If you’ve suddenly found yourself with no heating, no hot water and no gas supply, it’s understandable to be concerned, particularly during the colder months.
While for a home, losing LPG can mean no heating, no hot water or cooking, for a business the impact can be even greater. Hotels, pubs, restaurants, care homes, manufacturing sites, farms and other commercial premises may rely on LPG for heating, hot water, cooking, production processes or other essential operations.
The good news is that a loss of heating, hot water or gas supply doesn’t always mean you’ve run out of LPG. In many cases, the cause can be much simpler, such as a boiler lockout, appliance fault, heating control issue or interruption to the electrical supply.
There are a few simple checks you can carry out before contacting us that may help identify the cause. Understanding what’s happened can help you get things back up and running more quickly.
Whether you're a homeowner, running a hotel or restaurant, managing a manufacturing site or operating a farm, this blog explains what to check if you suddenly find yourself without LPG.
From checking your tank gauge to understanding why you may still have no gas after a delivery, we’ll guide you through the process and explain what to do next.
How do I know If my LPG tank Is empty?
One of the first things to check is your LPG tank gauge. This is the quickest and easiest way to see whether there's enough gas in your tank to supply your home or business.
The location of the gauge will depend on the type of tank you have:
- Above-ground tanks: Lift the tank lid and you’ll find the gauge beneath it
- Underground tanks: Open the green access cover at ground level to locate the gauge inside the tank chamber
The gauge displays an approximate percentage of gas remaining in your tank. While it’s normal for levels to fluctuate between deliveries, a reading close to or at 0% could indicate that your LPG tank may be empty.
Signs your LPG tank may be empty:
- The tank gauge is reading 0%
- You have no heating or hot water
- Your gas appliances are not operating as expected
- Your boiler is no longer firing up
Before assuming the tank is empty, it's worth carrying out a few additional checks. In some cases, the issue may be unrelated to your LPG supply and could be caused by a fault with your boiler, heating controls or electrical supply rather than the tank itself.
Check that:
- Any emergency control valves are fully open
- Your boiler or appliance isn't displaying a fault code or warning light
- There hasn't been a power cut affecting your property
- Your thermostat and heating controls are switched on and operating correctly
What if my tank gauge is showing low or empty?
If you’ve checked your tank gauge and believe your tank is empty, please contact our Customer Service team as soon as possible.
We understand that finding yourself without gas can be worrying and inconvenient, particularly if you’re relying on LPG for your heating, hot water or cooking. The sooner we’re aware of the situation, the sooner we can assess the circumstances and help restore your supply.
When you get in touch, we'll:
- Confirm your account details
- Review your recent delivery history
- Arrange a delivery as quickly as possible
- Advise on expected delivery times
- Explain the steps need to restore your supply
Our friendly team will talk you through the next steps and make sure you have the information you need.
Looking to avoid running low on LPG?
If you currently place gas orders manually, you may wish to consider the Northern Energy automatic top-up service once your supply has been restored. By monitoring your expected usage patterns and scheduling deliveries accordingly, auto top-up removes the need to regularly check your gauge or remember to place an order, providing added convenience and peace of mind throughout the year.
Commercial customers can also benefit from our telemetry systems, which provide a live feed of the LPG tank levels and enable accurage monitoring of usage. This allows us to plan deliveries effectively and at the right time, and reducing the risk of your business running low on fuel.
Whether you’re an automatic top-up or manual-order customer, our priority is getting your LPG supply restored as quickly and safely as possible.
What happens after my LPG delivery?
Once your tank has been refilled, you may find that your heating, hot water or gas appliances won’t start working straight away. While this can be concerning, it’s usually nothing to worry about and is a normal part of the process after an LPG supply interruption.
Many LPG boilers and appliances are fitted with built-in safety features that activate when the gas supply is exhausted. These safety mechanisms are designed to protect your heating system and may prevent gas from flowing immediately, even after your tank has been refilled.
As a result, some appliances may need to be reset before they return to normal operation. This is particularly common with boilers, which can enter a ‘lockout’ mode when they detect an interruption to your gas supply.
It is important to remember that a delivery restores the gas to your bulk LPG tank, but your heating system may still need a little assistance to recognise that the supply has been reinstated. In most cases, following the manufacturer’s reset procedure will quickly resolve the issue.
If you’ve received a delivery and are still experiencing problems, don’t panic. Next, we’ll explain the checks you can carry out and the steps to take if you’re still without heating, hot water or gas after your tank has been refilled.
Refilled but still no gas?
If your tank has been refilled but you're still experiencing problems, you may need to:
- Reset your boiler: Check your boiler display for any fault codes and refer to your manufacturer's instructions for guidance on how to reset it
- Check other gas appliances: Gas fires, cookers and other appliances may also require resetting or relighting once the gas supply has been restored. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions when doing so
- Check your emergency control valve: Make sure any emergency control valves are fully open following the delivery and after completing any reset procedures
Still need help?
If you've carried out the checks above and you’re still without heating, hot water or gas, please get in touch with us on 01423 772 789.
Our friendly team will be happy to help identify the cause of the issue and advise on the next steps to get your LPG supply restored as quickly as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if my LPG tank is empty?
If your LPG tank runs out, your heating, hot water and gas appliances will stop working because there is no gas available to power them. Once your tank has been refilled, some appliances may need to be reset before they resume normal operation.
Why do I still have no gas after delivery?
Many LPG boilers and appliances have built-in safety features that activate when the gas supply is interrupted. After a delivery, you may need to reset your boiler or appliances before they begin working again.
Do I need to reset anything after an LPG supply interruption?
Possibly. Many boilers enter a lockout mode when the gas supply is interrupted. Check your boiler manual for reset instructions and any fault codes displayed.
How do I avoid running out of LPG?
Automatic top-up can help reduce the risk of running low on gas by scheduling deliveries based on your estimated usage patterns, giving you added peace of mind throughout the year.