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 Mobile ViewENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS - INSPECT, TEST, REMEDY HEATING SYSTEMS OIL TANKS INSPECT LEAK TEST ABANDON REGS ABANDONING OIL TANKS ABOVE GROUND OIL TANK INSPECTIONS ATTORNEYS and EXPERT WITNESSES> BURIED OIL TANK ADVICE BURIED OIL TANKS, FINDING COMBUSTION PRODUCTS & IAQ DEFINITION of Heating & Cooling Terms DIAGNOSE & FIX HEATING PROBLEMS-BOILER DIAGNOSE & FIX HEATING PROBLEMS-FURNACE DIRECT VENTS / SIDE WALL VENTS DIRECTORY of OIL TANK EXPERTS FILTERS, OIL on HEATING EQUIPMENT FIRE SAFETY CONTROLS FLAME COLOR, BLUE vs YELLOW COMBUSTION FLOATING UP OIL STORAGE or SEPTIC TANKS FLOODED HEATING EQUIPMENT REPAIR FLOODED WATER HEATER REPAIR FUEL UNIT, HEATING OIL PUMPS HEAT TAPES, Heat, Insulation prevent Freeze-Up HEATING OIL EXPOSURE HAZARDS, LIMITS HEATING OIL - OLD, USEABLE? HEATING OIL PIPING TROUBLES HEATING OIL SHELF LIFE HEATING OIL SLUDGE HEATING OIL USAGE RATE HEATING SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR HEATING SYSTEM NOISES HOME BUYERS GUIDE TO OIL TANKS HOT WATER HEATERS NO HEAT - BOILER NO HEAT - FURNACE NOISE CONTROL for HEATING SYSTEMS NOISES COMING FROM WATER HEATER ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE ODORS FROM HEATING SYSTEMS OIL BURNERS OIL BURNER FUEL UNIT OIL BURNER INSPECTION & REPAIR OIL BURNER NOISE SMOKE ODORS OIL BURNER NOZZLE & ELECTRODES OIL BURNERS, RETENTION HEAD OIL BURNER SOOT & PUFFBACKS OIL FILTERS on HEATING EQUIPMENT OIL FILTER MISSING OIL FUEL TYPES & CHARACTERISTICS OIL & GAS PIPING OIL LINE CLOGGING FIX OIL LINE QUICK STOP VALVES OIL LINE SAFETY VALVES OIL ODORS, LEAKY OIL TANK PIPING OIL PUMP FUEL UNIT OIL SPILL CLEANUP / PREVENTION OIL TANKS OIL TANK ABANDONING PROCEDURE OIL TANK FAILURE CAUSES OIL TANK FAILURE RATES OIL TANK GAUGES OIL TANK INSPECTION REPORTS OIL TANK LEGAL ISSUES OIL TANK LEAKS & SMELLS OIL TANK LIFE OIL TANK PIPING & PIPING DEFECTS OIL TANK PRESSURE OIL TANK REGULATIONS OIL TANK REMOVAL COs OIL TANK REMOVAL FINANCIAL AID OIL TANK SAFETY OIL TANK SLUDGE OIL TANK STANDARDS OIL TANK SUPPORT OIL TANK TESTING OIL TANK TESTING COs OIL TANK WATER CONTAMINATION OIL TANK WATER REMOVAL SOOT on OIL FIRED HEATING EQUIPMENT STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS WATER HEATERS More Information |
This article discusses what to do with old home heating oil, and addresses the usability of old heating oil. Readers should see HEATING OIL SHELF LIFE where we describe how long heating oil can be stored and then used with acceptable results. Also, if you are removing heating oil in preparation to abandon an oil storage tank, see The Oil Storage Tank Website. Uses for and handling of used lubricating oils (not heating oil) is discussed in US EPA publication Managing Used Oil. © Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website. Old Home Heating Oil: What to Do With It?
Removing old fuel from underground oil tanksThe UFPBC also requires that underground petroleum tanks to be closed in-place shall be made safe by removing flammable or combustible liquids from the tank and connecting lines; disconnecting the suction inlet, gauge and vent lines; and capping the remaining piping. All storage tanks removed from their location must also have flammable or combustible liquids removed, have the same lines disconnected; have sections of connecting lines not to be used further removed, and have inlets, outlets, and any leaks capped or plugged. The basic procedures for meeting these requirements are defined in the State and federal regulatory programs. In addition to requiring the same basic procedures as the State regulations, the federal UST regulations require that a site assessment be performed by the owner/operator when a tank is closed. (Heating oil tanks, and farm and residential tanks storing less than 1,100 gallons of motor fuel are exempt from these regulations.) See INDOOR OIL TANK ABANDONMENT for some suggestions for using up heating oil or removing it from an oil tank to be abandoned. For a detailed description of the steps required for proper tank abandonment or for more information on site assessments and permanent tank closure, contact your state department of environmental conservation. In New York inspectors can contact the author or the Bulk-Storage help-line 800-242-3451. How to Use Up Heating Oil Before Removing or Replacing an Oil TankOil to Gas Heat Conversion Advice - using up heating oil fuelIf you are going to convert to gas or another heating source but you first want to use up the heating oil in your oil storage tank, and provided that your oil fired heating equipment (oil fired boiler, furnace, or water heater) is good operating condition, you can choose to simply let the old, to-be-abandoned oil fired equipment keep running until you run out of oil ... almost. There are a few problems to watch out for: If your oil tank piping lines come off of the top of the oil tank and are properly installed the lines won't pick up the sludge, water, and last few inches of oil in the tank, so you'll probably be fine just running your oil fired equipment until you run out of oil. If your oil tank piping lines come off of the bottom of the oil tank and you run it out there is the risk of pulling sludge and crud into the oil filter, oil burner, and losing heat if those components clog. If the oil burner shuts off in that manner, it'll indeed be shut off firmly until it's repaired, so don't try this if you're still depending on the oil heat to keep working (say to avoid freezing). Your gas heat or other new source of heating should be hooked up and ready to run. Thus you can run the oil heat until it runs out or fails on clogging without risking leaving the building with no heat source - risking frozen pipes, water damage, mold contamination, etc. The heating service technicians will not want to remove old oil-fired heating equipment until it is completely cold. That's because they don't want to deal with hot water, burns, etc. The old oil tank may still need to be pumped out if there's oil remaining in it - lest you get a messy leak and spill later. Questions & Answers regarding this article. Ask a Question or Search InspectAPediaHTML Comment Box is loading comments...
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