Home Heating Oil Leaks: Causes, Prevention & Safety Guidlines

With the arrival of the cold season, many homeowners are taking advantage of the reduced heating oil prices by having their heating oil tanks filled. However, it is also the best time of year to have your heating oil tank and heating oil system fully inspected. This will guarantee that it will run at its best especially during the peak season of use. Skipping out of a full inspection by your heating oil company can cost you more in the long run. The probability of a heating oil leak in your home is a very real and dangerous one. In the following article by the Messenger Post Media, they discuss why a heating oil leak is so dangerous:

The  State Department of Environmental Conservation is asking homeowners who heat with fuel oil to check for leaks as winter approaches. According to the DEC, more than 2 million homes statewide are heated by fuel oil and each year, hundreds of fuel oil spills from home heating oil tanks get reported to the DEC Spills Hotline. Spills have resulted in contamination of basements, groundwater, wells and soils, and expensive cleanups that are often not covered by homeowner's insurance. To see the full article, click here.

This article discusses how real an oil spill or leak is. It also goes on to talk about how dangerous these oil spills can be to your family and potentially, even your neighbors. The contamination of groundwater and in your home is difficult to bounce back from and can even make your house unlivable. It can even devalue your home and the cleanup costs are astronomical.

  Being aware of the dangers and associated costs of heating oil leaks and spills will motivate any homeowner to do whatever it takes to prevent it from happening to them. There are guidelines that you can follow that will help you avoid dealing with a spill or leak. In the following article titled "Home Oil Tank Tips For Avoiding A Heating Oil Leak Or Spill And Protecting the Environment" by Dawg, they discuss some of these preventative measures:

• Inspect for leaks. Look at the oil storage tank, fuel delivery line, valves, piping, and fittings.
• Have your oil company clean the furnace, and repair or replace damaged parts. A well-maintained furnace means lower fuel bills and cleaner emissions.
• Inspect the vent pipe to ensure that it is free of obstructions and that an audible signal (whistle) is on the vent. Oil company personnel listen for the whistle to help avoid overfills.
• Retain all oil delivery receipts. Keep them handy so you can track your oil demand. Unexpected increases may indicate a leak in your home oil tank.
• Ensure that your street number is clearly visible from the road to prevent oil company personnel from delivering fuel to the wrong address.
• Clearly mark the location of the oil storage tank's fill pipe to ensure that oil company personnel deliver your order to the right place.
• At least every 10 years, have the oil tank cleaned out. Over time, water (from condensation) and sludge can cause corrosion, resulting in leaks.

This article claims that regular maintenance of your oil tank can help prevent leaks from happening in your home. Furthermore, it is less costly to have regular maintenance conducted on your heating oil system, then to have to deal with the astronomical expense of a heating oil leak in your home. If you follow these tips, you can surely prevent it from happening to you. If you believe that you have an oil leak in your home, then there are steps that you can take in order to keep your family safe while preventing it from becoming a bigger issue. An oil leak in your home is a situation the should be dealt with immediately. In the following article by the InterNACHI, they discuss some of the most important steps you should take if you have an oil spill:

• Homeowners should take the following steps in the event of a residential oil spill or leak. Act immediately. Even after the source of the leak is stopped, the leaked oil will saturate surrounding soil, flow into cracks and drains, and get beneath floors and walls and remain there until it is cleaned up.This fuel oil storage tank in a home's basement has been patched, as evidenced by the non-matching color of the tank near the valve.
• Turn off all sources of flames or sparks in the area, such as pilot lights in water heaters and furnaces. Unplug any sparking mechanisms. Do not smoke or light matches in the area. While heating oil is less flammable than gasoline, it is still possible for it to ignite.
• Ventilate the area. Clothes and furniture will absorb the oil smell and may need to be discarded. Open windows and close cold-air returns, heat registers and other openings that may allow fumes to enter other areas of the home. Make every effort to seal off any air flow between the spill and the inhabited areas of the home.
• Be sure to keep pets away from any contaminated area.
• Clean up small spills by donning rubber gloves and old shoes and clothes that can be thrown away afterward. Avoid skin contact and inhalation of fumes. Larger spills will require professional cleanup.

This section was originally found on the "InterNACHI" website which can be viewed here.

By following these steps, you can have your oil spill cleaned properly and while maintaining everyone safe. It is also advisable to call your home heating oil company and report the spill to them. They know what to do and can help clean up the spill appropriately to prevent further contamination. This will keep your family safe and your house livable. Better Home Heat Council concentrates on educating consumers about oil heat, especially on topics involving the economical and efficient use of oil heat. We also help consumers with their energy efficiency issues in their homes and find effective solutions to make their homes more energy efficient. We support local oil companies of Lehigh Valley that provide a range of services and products. Click here to search for a home heating oil supplier in your area. Many of our oil dealers provide energy consultations for their customers.

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