Oil tank fill & vent piping questions and answers.

Page top photo: our heating oil delivery tech demonstrates a simple device he uses to listen to the oil tank fill whistle at the oil tank vent cap - a short length of plastic pipe.

This heating oil piping article series gives advice and example photos for the installation, inspection, & leak troubleshooting of oil tank fill & vent piping for both buried and above ground oil storage tanks.

Heating Oil Fill & Vent Piping installation, inspection, troubleshooting

These questions and answers about heating oil fill and vent piping were posted originally

at OIL TANK FILL & VENT PIPING INSPECTION CHECKLIST- be sure to review the guidelines given there.

Is it ok to use a MAP gas torch to heat the fitting to "unglue" the pipe dope on my oil storage tank?

I'm having some trouble removing the 2" fill pipe from the oil tank in my garage.

I need to temporarily relocate the tank to have a section of the floor demo'd & repoured. I intend on putting the tank back where it was after the floor is finished, using all of the original pipes and fittings.

My question is: Is it ok to use a MAP gas torch to heat the fitting to "unglue" the pipe dope I assume is preventing me from unthreading the fill pipe with a 36" pipe wrench?

Thanks in advance On 2021-02-11 by Ryan

by (mod) - NO

Wow, Ryan.

As I really want to be helpful I read your question and sighed in hesitation.

No. 2 heating oil is not that easy to ignite - we could toss a match into a bucket of it and the match would usually just be extinguished.

but

Watch out: a Mapp gas torch or any open flame might ignite oil fumes - that could cause a ... unpleasant experience or even an explosion.

I SPECULTATE that an experienced plumber, working carefully, might apply heat and thus soften old sealant or caulk to help get an oil fill or vent pipe loose in a wall, but I have to warn you that it's a potentially dangerous procedure.

In heating school and later in "real life" we usually approached this problem by grabbing a bigger pair of pipe wrenches.

Or we carried a 36" length of pipe that we could slip over the end of the 36" pipe wrench handle to extend it to increase the leverage.

I'd try that.

 

Can a vent alarm whistle be installed outside the home and onto the vent pipe?

Can a vent alarm whistle be installed outside the home and onto the vent pipe?

Or, must the vent alarm whistle be installed directly to the tank?

My oil tank is 20+ years old and detaching the vent pipe I was told was proving difficult, but the outside portion was easy to detach and possibly install. I do not have the tank whistle and gauge combination.
Thank you. (Dec 29, 2014) michael_seguin@comcast.net s

The oil deliver driver can't hear my tank alarm; can I install another one outside?

I have a combo whistle and gauge on top of the oil tank can I install another whistle on the outside of the house or do I have to remove the one inside the oil guy says the alarm is not very loud and I know they won’t deliver without the alarm - On 2021-02-08 by Anonymous

by (mod) - Yes there are additional oil tank fill alarms or alerts you can use

Michael and Anon:

The tank alarms or "whistles" with which I'm familiar rely, in design, on rising oil in the tank to stop the whistling noise; those traditional tank fill alarms rely on heating oil rising in the oil tank to block air escaping through a "whistle" in the vent pipe.

When the sound stops the oil tank delivery person knows the tank is full - a time to stop pumping oil.

But there are other types of oil tank fill (and leak) alarms that can be located at a building exterior.

However there are alternative devices, like the SJE-RHOMBUS Tank Alert 101 Alarm No Float - shown below, sold by oil heat equipment and parts suppliers such as zoro.com - rated for INDOOR use, that *might* be adaptable to an oil tank - you'd want to give SJERHombus a call to ask: 1-888-342-5753

More suitable, from the same company, might be this Tank Aert XT a

For details, see Oil Tank Vent Alarms and fill or alert whistles discussed at

OIL TANK PRESSURE

OIL FILL & VENT PIPING where ventalarms are also described

My photo shows our oil tank delivery driver listening carefully at the tank vent to hear when the oil tank is full.

By the way, if it would work on an oil tank, the TankAlert XT has these features:
Features
Enclosure meets Type 3R water-tight standard
Automatic alarm reset
Horn silence switch and alarm test switch
Alarm horn sounds at 85 decibels at 10 feet (3 meters)
Alarm system (when installed on a separate circuit) operates even if pump circuit fails

Oil company says oil tank fill and vent pipes must exit the building above grade. Really?

Our oil tank in the basement needs replaced due to leaking.

One company said that our fill and vent pipes need to exit our foundation at a point above ground (currently 18 inches below house frame, exiting through concrete block wall) so they would drill new exits even though the pipes are in good condition.

Outside, each terminates above ground at least 2 ft. Is it true that the pipes have to exit the foundation at above ground level? On 2020-11-04 by Liza W

Below: a list of standards pertaining to each type of pipe that might be used for heating oil or fuel oil piping. Notice that brass tubing and type L or M copper are not permitted.

by (mod) - thousands of heating oil tanks include underground piping including to fill and vent pipes.

Liza

I'm in no position to argue with the oil tank installer who may know something about the site, pipe material, pipe sizes, or local codes that I don't.

But among the millions of oil tanks installed in the U.S., there are tens of thousands that are buried outdoors and whose fill and vent pipes are, therefore, also routed underground for a good part of their run.

Maybe they're worried about foundation leaks? I dunno.

Oil tank delivery driver says can't fill the tank because they can't see the vent so don't hear the vent alarm

Regarding a tank vent (vent and fill were next to each other): we added a deck and extended the filler out about 6 feet so that it cleared the deck, vent (1-1/2") still under deck against the foundation. NO filling problems with the old driver who could hear the whistle fine.

NEW guy(s) won't fill the tank since they "can't see the vent". Loud enough whistle, but they won't even try.

Question: COULD I use flexible stainless piping (similar to use on auto exhaust systems) to extend the vent out next to the filler? Would it dampen the sound? It'd be a lot easier than running a hardline since the deck is now in the way. Thanks. On 2020-08-10 by Steve

by (mod) - don't use automobile exhaust extension to extend an oil tank vent pipe

Interesting question, Steve, thanks.

Watch out: I'd certainly not use any piping material other than approved for tank venting; Ask your oil company if they'll be happy with an extension using an approved pipe material.

How can I test whether the oil tank whistle valve is working?

How do I test the oil fill whistle? Is there a way without having the oil company come out to fill it? On 2015-10-18 by Ben Jamma

Reply by (mod) -

Probably, Ben but Im not sure it is a good idea; Consider that when your oil company is filling the tank the driver is doing so through a filler hose that is physically latched to the oil tank filler pipe;

then heating oil is pumped in at a rather high rate - enough to pressurize the tank a bit - (see OIL TANK PRESSURE for details) up to 70 gpm of oil is entering the tank;

To confirm that your tank whistle behaves "normally" you'd need to duplicate the normal tank fill conditions.

In my opinion it makes more sense to ask your oil company when they next plan to deliver, be there, ask the driver to let you join her in listening for the tank whistle.

Bottom line: The simplest is to simply listen at the vent pipe when the tank is being filled. Assuming your hearing is normal if you don't hear anything there is no whistle or tank alarm or it is not working.

 

Is there a way to clean out the oil tank alarm-whistle that may be plugged up?

Is there a way to clean out the whistle that may be plugged up? (Feb 20, 2015) joe said:

Reply: yes by disassembly

Yes but I'm afraid you'll have to remove it to clean it. At that point it may be as easy to replace it.

 

There is no oil tank vent whistle. Is there a way to install a new whistle without digging up the tank?

Our church has an old tank that is in ground and we are not exactly sure where it is. we are told there is no vent whistle.

Is there a way to install a new whistle without digging up the tank? Maybe something retrofitted to top end of vent pipe? 5 April 2015 Dick Miron said:

Reply:

Dick,

First, open the tank filler cap and look in there with a good light - or use a long clean stick or pipe (DO NOT DROP IT IN THE TANK) - you may find that the tank is straight down below the filler pipe.

To install a tank whistle one will want to excavate to the top of the tank to expose the fittings. You do not have to dig up the whole oil tank, just expose its top and clear away enough soil so as to give working room and to avoid dropping dirt into the tank during plumbing work.

But changing these fittings can be a bit of a bear since typically the oil fill or vent pipe will be corroded and hard to remove and replace.

When there is no tank alarm in place an alternative is to ask the delivery driver to *listen* at the vent. An experienced driver can hear the sound change when oil reaches the top of the tank.

I have looked without finding a vent alarm that fits on the cap itself - which makes sense since the way these whistles or alarms work is to include a short dip tube a few inches in length that extends down into the oil storage tank air space above the oil.

As the oil tank is filled air is pushed out of the tank, mostly through the vent pipe. But a small volume of air is pushed through the dip tube and thence through the whistle to make a sound. When the oil level reaches nearly the top of the tank the rising oil closes the air inlet on the bottom of the dip tube and the sound ceases.

A whistle on the vent cap itself would require that the tank be over-filled up to the vent cap to make any detection possible - a bad idea.

And you'll see that there other alternative tank alarm products that can signal to a remote alarm on the outside of the building either electrically or by wireless connection. But you'll have to at least excavate down to the top of the buried oil tank to install one of those.

Is there a way to install a locking heating oil filler pipe cap?

How can I secure my outside oil fill pipe (2") , So only the oil company delivery person can access it ? (Mar 1, 2015) Anonymous said:

Reply: Install a locking oil delivery cap or catch-basin cover with lock.

Ask your oil company to install a locking delivery pipe cap.

Also, FYI, some oil delivery companies install a proprietary nozzle adapter on the oil tank fill pipe so that only nozzles from their oil truck will latch onto and fill the oil tank.

Here I show an oil filler pipe catch basin that has a locking cover, easily installed around an oil tank filler pipe.

How do I stop my neighbor from stealing my oil

How do I stop my neighbor from stealing my oil from my filler pipe.it's on the side of my home. On 2016-02-20 by Michael dame

Reply by (mod) -

I think it is generally very difficult to siphon or pump oil out of an oil storage tank through the filler pipe, though not impossible. If this is a real problem not just a theoretical one, you can purchase a locking oil filler pipe cap.

These locking oil tank filler caps are available at plumbing suppliers, Home Depot Stores, Lowes, and online at Amazon or at other online vendors.

Both keyed locking oil tank filler caps and combination-lock locking oil tank filler caps are available.

Keep in mind that in order to receive oil deliveries from your oil company you will either need someone at home to open the fill cap or you will need to give a key or the combination of the lock to your oil company.

Can I connect old existing 1 1/2" fill and vent pipes to my new oil tank that has 2" fittings

Bought new oil tank. It has 2 inch pipe openings. My existing fill and vent pipes are smaller and will not fit. Is there a coupling that I can use to attach a smaller pipe to the tanks 2 inch threaded openings? On 2020-06-30 by Kevin M.

by (mod) - Bad idea

Kevin,

To meet current standards and I'd bet your local plumbing codes as well, you need to go to 2 inch fill piping

 

Oil company says I have to replace a dresser coupling with a black iron unioin. Really?

My oil heating service, with whom I have a maintenance agreement, told me they had to remove the dresser coupling between the tank fill line and the tank in my basement to replace it with a "black" union and charge me $250.00 for that job.

This dresser coupling was installed with the tank about 10 years ago and looks perfect with no sign of leakage.

They say that they cannot make further fuel deliveries until that coupling is replaced.

Can you confirm this necessary? I am in NY state. On 2020-10-05 by dirk@katonahgroup.com

by (mod) - use a dresser coupling on an oil line?

Dirk:

A dresser coupling cost between about $60 an $200 - for the part alone, and is used to join iron pipe in lieu of cutting threads or using a standard threaded coupling (about $10. for a 2" threaded iron pipe coupling).

If your device was leaking it certainly needed to be repaired.

If the service tech tried tightening the bolts and that didn't work and if replacing an O-ring or gasket didn't work then replacing the fitting would have been in order.

The dresser coupling shown here is from Trupply.com

 

If old oil fill and vent popes are left after the indoor tank is removed might there be a soil contamination problem.

Hi there, if an indoor oil tank has been removed and pipes remain. Is there a chance of oil contamination in soil, if I remove the remaining pipes from outside? On 2020-05-30 by Atul

by (mod) - after indoor oil tank has been removed it's best to remove the old fill and vent pipes.

Atul

With the apology that of course I can't see your situation so there could be something we're missing, but in general, oil fill and vent pipes are pitched towards the tank and don't retain any oil, so there ought to be no meaningful oil spill risk in removing the pipes once the oil storage tank has already been removed.

But

Watch out: we know first and second hand of cases in which someone coming to the wrong house pumped a huge volume of heating oil through "abandoned" oil tank fill and vent pipes into a building basement where the oil tank had been removed.

The oil vent pipe cap is touching my house - Is that a violation of any code or standard?

I recently had my oil tank in my basement replaced and the vent pipe outside is touching the vinyl siding on my house.

I am sure codes vary by state and county but is this ok. Is there a standard for this. See pic and thank you. On 2020-04-29 by Joe Sidoli

by danjoefriedman (mod) - 2006 UMC 1305.7 Oil Tank Vent piping Code vs contact with building siding

Joe

We are not likely to find a building code that explicitly addresses a heating oil fill or vent pipe that is close to or touching vinyl siding, but in general the vent must be accessible and not blocked.

here is an excerpt from the 2006 Uniform Mechanical Code or "UMC" on heating or fuel oil tank vent piping

1305.7 [Oil Tank] Vent piping Code

Liquid fuel vent pipes shall terminate out-side of buildings at a point not less than 2 feet (610mm) measured vertically or horizontally from any building opening.

Outer ends of vent pipes shall terminate in a weatherproof vent cap or fitting or be provided with a weatherproof hood.

All vent caps shall have a minimum free open area equal to the cross-sectional area of the vent pipe and shall note mploy screens finer than No.4 mesh.

Vent pipes shall:

terminate sufficiently above the ground to avoid being obstructed with snow or ice.

Vent pipes from tanks containing heaters shall be extended to a location where oil vapors discharging from the vent will be readily diffused.

If the static head with a vent pipe filled with oil exceeds 10 pounds per square inch (psi) (69kPa), the tank shall be designed for the maximum static head that will be imposed.

Liquid fuel vent pipes shall not be cross connected with fill pipes, lines from burners or overflow lines from auxiliary tanks. - 2006 ICC IMC International Mechanical Code

There is some (perhaps small) chance that vapors from the heating oil vent may discolor or otherwise affect the vinyl siding immediately adjacent to the vent cap.

Beyond that cosmetic issue in my OPINION it's not a significant concern if the edge of the oil tank vent pipe cap touches the building siding.

Thanks for an interesting question.

Update: Thanks to reader Mike for adding this clarification:

In the "mod" posting on 2020-04-29, the second response to the query about the vent cap touching vinyl seems to misinterpret the code.

The first mod response quoted the code as "Liquid fuel vent pipes shall terminate out-side of buildings at a point not less than 2 feet (610mm) measured vertically or horizontally from any building opening."

and then the second posting seemed to clarify

"Two feet above ground, not two feet from the house." and also said "The concerns are to avoid likely vent blockage by snow cover...".

The code doesn't say 2 feet above ground, it says 2 feet from an opening of the building (door, window, etc.).

The part about how far above ground was quoted further down in the originally quoted code, and did not specify a distance.

Instead, it just said "Vent pipes shall: terminate sufficiently above the ground to avoid being obstructed with snow or ice."

by Joe

Hi Dan. Thank you for your response. I just don’t quite understand what the excerpt is saying. I think it says. Or more than two feet high but is there a distance from the house that is recommended. Thank you Joe

Moderator's note:

That's wo feet above ground, not two feet from the house.

The concerns are to avoid likely vent blockage by snow cover or, in areas without snow, avoid blockage by leaves, debris, or water entry from rain splash-up falling off of a roof.

Can I just box out an access to the oil fill and vent pipe when adding a deck where the pipes are located?

I plan to build a deck where my current oil and vent pipes are located. Based on its location, it is unlikely I will be able to get the necessary slope to extend the piping to another location.

As such, I am considering simply building a box around the piping and leaning it ontop/above the deck. Is that allowed? Can oil companies pump into my home standing on my deck? On 2020-04-19 7 by Michael

Reply by (mod) -

Michael

OPINION: that should be OK provided that the deck is readily and safely accessible (proper steps and railing) to an oil delivery driver and also is built such that there's no obstruction to pulling the oil truck hose onto the deck to reach the filler pipe, and

if the fill and vent are at acceptable heights above the standing surface,

then the oil company will probably be fine with that.

Perhaps you can provide a sketch or annotated photo.

And of course, ask your oil company about that illustration.

Oil fill and vent accessibility are discussed at

OIL FILL & VENT PIPING

and

OIL TANK PIPING & PIPING DEFECTS - home

I smell oil around our oil tank fill pipe - what can I do about it?

It has been over a month since our oil tank had a delivery. I could smell oil in our house and found around the fill pipe and gage there is oil around each. What would be the cause and how can it be fixed ? Thanks On 2019-11-08 by DL

by (mod) - sealing coarse pipe threaded joints on oil tank fill & vent connections

DL

In fact it's difficult to get a perfect seal at the sometimes coarse pipe threads at the top of an oil tank where the fill and vent pipe are attached. If the leak is there then the connections probably need to be dis-assembled, coated with a proper (for fuel oil) pipe sealant, and re-made;

If the leak is at the gauge it may need a simple gasket replacement; if that doesn't fix it it's time for a new gauge.

Meanwhile use any spray household cleaner to wipe off the oil that is on the tank surface and things will smell better ... until the next oil delivery.

What is the oil tank fill/vent pipe distance from windows?

What is code for vent termination ie height distance from windows On 2019-04-03 by Anonymous

Reply by (mod) -

Three feet

Can I extend my oil tank fill pipe rather than relocate my fuel tank ?

Can I extend my oil tank fill pipe rather than relocate my fuel tank ? If so ,how many feet can I extend it? It is now located at the back corner of my house & I have to snow blow a long path over uneven ground ! Would like to extend it to the front wall , 25 or so feet On 2019-12-23 by PETE

Reply by (mod) -

Pete

You can often extend the fill line to an oil tank, even a considerable distance PROVIDED (shouting) that the line maintains proper slope (typically 1/8" to 1/4" per foot) down towards the oil tank; check with your oil delivery company to confirm what you want to do.

Does state code require that I change oil tank PVC Vent pipe to something else?

I have no problems with my oil tank and venting. However, my question is, I have a PVC vent pipe, is there a code that states a different material that requires to change PVC pipe to something else? Thank you On 2019-08-25 by Thomas

Reply by (mod) -

Thomas as you may have seen in the article OIL TANK FILL & VENT PIPE CLEARANCE DISTANCES

Plastic oil storage tank fill or vent piping (above left) may come apart at the seams during a fill up. Some plastic lines can shatter or break in extremely cold weather.

Some communities may permit plastic vent piping - Ed. --- this means that your local building or plumbing code official is the final legal authority to answer your question of whether or not plastic or PVC piping is permitted on oil tank vent pipes.

1302.4 Nonmetallic pipe.

All nonmetallic pipe shall be listed and labeled as being acceptable for the intended application forflammable and combustible liquids.

Nonmetallic pipe shall be installed only outside, underground.

See the details of oil tank piping code and NFPA 31 at

OIL TANK LEAK & ABANDONMENT REGULATIONS

The concerns are breakage of the PVC piping and of course oil leaks as well as fire risks.

Note the 2006 NFPA chapter 8 text on fill and vent piping material as I'll excerpt below:

In the U.S. . Chapter 7 of NFPA 31 covers the installation of fuel oil storage tanks in buildings and takes precedence over NFPA 30 however in a bit of confusing NFPA FAQs language " NFPA 31 does require outside aboveground tanks and buried tanks to be installed in accordance with NFPA 30. "

NFPA 31 has required 2" oil tank vent pipe diameter since 1997 though some code sections discuss smaller diameters.

Chapter 8 Fuel Piping Systems and Components

8.1 Scope.
This chapter shall apply to piping systems and their components used to transfer fuel oil from storage and supply tanks to oil­burning appliances and equipment.

8.2 Acceptable Piping Materials and Piping System Design.

8.2.1 Tank fill and vent piping shall be wrought­iron, steel, or Schedule 40 brass pipe.

8.2.2 Oil supply lines shall be steel pipe or brass or copper tubing.

8.2.3 Wall thickness of wrought­iron and steel pipe shall comply with the specifications in

ANSI/ASME B36.10M, Standard on Welded and Seamless Wrought Steel Pipe.

8.2.4 Piping shall be permitted to be of materials other than those specified in 8.2.1, 8.2.2, and 8.2.3 if used underground and back­filled or if used as part of an engineered fuel storage system.

8.2.4.1 Such piping shall be designed in accordance with good engineering practice for the
material used and shall be approved by the authority having jurisdiction.

8.2.4.2 Such piping shall be installed in accordance with manufacturers' instructions.

8.2.5 Listed flexible metal hose shall be permitted to be used where rigid connections are impractical, provided it is installed in full compliance with its listing.

... this is not the complete set of guidelines ...

A complete copy of the 2006 standard is at

inspectapedia.com/oiltanks/NFPA-31-2006-Oil-Burning-Equipment.pdf retrieved 2019/0-8/27 original source: www.nioec.ir/HSEInstruction

Does code in Connecticut prohibit using a pipe union on an oil tank fill pipe?

In the state of CT , is it against code to pipe a union on a residential oil tank fill pipe! On 2019-07-17 by Chris

by (mod) - generally no, unions are not prohibited; here's the code

Chris

Thanks for the question: Code & rules for using Unions on Oil Tank Piping in Connecticut

A union on black iron pipe on an oil fill pipe might be installed to ease tank removal or for other reasons; Unionts are not prohibited unless the wrong material (e.g. cast iron) or wrong type (relying on an internal packing or not listed for oil piping use).

Adding a few details on oil piping in Connecticut using Norwalk's code as an example ecode360.com/27049591

47-22 Connections and unions.

All connections shall be made perfectly tight with well-fitted joints. Unions shall be used as burners to facilitate removal. All unions, shall be of an approved type, having conically faced joint, and obviating the use of packing and gaskets.

§ 47-30 Type of pipe; brass union required; material on pipe joints; cutoff in steam installations.

All pipes used in fuel-oil heating installations shall be of standard, full-weight brass, copper, galvanized iron or steel, with suitable brass or galvanized malleable iron or steel fittings. No rubber or other packages shall be used.

If unions are used, at least one face must be of brass with close-fitting conical joints. Litharge and glycerin, shellac or other suitable material shall be used on pipe joints. Such piping shall run under the cellar wherever possible and shall be protected from injury.

using the 2015 UMC as an example,

2015 Uniform Mechanical Code Chapter 13, Section 1303, Joints & Connections:

1303.1 Approval:

Joints and connections shall be approved and of a type approved for fuel-oil piping systems. Threaded joints and connections shall be made tight with suitable lubricant or pipe compound. Unions requiring gaskets or packings, right or left couplings, and sweat fittings employing a solder having a melting point of less than 1,000 F (538 degC) shall not be used on oil lines. Cast iron fittings shall not be used. Joints and connections shall be tight for the pressure required by the test.

On copper oil piping lines, flare unions like the brass 3/8" flare nipple union I show below are common on oil piping (not underground).

Here's an example OIL TANK INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS [PDF] from Granby showing the specifications for using unions at the oil tank.

Granby Industries, 98, rue des Industries, Cowansville, Quebec J2K 0A1, Canada TelGranby Industries Headquarters
Granby Industries L.P. , 98, rue des Industries, Cowansville, Québec J2K 0A1, Canada T 450-378-2334 T 800-839-2070 (Toll-free) 450-378-2334 www.granbyindustries.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/b89b6bf9-9be1-4336-ad16-045a00408387.pdf

Oil is dripping out of the vent cap after my oil tank was filled and we have no tank alarm whistle

I just had oil delivered and the delivery person called me out to show me that oil was dripping slowly out of the vent pipe/cap.

The whistler on the tank isn't working so he was listening with his extension pipe.

I looked at the fill gauge on the tank and it said 3/4 and I could hear a couple of drop coming into the tank, he was filling it at the time. He said if the tank was filled, it would have been pouring out of the vent pipe, not dripping.

He was NOT filling at the time when I checked the tank

Do you have any ideas as to what the issue might be? On 2018-11-16 by Al

by (mod) -

That sounds as of the tank was over-filled.

You have an oil spill cleanup needed plus you need to get a working tank fill alarm installed.

What's the Maximum Length for Oil Storage Tank Fill & Vent Piping?

My oil tank fill pipe and vent is coming out the back of my house. i want to put a deck over it. can you use elbow pipes to change the direction of the vent and fill pipes to come out the side of the deck? i didn't know how long the pipes can be. On 2018-09-02 by Jay

Reply by (mod) -

Jay

Thanks for asking.

Maximum Length for Oil Storage Tank Fill & Vent Piping?

You can extend the horizontal distance of an oil tank fill and vent pipe to clear the deck [the standards and codes for oil tank fill and vent piping don't give an explicit maximum distance for those pipes], but you need to keep some concerns in mind:

1. the pipe must slope continuously down to the oil tank to avoid backups or spills.

1/4" drop per foot of run is good. And the termination should be no less than 3 ft. above ground level and no less than 2 ft. from windows and doors. Other clearances are in the article above.

The pipe needs to be supported - typically on no less than 10 ft. intervals - depending on pipe material that may not be enough.

2. too many elbows may create excessive fill pressure and become an issue with the delivery driver (opinion)

For other readers: this discussion is for an oil storage tank located indoors in a building basement.

Underground storage tank fill and vent piping must have additional special elbows or swing couplings to prevent breakage or leaks in the piping should the oil tank settle.

3. the vent also needs to be extended to permit the delivery driver to hear when the tank is full.

Is 1 1/4" diameter oil tank fill and vent pipe a problem?

Do I have a problem with my vent pipe being an inch and a quarter,and my filler pipe being and inch and three quarters? On 2018-03-07 by Brian

by (mod) - Yes

Yep, those are under-sized by current standards. The result is an increased risk of piping leaks during fill-up, and an undersized vent, in particular, may subject the tank to extra pressure (and damage risking a spill or leak) during filling.

Should you use copper pipes for oil fill and vent on above ground tank

Should you use copper pipes for oil fill and vent on above ground tank On 2018-02-22 by Geo

and

My oil delivery contractor has informed me they will no longer deliver oil because my fill pipe (2 inch PVC rated 340 PSI) is not code and I need galvanized or copper.

Our home is 31 years old and we've had oil delivered without a problem throughout those 31 years. The vent pipe is 2 inch copper, and the tank is inside my basement. So what's the deal? On 2016-11-30 by Jim

by (mod) -

Geo and Jim: here's a table of permitted fuel oil piping materials:

Copper piping is permitted by typical standards and codes for heating or fuel oil piping provided it's a listed and proper type. See the table I insert below, excerpted from the 2008 ICC Chapter 13 on Oil Tank Piping [PDF] given as a live link in the

article OIL TANK FILL & VENT PIPING INSPECTION CHECKLIST

For inspectors and readers who come across plastic fill and vent piping at oil storage tanks we also cite:

1302.4 Nonmetallic pipe. All nonmetallic pipe shall be listed and labeled as being acceptable for the intended application forflammable and combustible liquids. Nonmetallic pipe shall be installed only outside, underground.

Fix a corroded oil tank vent pipe by putting a smaller pipe inside it?

My vent pipe corroded. My plumbing guy is suggesting that we put the new vent pipe inside another pipe (PVC?) to prevent future problems...but I think this might lead to more water building up around the pipe...is a pipe inside a pipe advisable, please? On 2016-07-08 by Joe

by (mod) - corroded oil tank ven tpipe

I've never come across nor read any suggestion for the approach being suggested. I'd replace the damaged/corroded piping.

A worry is that the smaller diameter vent pipe could cause excess pressure in the oil tank during fill-up, causing a leak.

Does the vertical portion of the vent pipe (on the outside of the home) need to extend any higher than the fill pipe?

For an indoor oil tank, does the vertical portion of the vent pipe (on the outside of the home) need to extend any higher than the fill pipe? (July 14, 2014) Rob said:

Reply:

Rob I'll need to research some codes & specs as I'm not sure if "required" is the word, but usually that's how we see the piping installed, principally to assure that the delivery person has a chance to hear the tank whistle or hear the tank get full before blowing oil out of the vent

and to be sure that if the tank is being over-filled during some SNAFU the driver has a (small) chance of seeing it at the fill pipe first.

Can I extend out to the front of the new porch the fill and vent pipes from the existing?

(Dec 13, 2014) Tim D said:
I live in MA and am planning to add a farmers porch. Can I extend out to the front of the new porch the fill and vent pipes from the existing? Currently ther are against the front of the house. Porch will be extending out 6 feet. Will I have condensation issues etc?

I should of clarified, this is an oil fill and vent pipe.

Reply:

Tim

Yes.

An oil tank fill and vent pipe has nothing to do with plumbing system venting - I was asleep at the switch.

You will be ok or maybe NOT

Here are some things to check with your oil company:

1. Can the oil delivery truck driver still hear the tank alarm or vent whistle to know that the tank is filled ? If not an overfill, spills, etc. are at risk.

2. Is the vent line of sufficient diameter to adequately vent the oil tank against pressures created during filling, given that it now is longer

3. Are the pipes leak tight and not at risk of dripping oil into a bad place

4. Are the fill and vent pipes properly sloped back to the tank

5. Can the oil delivery driver easily access both fill and vent for the oil tank

 

Thank you to our readers for their generous comments

Thank you very much for your help. Great website to know of. Thank you! - On 2020-04-29 by Joe Sidoli

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