Save your heating oil tank: Keep it at least half full!

Your aboveground heating oil tank isn’t a complicated device – with a little routine maintenance and some sensible precautions it should last you for quite some time! But, one thing that could accelerate the demise of your heating oil tank is keeping it empty during the heating offseason.

What does having oil in your tank, even in the off-season, have to do with keeping it around a little longer?

Well, you already know that steel doesn’t like water; what we might not know is that and an empty heating oil tank invites the accumulation of condensation (water) on a tank’s interior walls as temperatures shift during the heating offseason.

Condensation makes two problems for your heating oil tank: first, it creates an environment that is perfect for growing bacteria in your fuel – bacteria that will eventually cause system-jamming, efficiency-robbing sludge to accumulate in your tank. Second, since water is heavier than oil, it will sink to the bottom of your tank where it will speed corrosion – a problem you may not see coming until your tank fails.

As you can see, condensation buildup is something you really want to avoid!

The good news is that you you can prevent (or at least minimize) condensation inside your heating oil tank by keeping it at least half full during the offseason.

Need an offseason heating oil delivery? Contact the pros at Frank Lamparelli today. And if you need a heating oil tank replacement, we can help there, too, with expert installation and heating oil tank removal in our Massachusetts service area. Contact us for a FREE, no obligation estimate today.