clogged with insects that have tried to build nests inside. To ensure proper airflow, remove all blockages. Otherwise, air pressure can build up and reach a dangerous level. This can result in interior tank damages as well.
- Broken Whistle: You might have a malfunctioning vent alarm. The holes might be filled with debris or insects that are blocking the airflow. Unplug these clogs so that the air can pass through and the whistle sound can be heard again. This way, the refilling can commence.
Conclusion
R.F. Ohl’s team of experts will conduct a check-up on your tank if there is no whistling sound. One of our reliable technicians can also perform a maintenance visit to determine and diagnose the problem. This way, the necessary repairs can be conducted. Call us for any questions or concerns you have about our heating oil delivery services.
Call R.F. Ohl for Solutions to Ensuring Comfort in Your Home
If you need to have heating oil delivered to your house, call R.F. Ohl. Our prices for quality discounted heating oil are the best. We also offer efficient heating solutions for your family and home.
The expert technicians on our team are equipped to handle any HVAC repair or maintenance. Contact us to hear about our various services. We can assist by answering your questions and concerns. For more information about our efficient HVAC services or oil deliveries, call R.F. Ohl today!
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