About six million homes in the U.S. rely on oil heating, with residential heating oil tanks either installed inside the home, outside above ground next to the home or buried outside in the front or back yards with fuel lines that lead into the furnace. And much like any other component of a home, heating oil tanks can deteriorate or get damaged, leading to leaks.
When Your Oil Tank Leaks
The appropriate response to a leaking oil tank depends on where it’s installed. Detecting a leak is as easy as noticing an oil puddle on the floor beneath your tank, but handling an indoor leak is actually different from an outdoor one. For instance, an oil leak from an outdoor tank won’t easily be detected unless it contaminates your neighbor’s water supply depending on where it’s located.
With regular checks on your sump pump (if you have one), you’ll also be able to see if you have a leak in your heating oil tank. You really won’t know for sure unless you notice traces of heating oil in your pump. You can also have it checked by a certified heating oil and delivery technician for a better peace of mind.
How it Can Be Fixed
Oil is a combustible material, so no matter where your heating oil tank is located, you’ll have to contact your local fire department immediately. If it’s inside your home, open your windows to ventilate the area. Make sure you prevent anyone from coming near the leak before the fire officials arrive.
You or some of your family members may also have a bad reaction to the oil leak and its vapors, such as dizziness, nausea or headaches. You’ll have to consider moving your family to a hotel or a relative’s home until the leak has been fixed; otherwise, you’ll be at risk of long-term health damage due to exposure.
For all your heating oil needs, Burch Oil is the expert to call. As your best choice for heating oil and other HVAC services, we have experience and expertise you need to guarantee the results you’re looking for. To get started, call us at (301) 373-2131 or fill out our convenient contact form. Talk to us today!
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It is good to know that you will want to inspect an oil tank for leaks. That is good for me to know because my father wants to get a cabin that uses oil heating. Personally, I would want to get an expert to help me with the process.
My dad would like to have a home heating oil installed on his property because this is affordable. Well, it's a good thing that you shared these hacks; I'll make sure to inform him to regularly chekc its sump pump. Anyhow, just in case a leak occurs, you are right that it would be best to leave this matter under the hands of a professional technician.
I appreciate you saying that it is smart to have your heating oil checked by a professional delivery technician. My dad wants to have the heating oil for our furnaced replaced soon. I will be sure to recommend that he have the delivery service he chooses to make sure it is safe while they are there.
I like what you said although detecting a leak is as simple as observing an oil pool on the floor under your tank, dealing with an inside leak differs from dealing with an exterior leak. This is a good article, my uncle is looking for info and this should help him. I wanted to thank you for your explanation about
oil tank.
I'm planning on getting a heating oil system installed, but I'm not sure what to do for maintenance. It makes sense that I would want to keep an eye on it to ensure that it's working well. I'll be sure to get a professional to repair it if there are any issues with it.