Have You Touched Your Oil Tank Lately?

Please don't!

The environmental hazards lurking inside your homes oil tank could erupt into an overwhelming clean up project in your basement.

Only a licensed Oil Burner Technician should be touching your tank and the reasons are listed in the link below from the State of Maine website.

http://www.maine.gov/dep/rwm/publications/isyourta.htm

In short

• If your tank is over 25 years old it's time to talk about a replacement.
• If the tank legs are rotting, your tank could tip and fall and split open.
• If your tank has rust, wet or brown spots, it's probably weakening from the inside. The simple act of touching it could cause a leak or a hole large enough for your valuable heating oil to spill out into your basement. Dirt floor or cement floor, you've got a hazardous situation to contend with.  Don't forget about your sump pump too.  If oil leaks out of the tank towards your sump hole you could end up pumping that oil out into the city sewer line or your own leach bed where it could recycle into your well.

Be aware

Being a homeowner comes with certain responsibilities. Whether your oil tank is inside or outside you must keep an eye on it and be sure it's in good condition and protected from falling objects that could damage it.

Many leaks and spills are caused by corrosion of buried piping and improperly installed outdoor tanks so it's important to keep a watchful eye on your equipment and not let replacement and update of these items go too long. 

The cost of the heating oil and the cost to the environment are just too important to overlook the need for proper maintenance of your oil tank.

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