Free heating oil tool

When Will My Heating Oil Run Out?

A 1,200 litre tank at 30% holds about 360 litres. On a home using 1,800 litres a year, that is roughly 84 days from now, running out around 7 December 2026. To stay safe you would order by 27 November 2026.

Your tank

Tank capacity (litres)

Current level: 30% (about 360 litres)

Estimated annual usage (litres)

Not sure? Use the oil usage calculator to estimate this. The model spreads use across the year using an illustrative seasonal split.

Your estimate

Estimated run-out

7 December 2026

About 84 days away. Likely between 24 November 2026 and 20 December 2026.

Order by

27 November 2026

Allows 7 days delivery lead time plus a 3 day safety buffer.

Month-by-month depletion

Month	Used	Left
September	67	293
October	123	170
November	119	51
December	60	0

A worked example

Take a 1,200 litre tank showing 30% on the gauge, which is about 360 litres, on a home that uses 1,800 litres a year. Rather than assume steady use, the model spreads use across the year, with roughly half falling in winter. That puts daily use near 10 litres in January and around 1 litres in July.

Depleting 360 litres forward from 14 September 2026, the oil lasts about 84 days and runs out around 7 December 2026. Because the model is rough, treat that as a window of plus or minus 13 days.

The date that matters is the order-by date. Allowing 7 days of delivery lead time and a 3 day safety buffer, you would order by 27 November 2026 to be confident of a delivery before the tank runs dry.

Days of oil remaining by tank size and level

Approximate days from today, assuming 1,800 litres of annual use. Winter fills deplete faster.

Tank	50% full	40% full	30% full	20% full
1,000 L	98 days	88 days	76 days	51 days
1,200 L	108 days	96 days	84 days	61 days
1,360 L	116 days	102 days	88 days	69 days
2,000 L	148 days	128 days	108 days	88 days
2,500 L	177 days	148 days	123 days	98 days

How this is calculated

daily_use(month) = annual_litres x seasonal_share(season) / days_in_season
  seasonal_share: winter 0.5, spring 0.25, summer 0.05, autumn 0.2  (illustrative model, dated 2026-07-28)

Deplete the current litres forward, day by day, until they reach zero -> run-out date.

order_by = runout_date - lead_days(7) - safety_buffer(3 days)

Worked example (1200L at 30%, 1800L/year from today):
  current  = 360 litres
  winter use ~ 10 L/day, summer use ~ 1 L/day
  run-out  ~ 7 December 2026  (about 84 days, plus or minus 13)
  order by ~ 27 November 2026

Figures used on this page

Figure	Value	Source	Verified
seasonal share	see page	Illustrative seasonal model. No authoritative UK source publishes a domestic kerosene seasonal split; this model is stated as illustrative on every page that uses it.	2026-07-28
lead days default	7 days	Indicative estimate - not independently sourced	2026-07-28
safety buffer days	3 days	Compare My Heating Oil editorial policy, order-by safety margin	2026-07-28

What affects the result

The season you are in. The same litres last far longer in July than in January. Our model concentrates use in winter, so a tank filled in autumn drains quickly once the cold weather sets in.

How accurate your annual figure is. The projection is only as good as the annual usage you enter. If you are unsure, estimate it with the oil usage calculator and treat the result here as a guide, not a guarantee.

Delivery lead time. Lead times stretch in cold snaps when everyone orders at once. We build in 7 days plus a 3 day buffer, but if your supplier is quoting longer, order earlier than the tool suggests.

This is a model, not a forecast. Real daily use jumps around with the weather and how you run the heating. The confidence range is there to remind you that a single exact date would be false precision.

Run-Out Date Calculator FAQs

When will my heating oil run out?

It depends on how much you have and how fast you burn it, which rises sharply in winter. In the worked example, a 1,200 litre tank at 30% with 1,800 litres of annual use lasts about 84 days, running out around 7 December 2026.

Why does the tool give a range, not one date?

A single date implies precision this model cannot honestly claim. Weather, thermostat settings and boiler condition all move daily use, so we show a confidence window of plus or minus 13 days around the central estimate rather than a false-precision single date.

What is the order-by date and why does it matter?

It is the date to place an order so oil arrives before you run dry, allowing 7 days of typical delivery lead time and a 3 day safety buffer. The order-by date, not the run-out date, is the decision you actually face.

How is winter usage handled?

Use is not spread evenly. Our illustrative seasonal model puts about half of annual use in winter, so daily use in January (around 10 litres in the example) is much higher than in July (around 1 litres). The projection depletes month by month to reflect this.

What if I do not know my annual usage?

Estimate it first with our oil usage calculator, which works from bedrooms or floor area, age, insulation and boiler type. You can then bring that figure here. A rough annual figure is enough to get a useful order-by date.

How can I avoid an emergency delivery?

Order by the date this tool gives you. Emergency deliveries typically cost 8 to 15p per litre more than a planned order, which on 500 litres is roughly 40 to 75 pounds extra. Ordering in good time almost always avoids that premium.