How to Look After Heating Oil in Storage

For many rural homes in the UK, heating oil has become a popular alternative to a mains gas supply. This is due to the lack of

mains pipes in many rural areas. Heating oil leaks are few and far between if you have the correct equipment, and are carrying

out the appropriate checks often. So, whilst leaks from heating oil Shropshire based homes are unlikely, when they do happen

it can prove to be costly for the home-owner, and the surrounding environment.

Here is a simple guide on to safely and correctly store your domestic heating oil North Wales, which will help to safeguard you

against costly clean up bills, and help to keep the environment safe from harm.

Bunded Oil Tanks

To increase your chances of a spill free oil storage tank, a bunded tank is the way to go. It store oil in a tank, within another tank.

This incredibly useful innovation allows leaks from the internal tank to be caught by the external tank. All new domestic heating

oil tanks over 2500m3 must be bunded. Bunded tanks, with the proper maintenance can have a total lifespan of up to 20 years.

Older heating oil tanks have been more commonly manufactured with single layer metal, which means that they are far more

likely to corrode, and this leads to unnecessary and costly spills and leaks.

Specifications of Oil Storage Tanks

Storing domestic heating oil at a residential property comes with its own set of guidelines. All oil tanks have to be kept a

minimum of 10 metres away from any source of water, this includes but is not limited to; rivers, ponds, streams, lakes and
coastal waters. They should also be placed at least 50 metres away from a borehole or spring. All oil tanks should be kept at
least 1.8 metres away from a non-fire rated structure or building.

There should also be a good understanding of the underground pipework at the property, as this will ensure that any above
ground work is not going to have an adverse impact on the underground pipework.

The Environmental Impact

In terms of the environment, any type of oil can be extremely harmful, particularly to plants and animals. Contamination is the

biggest risk when it comes to an oil storage leak. Oil can easily pass through rock and soil, and this can result in the
contamination of entire water supplies. In rural areas, which often use heating oil; there is a heavy reliance on private water
sources, which in turn relies on the cleanliness of the groundwater. So if this is contaminated with oil, it can cause significant
problems which have a knock-on effect on those living in the surrounding local area.