ᐅ Is it better to drain the oil heating system before renovation, or not?

Hello everyone,

Some time ago, I bought a house with an old oil heating system. The house is currently unoccupied and will be renovated soon, including replacing the heating system. I was advised to keep the heating running at a minimal level to prevent mold and to avoid the masonry from cooling down too much.

Due to the onset of winter, I am beginning to doubt whether the remaining fuel quantity is still sufficient. There are three oil tanks, each with a capacity of 1600 liters (420 gallons). The height of each tank is about 170 cm (67 inches). The tanks do not have a gauge, but I was able to measure with a tape measure inside one tank, where the remaining fuel level is approximately 20 cm (8 inches) from the tank bottom.

Can I let the oil heating system run completely empty, or should I refill it to be safe? Would it be problematic if the house remains without heating for 3-4 weeks? Due to the distance to the property, I cannot check on it daily.

Best regards

Easy to heat until the tanks are empty. That’s a manageable consumption. 15 degrees Celsius (59°F) is sufficient.