At the end of the day, even though we come out and fill your heating oil tank for you, as the owner of an oil tank, it is your responsibility to inspect and properly maintain your oil tank, lines, and associated piping. Now, we realize that many of you may have absolutely no idea what heating oil tank maintenance entails, so we wanted to give you a little guidance in maintaining your heating oil tank.
Seasonally Unoccupied Homes
Maintaining your heat to a safe level throughout the heating season is critical. Freeze-ups in an occupied/empty or unoccupied dwelling or home can cause expensive losses. Water from broken pipes can flood a house in a matter of hours causing structural damage to the house and loss of personal property. As it is your responsibility to protect against frozen pipes and water damage from a drop in or loss of heat, please arrange for supervision of your home if you plan to be away from the premises for any length of time.
Fuel Delivery Lines
Unprotected fuel delivery lines are made of copper and may deteriorate if in contact with concrete or below ground, resulting in a line leak. In the event of such a leak, oil could be released, causing environmental damage that would require a costly cleanup. To avoid this exposure, both financially and personally, we suggest that you have your fuel delivery lines inspected and replaced with a sleeved line if necessary. Contact us to assist you with this inexpensive upgrade.
Tips for Maintaining Your Home Heating System
Whether it is your car, home, or heating system, regular maintenance is the key to preventing problems. Cleaning up oil leaks from home heating systems can cost between $20,000 and $50,000, with some cleanups costing significantly more. See below for ways to save money, help prevent leaks and spills, and protect the environment.
For the homeowner:
• Visually inspect tank, piping, and fuel delivery line. If a leak is detected, please notify us.
For the homeowner to enlist help from a licensed technician:
• Clean the furnace and repair or replace damaged parts. A well maintained furnace means lower fuel bills and cleaner emissions.
• Each fall, inspect the vent pipe to ensure that it is free of obstructions and that an audible signal (whistle) is on the vent to help avoid overfills.
• Remove abandoned fill and vent pipes immediately (when appropriate).
• Clearly mark the location of the tank’s fill pipe (when appropriate).
• Install an oil safety valve or replace the fuel delivery line with one encased in a protective sleeve (when appropriate). The older your heating system is, the more susceptible it is to failure. Consider upgrading to a modern, fuel-efficient system.
Regarding Leaks:
Storage tanks containing home heating oil – whether they’re located underground, above ground or in the basement – can rust and leak over time, posing a number of environmental and health risks. In the event of a storage tank discharge – where heating oil comes into contact with soil or ground water – New Jersey requires homeowners to take prompt action to minimize those risks. Medford Heating encourages homeowners to secure tank warranties for tank replacement in the event of a leak.
The following could be signs of a leak in your home heating oil tank:
- Any unexpected/unexplained fuel oil consumption increase that doesn’t appear to be caused by additional use of your heating system (such as during prolonged periods of cold weather).
- Water in your underground storage tank.
- Consistent problems with your oil burner.
- Changes in or loss of vegetation in the area over and around the tank.
- Oil odors in areas other than around the oil burner (typically located in a basement or utility room).
- Tastes, odors or other problems with your drinking water (if obtained from a well).
- Staining on basement walls or floors adjacent to the tank.
- Presence of oil or a sheen in the basement sump or French drain.
- Oil or sheen in any nearby culverts, drainage ditches, storm drains, streams, or ponds.
We’ve tried to summarize this for you as much as possible, but for even more detailed information, please see this Robson Forensic’s article.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns about heating oil tank maintenance, or about ANYTHING, give us a call!
And have a Happy Thanksgiving!
– Your Friends at Medford Heating & Air Conditioning 🙂
