InspectAPedia ®

Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, & Problem Prevention Advice
InspectAPedia
Home
| Air
Conditioning
| Electrical | Indoor
Environment
| Exteriors | Heating | Home
Inspection
| Insulate
Ventilate
| Interiors | Mold
Inspect/Test
| Plumbing
Water
Septic
| Roofing | Structure | Contact Us
Directory of Professionals to Inspect or Test a Building


OIL TANK HOME
  HOME BUYERS GUIDE TO OIL TANKS
ABOVE GROUND OIL TANK INSPECTIONS
BURIED OIL TANK ADVICE
BURIED OIL TANKS, FINDING
FLOATING UP OIL STORAGE or SEPTIC TANKS
FUEL OIL TYPES & CHARACTERISTICS
HEATING OIL EXPOSURE HAZARDS, LIMITS
HEATING OIL SHELF LIFE
OIL TANK ABANDONING PROCEDURE
OIL TANK INSPECTION REPORTS
  BURIED OIL TANK REPORTS
  OIL TANK IN GARAGE
  OIL TANK NEAR WATER
  OIL TANK CLOSE TO FURNACE
  OIL TANK EXPOSED TO WEATHER
  OIL TANK LEAKY/PATCHED
  OIL TANK PIPING DEFECTS
  OIL TANK SLUDGE
  OIL TANK SUPPORT
OIL TANK FAILURE CAUSES
OIL TANK FAILURE RATES
OIL TANK GAUGES
OIL TANK INSPECTION REPORTS
OIL TANK LEGAL ISSUES
OIL TANK LEAK ADVICE
  OIL TANK LEAK ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
  FREQUENCY of OIL TANK LEAKS
  HOME INSPECTOR OIL TANK REPORT
  OIL TANK LEAK IMPACTS
  OIL TANK LEAK CAUSES
  OIL TANK LEAK CLEANUP GUIDE
  OIL TANK LEAK REPORTING REGULATIONS - ALL
  OIL TANK LEAK TESTING
  LEAKY OIL TANK FILL PIPES
  OIL TANK LEAK REPORTING BASICS
  WHAT IF AN OIL TANK IS LEAKING?
OIL TANK LIFE
OIL TANK PIPING DEFECTS
  CAULK OIL PIPE ENTRANCES
  FIRE SAFETY CONTROLS
  HEAT TAPE HAZARD ON OIL TANK
  OIL FILL & VENT
  OIL FILL PIPE EXPOSED
  OIL FILL / VENT PIPE CAP LOST
  OIL FILL & VENT PIPES UNDERSIZED
  OIL FILTER - NONE
  OIL LINE EXPOSED
  OIL LINE SINGLE, UP HIGH
  OIL LINE SINGLE ON BURIED TANK
  DUAL LINE 2 VALVES
  OIL LINE LEAKS
  OIL TANK FILL & VENT LINES APART
  OIL TANK VENT PIPE MISSING
OIL TANK PRESSURE
OIL TANK REGULATIONS
OIL TANK REMOVAL COs
OIL TANK REMOVAL FINANCIAL AID
OIL TANK SLUDGE
OIL TANK STANDARDS
OIL TANK TESTING
OIL TANK TESTING COs
OIL TANK WATER CONTAMINATION

More Information

InspectAPedia.comInspectAPedia ® Home & Site Map
InspectAPedia Blog - News Updates
Air Conditioning & Heat Pumps
Bookstore
Electrical
Environment
Exteriors
Heating
Home Inspection
Insulate Ventilate
Interiors
Mold Inspect/Test
Plumbing Water Septic
Roofing
Structure
Accuracy & Privacy Policies
Contact Us

Photograph of  Half-Buried Indoor Oil Storage Tank Used Outside below a ready to collapse deck

Guide to Heating Oil Piping Defects & Leaks
OilTankAPedia ©

  • Heating oil piping errors, defects, leaks, and safety hazards
  • Heating oil piping leaks, loss of heat, oil burner puffback causes
  • Heating oil tank fill and vent pipe requirements
  • Where should oil line fire safety valves and check valves be located?
  • Where should the heating system electrical shutoff switches be located?
Our site offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest. We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices, false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at inspect-ny.com/appointment.htm.

This document describes defects in heating oil piping, filters, safety valves, and oil tank fill and vent piping. All of these oil storage tank and piping installation defects can easily be found by visual inspection. Beyond the costly problem of leaky oil piping, this document lists other important safety or oil-fired equipment operational defects in home and light commercial heating oil storage and piping systems.

This sample home inspection report language may assist home owners or home buyers in understanding risks associated with both buried and above ground oil or other fuel storage tanks at their property. The oil tank and oil piping inspection report language explains the need for action and indicates where more information can be obtained. Contact us to suggest text changes and additions and, if you wish, to receive online listing and credit for that contribution.

Also see text and oil tank defect photographs at Visual Inspection of Oil Storage Tanks. NOTICE: while example report language is provided here, reproduction of this or any of our web pages or their contents online at other websites or in printed documents for sale is prohibited. Readers are welcome to use the text directly in home inspection reports, with citation of the website source. © Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

OIL PIPING DEFECTS - Reporting Oil Piping Defects by Visual Inspection

Undersized oil piping schematic (C) Carson DunlopUNDERSIZED OIL FILL & VENT PIPES

As Carson Dunlop's sketch shows, oil filler or vent piping that is too small can result in too much pressure in the oil tank during filling, resulting in a burst oil tank and serious oil leakage.

Oil tanks are usually filled under pressure (not by gravity like your car). We also do not like to see plastic oil piping used for these applications, out of concern that it may be broken, leading to a serious oil spill.

See OIL TANK PRESSURE for a detailed explanation.

Typical oil tank fill and vent piping details (C) Carson Dunlop

OIL TANK VILL & VENT LINES TOO FAR APART?

Carson Dunlop's sketch at left shows typical oil fill and vent piping details for an oil tank installed inside of a building. Usually these pipes are located together and against the building wall.

Sometimes we see that the oil filler pipe for an outdoor buried oil tank will be directly over the tank (and perhaps too close to ground level to keep water out), while the installer may have placed the vent pipe some distance away, against the building wall.

This may have seemed to be a neat job for the installer, but you should know that the oil delivery driver listens to the oil vent pipe to hear when the oil tank has been filled. Placing the vent line too far from the oil tank fill line is risky.

Oil tank fill and vent caps (C) Carson DunlopMissing oil filler caps (C) Daniel Friedman

OIL FILL OR VENT PIPE CAPS LOST

As Carson Dunlop's sketch shows (above left) and as we show in Arlene Puentes' photo (above right), you are asking for water in the heating oil tank or insects clogging the fill or vent line (probably the vent line) if the caps have been lost from these pipes.

We've been informed of oil tank fill difficulties (perhaps even leading to a burst or oil tank leak) when insects clogged the oil tank vent pipe.

If the screen is lost from your oil tank vent pipe be sure to replace it to keep the wasps and mud-daubers out of this line. And be sure the screen on the oil tank vent pipe has not been blocked by painting over it - as we explain at OIL TANK PRESSURE for an explanation. this can cause an oil tank leak during an oil delivery.

NO OIL TANK VENT PIPE - Oil Tank - No Vent Pipe or Blocked Oil Tank Vent Pipe

Be sure that you can find a proper oil tank vent pipe. On occasion we find that a filler pipe was installed but no vent pipe was run outside. Improper oil tank venting such as no tank vent at all, a too-small oil tank vent, or a vent which is improperly installed, routed, or has become blocked, can cause a catastrophic oil spill in a building or outdoors at a buried tank. See OIL TANK PRESSURE for an explanation.

Oil fumes and even heating oil may spill into the building. The tank should be vented to outside to avoid dumping noxious and possibly combustible or obnoxious fumes into the living area.

OIL FILL PIPE EXPOSED - Oil Tank - Fill Pipe Exposed to Roof Drainage

Check to see if the oil tank fill pipe is in a location where roof drainage may fall directly on or into it. Water in an oil tank can lead to loss of heat and costly related damage from that condition or it can accelerate rust and corrosion from inside the oil tank, leading to oil leaks and a costly environmental cleanup. The tank should be tested for the amount of water in it and if in question, it should be tested for leaks. And protect the fill pipe and vent from water entry.

CAULK OIL TANK FILL & VENT PIPE ENTRANCES - Oil Tank - Caulk pipe entrances

You should caulk the opening where tank supply and vent pipes penetrate the house wall, to prevent pest or water entry at this point. This is an inexpensive item. This repair/maintenance item may be deferred.

OIL LINE EXPOSED - Oil Line Exposed to Damage

Check to see if the the oil lines are exposed atop the floor where they can be stepped-on. These flexible copper lines can be easily damaged, causing loss of heat or dangerous leaks. The heating oil piping lines should be protected by means approved by your heating service professional. This should be an inexpensive

SINGLE HIGH OIL LINE - Oil Line Problem: single line routed high may lose prime

SERVICE NOTE: if an oil burner's fuel unit is served by a single line from a buried oil tank, or if the oil line is routed from even an indoor heating oil tank up high beneath the ceiling and back down to the oil burner, in some circumstances this installation may tend to lose prime in oil piping system, become air locked, or these events can lead to loss of heat and possible damage to the building from frozen pipes.

This problem occurs commonly if the oil tank is remote and buried (oil burner pumps don't have much lift capacity), or when an indoor tank is very low on oil. You should review this installation detail with your service person.

See our discussion of check valves and the Tigerloop™ product at OIL TANK PRESSURE for alternatives to conversion of a single line to a two line oil supply piping system.

OIL LINE LEAKS - Oil Line leaks found - can lead to oil heat system puffback and loss of heat

Heating oil pipeline leaks (C) Daniel Friedman

Example of inspection report where leaks or drips are found in heating oil piping:

Caution: we saw a possible oil line leak:
... wet oily sections of piping at
... oil stains on the floor at ...

Oil leaks may be hazardous and also, as air may be drawn into the oil line when the fuel unit is pumping, they can lead to improper system operation and even loss of heat in the building.

It may come as a surprise but drawing air into the oil burner from a leak in the oil line can leave an air bubble in the oil burner nozzle. When the oil burner shuts down the pressure inside the nozzle area drops from 100 psi or more down to ambient pressure of just a few pounds.

The reduction in pressure causes that little air bubble to expand, pushing extra oil out of the oil burner nozzle where it dribbles into the oil heating system boiler or furnace combustion chamber. The next time the oil burner starts-up this un-burned oil residue forms a mini explosion - you may hear a sort of "bang" when the oil burner starts. This malfunction can lead to a serious puff back blowing soot into the home, or worse. This is an unsafe condition caused by what looks like a tiny innocent drip such as the one we show in our photo above.

This item should be checked/corrected by your service person promptly.

SINGLE OIL LINE on a BURIED HEATING OIL TANK - Single oil line on buried oil tank risks lost prime, no heat

A single oil line was found coming from tank to oil burner. Recommended practice is use of two pipes, for several reasons: avoiding loss of prime, providing alternate pipe if supply pipe clogs, and reducing the lift load on the pump.

Note: some experts recommend that the fire-safety valve for these systems be installed ONLY on the supply line, with only a simple check valve on the return line. This procedure reduces the risk of burst gasket at the oil pump and spray of heating oil into an existing fire should a valve on the return line close before the valve on the supply line during a fire.

HEAT TAPE HAZARD - Heat Tapes on heating oil lines are a Fire Hazard

Safety Recommendation:do not use electric heat tapes to keep fuel oil lines from plugging during cold weather. Such measures are an obvious fire hazard.

HEATING OIL FILTER - NONE - No Oil Filter Installed on Oil Fired Equipment

Heating oil filter at the oil burner (C) Daniel Friedman

If we do not find a heating oil filter installed on the system this is a defect that risks loss of heat.

Most modern oil heating equipment will have an oil filter installed, such as the one shown in our photo at left.

Notice that there's a heating oil leak below the connection to the filter outlet? This leak will suck air into the oil burner when it's running, leading to improper and possibly unsafe operation, risking a puffback.

Unless you find or the owner can point out a filter already in place, we recommend installation of one - to be located at or very near the burner and "downstream" of a fire-o-matic safety shutoff valve to permit easy service. Failure to provide adequate filtering may lead to loss of heat and subsequent damage to the building.

...

Technical Reviewers & References

  • Daniel Friedman - principal author/editor of the InspectAPedia® Website
  • InspectAPedia Bookstore lists recommended books, organized by topic & available for purchase. Most of our articles also include a list of recommended books for the specific article topic as well as other references, and information sources.
  • Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
  • Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

OIL TANK HOME
  HOME BUYERS GUIDE TO OIL TANKS
ABOVE GROUND OIL TANK INSPECTIONS
BURIED OIL TANK ADVICE
BURIED OIL TANKS, FINDING
FLOATING UP OIL STORAGE or SEPTIC TANKS
FUEL OIL TYPES & CHARACTERISTICS
HEATING OIL EXPOSURE HAZARDS, LIMITS
HEATING OIL SHELF LIFE
OIL TANK ABANDONING PROCEDURE
OIL TANK DEFECT INSPECTION
  BURIED OIL TANKS
  OIL TANK IN GARAGE
  OIL TANK NEAR WATER
  OIL TANK SLUDGE
  TANK CLOSE TO FURNACE
  TANK EXPOSED TO WEATHER
  TANK LEAKY/PATCHED
  TANK PIPING DEFECTS
  TANK SUPPORT
OIL TANK FAILURE CAUSES
OIL TANK FAILURE RATES
OIL TANK GAUGES
OIL TANK INSPECTION REPORTS
OIL TANK PIPING DEFECTS
  CAULK OIL PIPE ENTRANCES
  FIRE SAFETY CONTROLS
  HEAT TAPE HAZARD ON OIL TANK
  OIL FILL & VENT
  OIL FILL PIPE EXPOSED
  OIL FILL / VENT PIPE CAP LOST
  OIL FILL & VENT PIPES UNDERSIZED
  OIL FILTER - NONE
  OIL LINE EXPOSED
  OIL LINE SINGLE, UP HIGH
  OIL LINE SINGLE ON BURIED TANK
  OIL LINE LEAKS
  OIL TANK FILL & VENT LINES APART
  OIL TANK VENT PIPE MISSING
OIL TANK LEGAL ISSUES
OIL TANK LEAK ADVICE
OIL TANK LIFE
OIL TANK PIPING DEFECTS
OIL TANK PRESSURE
OIL TANK REMOVAL COs
OIL TANK REMOVAL FINANCIAL AID
OIL TANK REGULATIONS
OIL TANK SLUDGE
OIL TANK STANDARDS
OIL TANK TESTING
OIL TANK TESTING COs
OIL TANK WATER CONTAMINATION

  • Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education, publications, report writing materials, and home inspection services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
  • Arlene Puentes, an ASHI home inspector in Kingston, NY, contributed the example photograph of an outdoor aboveground oil tank. Ms. Puentes can be contacted at ap@octoberhome.com
  • Dave Ferris - M&S Environmental Systems, Dutchess County, New York. Mr. Ferris was an HVAC expert. Personal communication to DJF 1987. Remove the firematic or fusible oil supply line valve on return oil-line side - in case of fire if this one closes first the pump continues to run, blows its seal, and sprays oil all over the fire. Proper installation is to have a fusible link valve only on the supply side, and to install a check valve on the return line to prevent back-siphonage from the tank.

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

  • Our recommended books about building design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
  • ...
OIL TANK HOME

More Information

InspectAPedia.comInspectAPedia ® Home & Site Map
InspectAPedia Blog - News Updates
Air Conditioning & Heat Pumps
Bookstore
Electrical
Environment
Exteriors
Heating
Home Inspection
Insulate Ventilate
Interiors
Mold Inspect/Test
Plumbing Water Septic
Roofing
Structure
Accuracy & Privacy Policies
Contact Us

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

InspectAPedia.comInspectAPedia® Home & Site Map - Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, & Problem Prevention Advice: In-depth research & advice on diagnosing, testing, correcting, & preventing building defects & indoor environmental hazards. Unbiased information, no conflicts of interest.
GO TO the MOLD and INDOOR ENVIRONMENT INFORMATION CENTER for in-depth advice on avoiding testing for or cleaning up mold and other indoor environmental hazards, odors, gases, contaminants
The Mold Information Center:
What to Do About Mold in Buildings, When and How to Inspect for Mold, Clean Up Mold, or Avoid Mold Problems
GO TO MOLD TEST KITS: This expert-recommended mold test kit is cheap and yet top performing *IF* you use a competent analysis laboratory!
Use this simple, economical mold test kit
by following our instructions on how to collect and mail mold samples to our lab
GO TO IAQ/MOLD-TEST LAB SERVICES: Mold, Pollen, indoor air quality, field and laboratory services by an expert.Environmental Inspection, Testing, & Diagnosis On-Site IAQ, Gas, Air Testing, Mold Investigation, Sick Building Diagnosis, Lab Services, & Remediation Plan Preparation - indoor air quality testing, problem source determination, supporting lab work, written remediation plan addressing removal of environmental and other hazards and prevention of their recurrence.
GO TO our PRE PURCHASE BUILDING INSPECTION SERVICES: Authoritative information for home buyers and home owners is included with your inspection.
Building Inspection, Problem Diagnosis
, Forensic Investigation & Testing, Repair Consulting

CONTACT Daniel Friedman - Dan is a senior ASHI home inspector, nationally recognized expert on building inspection, building failures, and sick building investigation
Contact Daniel Friedman for website content suggestions or for fee-paid consulting

04/10/2009 - 04/15/1995 - InspectApedia.com/oiltanks/oiltinsp2.htm - © 2009 - 1988 Copyright Daniel Friedman All Rights Reserved - InspectAPedia® is a Registered U.S. Trademark