How often should oil tanks be serviced?
When the main heating source for warming your home comes from your domestic oil tank, it’s important to ensure it’s serviced annually by a qualified engineer and checked regularly by yourself. Not only will this help preserve the condition of your oil tank, it’ll help you spot and resolve any issues, avoiding emergency breakdowns and no heating in the middle of winter!
We understand that life gets busy and when your heating supply is outside, it can often be a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’, until something goes wrong. By keeping on top of your tank’s condition, you can:
- Spot any leaks, cracks or bulges
- Prevent potential leaks, cracks or bulges
- Reduce damage on the environment
- Avoid costly repairs
- Ensure you have a healthy oil tank
- Prolong your tank’s life expectancy
Spotted a crack in your tank? Read our guide on oil tank cracks.
How much does it cost to service my oil tank?
On average, servicing a domestic oil tank will cost between £70 – £100. This is dependent on the type and size of your oil tank, as well as its location and ease of access to it. It may seem like a lot (especially with the cost of living rising), but it’s a small price to pay to ensure your tank is running safely compared to the pricey cost of fixing any faults from skipping a service.
Our experts are on hand to help with your oil tank servicing.
What does an oil tank service include?
A qualified engineer will visit your oil tank’s location and inspect the following:
- Pipework – from the tank to the building
- Integral bund – checking for any signs of damage
- Gauges – that they’re measuring correctly
- Valves – that they’re safe and secure
- Oil filters – that they’re clean and functioning
We also recommend having your boiler regularly serviced by a qualified plumber, to ensure your entire heating system is performing at its best. A faulty boiler could have a negative impact on your oil tank and heating fuel.
Take a look at the benefits of tank servicing for more information.
You shouldn’t rely solely on your annual service to ensure your oil tank is ok. You should be conducting regular checks on your oil tank to check for the following:
- Any cracks or splits which need to be fixed
- Oil leaks which need to be cleaned up and repaired
- Removing any debris from the top and around the sides
- Ensuring your tank is secure and water cannot seep in
- All vents, gauges and access points are securely closed
- Your oil level is not too low and no more than 80-90% full to avoid overflowing
When should I get my oil tank serviced?
Your domestic oil tank should be serviced annually by a registered OFTEC engineer. Some suppliers recommend every 6 months and different types of tanks may require more servicing than others, for example, steel oil tanks need their oil-resistant coating maintained. But as we said, there’s lots of benefits from you checking your tank regularly. If you’ve moved into a property with an existing oil tank, we recommend having this serviced straight away to ensure it’s in full working order.
We’re here to help
If you do spot any signs of concern when inspecting your oil tank, such as cracks, rusting, oil leaks, then they need to be resolved as soon as possible, before they become expensive, emergency fixes. If you have any queries, get in touch with our friendly team today.
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