Oil storage tank

[Bayliss]

Christmas Eve and all is well in the household, and then my better half announces 'have you noticed the leak in the oil storage tank?' Its an old steel tank which holds about 2500lt, its just starting to weep from the bottom corner. I have put down a catchment bucket but at the moment its not really dripping as such. So I need to buy a new tank and it will have to be a bunded tank as we have a farmers drainage ditch to our boundary What with looking at a multi-fuel stove with perhaps a backboiler and now this, never a good time I suppose for these things to happen. I also understand that the new storage tank must be fitted by an OFEC registered business-more money :roll: Not looking for sympathy but a good used bunded tank would be nice.

 

[tobydog]

I know there is a good ready market in secondhand tanks because I've looked. When we had our new heating fitting recently we were oil virgins and a tank was a tank. It's only now I realise that our tank is not bunded and, at 1,000 litres, is way too small to enjoy the benefits of summer oil prices all the time. A bunded 2,000 litre tank was only a few hundred pounds more

 

[Bayliss]

Tobydog, do you also have a watercourse close by as you mention you also need a bunded tank? I understand that should oil leak into a watercourse then the fines and clean-up costs can be horrendous, hence I am keen to have our new /replacement tank fitted.

 

[Flyfisher]

It might be worth checking if you must have a bunded tank or a tank that is bunded - if you see what I mean? Also, does a replacement tank require installation to the latest regulations? (I'm guessing it would, but who would ever know?).

Double-skin bunded tanks seem to be the norm these days, though without some form of alarm how would you know if the inner skin has failed? Alternatively, a single-skin tank with external bunding (usually just a concrete base and a suitably high brick wall) would probably be a legal installation - though I'm not an expert!

Because double-skinned tanks are the latest and greatest, single skinned tanks seem to be almost worthless these days, so if brick-bunding is acceptable then such a solution could be very cost-effective. I gave away a 2600 litre single-skinned plastic tank last year, after we had converted to gas, and I'm sure it would take some serious abuse before it could be persuaded to leak, unlike the steel ones that have a rust-based limited life.

The previous comments about the larger tanks being advantageous because of lower pricing for large deliveries is good advice, but sadly, it's also important to consider the security aspects of leaving £1300+ of oil openly accessible.

 

[tobydog]

Bayliss - we don't actually need a bunded tank. It was only from the leakage / peace of mind standpoint that we would have it. Our only limitation was the distance from the neighbours boundary which the installers annoyingly took from our side of our yew hedge which is actually a further 1.5 - 2m from the actual boundary.

I agree with the cheap single skin with brick / cement bunding option because from what I recall, even second hand bunded tanks weren't that much cheaper than new ones.

 

[robgil]

You are in luck, I fit oil tanks for a living now, you may not need a bunded tank, pm me. :wink:

 

[MdB]

I wouldn't touch a second hand tank. They fail very easily if not installed properly (as ours did - 5 year old tank) and I would guess stress damage isn't always obvious.

 

[Bayliss]

Thank you for all comments and advise, I have looked up the regs and definitely need a bunded tank. Also it MUST be fitted by a OFTEC registered Company/person. Failure to comply is not worth the risk, when we go to sell we must be able to produce the certificate of compliance of tank installation, no getting away with it in truth. No different to electrical works in our thatched home, certificate required.

 

[Bayliss]

You are in luck, I fit oil tanks for a living now, you may not need a bunded tank, pm me. :wink:

P.M sent.

 

[robgil]

I wouldn't touch a second hand tank. They fail very easily if not installed properly (as ours did - 5 year old tank) and I would guess stress damage isn't always obvious.

Was this a Titan tank? Tanks produced by Titan in 02/03 were built with an inherent problem, something to do with the polymers. They are now all splitting and Titan will replace them under warranty.

 

[robgil]

You are in luck, I fit oil tanks for a living now, you may not need a bunded tank, pm me. :wink:

P.M sent.

I haven't received one Bayliss.

 

[MdB]

It could possibly have been. It is now long gone.

It would have been difficult to claim anyway as it wasn't on a completely flat platform. It had been mounted on a couple of concrete lintels which supported it length ways but not width ways. The top split whilst half full of fuel which was rather fun as it was unbunded and next to a stream...

 

[robgil]

It could possibly have been. It is now long gone.

It would have been difficult to claim anyway as it wasn't on a completely flat platform. It had been mounted on a couple of concrete lintels which supported it length ways but not width ways. The top split whilst half full of fuel which was rather fun as it was unbunded and next to a stream...

Ive seen worse, if using lintels on piers we usually put slabs on the lintels and the tank on the slabs.

 

[MdB]

Ive seen worse, if using lintels on piers we usually put slabs on the lintels and the tank on the slabs.

Which would have been a lot more sensible and only a little bit more work. Yet another bodge the previous owners had done.

 

[AMc]

On the same subject, we have a large metal tank which is now redundant. There are a few litres in the bottom but nothing significant- what's the best way to get rid of it?
Is it worth anything, I'm presuming it's scrap value might cover removal if I knew who to call?

 

[Bayliss]

From my limited understanding, your steel tank is a environmental contaminated vessel and therefore a specialist needs to remove it! Alternately, if you cut a corner off the tank, making it redundant from further use, it is now a lump of scrap which a scrap dealer will pay you for. I would phone your local scappie.

 

[Flyfisher]

If it's in decent condition, you could try advertising it as available for free to anyone who can collect it. I doubt the scrap value would be very much but a free tank might be worthwhile for a farmer or similar to take it away.

If you have a trailer then your local council tip might take it, though I'd call them first. We have two fairly near us; a large one that seems very fussy and particularly suspicious of anyone turning up with a trailer, whereas the other, much smaller, one takes all sorts including car batteries, old engine oil, freezers and other white goods and no-one bats an eyelid over laden trailers. Might just be down to the people that work there though.

 

[Bayliss]

You are in luck, I fit oil tanks for a living now, you may not need a bunded tank, pm me. :wink:

Great lead, Thanks. The recommended Company did offer the most competitive quote for replacement with Certification. Perfect.

 

[Alastair]

Thank you for all comments and advise, I have looked up the regs and definitely need a bunded tank. Also it MUST be fitted by a OFTEC registered Company/person. Failure to comply is not worth the risk, when we go to sell we must be able to produce the certificate of compliance of tank installation, no getting away with it in truth. No different to electrical works in our thatched home, certificate required.

This is not what is required by the regulations. The regulations state that an oil storage installation is a notifiable service.

To meet the regulations it must be installed correctly, in an acceptable position. This can be done by a registered business which is able to self-certify, and notify the building control dept to this effect. Alternatively you can contact the BC dept, pay their fee and do the installation yourself. There is nothing in law or the regulations which demands that it MUST be done by a registered business.

As for tanks, a steel tank is a better choice in almost all circumstances. They have a proven life of 40 years if installed correctly, and properly maintained. When they do start leaking, they give plenty of warning. They are usually cheaper than plastic, they can be built to any size and shape, and finished in any colour.

In addition, if you go through the BC dept, you could have a location for the tank approved by BC, which would not be permitted if a registered business installed it. There are however many cases of tanks being installed by registered operators which do not comply with the regulations. That's ok though, because they have your money.

How do I know? I run a registered business looking after oil heating.

 

[Bayliss]

Thank you for all comments and advise, I have looked up the regs and definitely need a bunded tank. Also it MUST be fitted by a OFTEC registered Company/person. Failure to comply is not worth the risk, when we go to sell we must be able to produce the certificate of compliance of tank installation, no getting away with it in truth. No different to electrical works in our thatched home, certificate required.

This is not what is required by the regulations. The regulations state that an oil storage installation is a notifiable service.

To meet the regulations it must be installed correctly, in an acceptable position. This can be done by a registered business which is able to self-certify, and notify the building control dept to this effect. Alternatively you can contact the BC dept, pay their fee and do the installation yourself. There is nothing in law or the regulations which demands that it MUST be done by a registered business.

As for tanks, a steel tank is a better choice in almost all circumstances. They have a proven life of 40 years if installed correctly, and properly maintained. When they do start leaking, they give plenty of warning. They are usually cheaper than plastic, they can be built to any size and shape, and finished in any colour.

In addition, if you go through the BC dept, you could have a location for the tank approved by BC, which would not be permitted if a registered business installed it. There are however many cases of tanks being installed by registered operators which do not comply with the regulations. That's ok though, because they have your money.

How do I know? I run a registered business looking after oil heating.

Thanks for that Alister, even if you had posted earlier I would still be going down the same route now. I checked out the cost of buying a tank myself and it was around 900 pounds. So my quote by a specialist company for tank replacement at 1400 pounds + VAT is one I am very happy with. They are reducing the existing pier height by half, lintel and slabbing for the new tank to sit on, pump the remaining oil from old tank to new and of course all connections remove / dispose old tank and clear site, test system and give one years warranty on all work. I'm satisfied its good value for money and I have peace of mind from an established local company.