If you live in rural areas or away from electrical lines, your oil tank is highly valued. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last forever—it will come a time when it will have passed its intended lifespan, and you have to replace it.
How do you know it’s time to undertake oil tank replacement? Here are the signs to look out for:
Visible signs of tank damage
It’s wise that you undertake regular oil tank maintenance, which often includes regular inspections. During the inspection, be on the lookout for any obvious signs of damage such as rust, corrosion, denting along with the tank, and discoloration.
If you notice any of these signs, it’s vital that you consider replacing the tank as soon as possible, as it’s a matter of time before the tank starts to leak.
Leakages
If you notice your tank leaking, there is no debate about it—you should replace it immediately. Oil tanks rust from the inside out, and they immediately create holes that cause the oil to spill out.
This means that when your tank is leaking, the chances are high that it has already rusted on the inside.
You are constantly running out of oil.
Are you burning more oil than usual? This might be a sign that your tank is leaking or has another problem.
As a responsible homeowner, you should know the amount of oil you use in your house. If you regularly notice any outliers that you can’t explain, have a professional look into the tank and if there is any problem, fix it.
If you fix the problem and the tank is still burning through the oil at an alarming rate, chances are the tank is damaged, and it’s time to schedule a replacement.
Inaccurate fuel gauge
It’s catastrophic when you can’t read the amount of oil in the tank. Right off the bat, you should replace the fuel gauge. If you replace it and still the gauge can’t read the tank contents, it might be a sign of a more serious problem that you should have looked at by a professional and fixed. If the problem doesn’t seem to go away, replace the tank.
The legs are unstable.
The legs supporting the oil tank are a clear reflection of the overall condition of the heating oil tank, so when the legs aren’t stable, the chances are high that the tank is unstable.
You can always replace the legs, but this isn’t the best way to fix the problem. The best way out is to replace the entire oil tank.
You have frequent pipe clogs.
When you have frequent clogs, the chances are high that your oil tank is corroding or isn’t well insulated, and this can lead to massive amounts of sludge buildup that can be hard to keep up with.
In some cases, cleaning up the tank gets the job done, but for the best outcome and to keep your tank in top shape, replace the tank.
The oil lines connecting the heating oil tank with your furnace should always be in good condition. If you notice cracks or splits in the connection, have the unit inspected by a professional.
If the lines have cracked, it opens up a host of problems, including oil leakages, and in most cases, this problem can’t be fixed, and the best way out is to hire a professional and replace it.
What are the repercussions of not replacing the oil tank?
As much as replacing the oil tank comes with plenty of benefits, including saving money, it often doesn’t come cheap, so many homeowners often prefer postponing it. Don’t do this.
Although, the replacement cost is high, it will be much cheaper to replace it in the long run as you will be losing a lot of oil through leakages.
There is also the risk of the oil seeping from your tank and onto your property and adjacent properties next to yours, which can find you being penalized and deemed financially liable to any clean-up.
Any uncontrolled oil leak is extremely hazardous to the environment, not to mention the risk of fire.
To avoid all of these, don’t put off replacing the oil tank if it’s ripe for replacement. Instead, hire an oil burner repair service Long Island and install a new tank.