Heating Oil Tank
Oil is one of the most common causes of contamination. It can affect human health and property. It can also pollute water courses, damage plants and wildlife, make soil infertile and ruin habitats.
Over the last few years there has been an increasing number of pollution incidents caused by faulty or badly maintained domestic central heating oil tanks. Leaked oil can be very difficult and expensive to clean up. In some circumstances houses have been evacuated because of oil soaked into the ground nearby producing fumes and odours, making it impossible to live in the properties. A little time and money spent on maintenance now may avoid clean-up costs of thousands of pounds in the future.
Heating Oil Tank
Preventing an oil leak
There are several things you can do to prevent an oil leak in your home, such as:
• checking the condition of your tank and boiler regularly
• watching out for black stains
• keeping a check on how much oil you use
• getting your heating system serviced regularly
• do not overfill your oil tank
• keeping the fill points on your tank clear
You should also review your home insurance policy to make sure you are covered for oil leaks or spills
Identifying an oil leak
There are several warning signs that you may have an oil leak
These include:
• a strong smell of solvent, petrol or oil inside or outside your home or in your cupboards
• black stains and dead plants or grass around your tank
• a sudden increase in the amount of fuel you use
If you suspect an oil leak, you should follow these steps:
• try to find out where the leak is coming from
• switch off your oil supply at the tank and arrange to have it emptied (if needed)
• arrange for an engineer to repair or replace your tank or pipework
• if the leak could affect a stream, pond or other water supply, call the Environment Agency on 08708 506506
• never use detergents or a hose to wash the spill away
• prevent the spill from entering drains by blocking its flow using earth, sand or commercial products that absorb oil
• keep your home well-ventilated by opening windows and doors
• call your household insurance company or landlord and make them aware of the leak
• if there is a strong smell of oil in your home, call our environmental health team on 01296 585605
Do not put off taking action or assume the problem will go away.
If you see oil pollution call the Environment Agency straightaway on their free 24 hr Incident Hotline 0800 80 70 60. The sooner they know about an incident, the better the chance of minimising the impact on water supplies and the environment.
Please see the following website for further advice and information:
Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC) - technical advice, information sheets, news and consumer advice about and relating to oil fired heating and cooking. Also includes a register of qualified tank technicians.
Date Updated: 04/03/11
Downloads:
File name | Summary | File size / Download time | File Format |
Adobe Acrobat Reader is available FREE of charge. You can download it directly from Adobe's website by clicking the link to the right. Once on Adobe's website, follow the instructions on screen to install the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader. |  |
The OFTEC easy guide to.. Domestic Oil Storage | A document published by the Oil Firing Technical Association on domestic oil storage | 234KB
56Kbps Modem: Less than 1 Minute
Broadband : Less than 1 Minute | 
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Environment Agency Oil Care Guide | A guide published by the Environment Agency on looking after your heating oil | 536KB
56Kbps Modem: 1 Minute 18 Seconds
Broadband : Less than 1 Minute |
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