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Home Inspection Report Language Library: How to Report Defects in Heating Oil Piping OilTankAPedia © Enter your search terms Submit search form   Search This Website - InspectAPedia.com

Home inspection report language for oil storage tanks Oil line piping defects

This document describes and provides home inspection report language for defects in heating oil tank piping, and related oil tank installation defects that can be found by visual inspection. Beyond the costly problem of leaky heating oil tanks, this particular page 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. Also see Gas Piping Defects. © Copyright 2008 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Website Topics. Green links at left show where you are in our document & website.

OIL PIPING DEFECTS - Reporting Oil Piping Defects by Visual Inspection

OIL LINE EXPOSED - Oil Line Exposed to Damage

OIL LINE line is exposed atop the floor in some locations - it can be damaged, causing loss of heat or dangerous leaks. The line 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: it appears that the oil burner's fuel unit is served by a single line from the oil tank, and that the oil line is routed from the oil tank up high beneath the ceiling and back down to the oil burner. In some circumstances this installation may tend to lose prime, become air locked, or These events can lead to loss of heat and possible damage to the building from frozen pipes. You should review this installation detail with your service person.

OIL LINE LEAKS - Oil Line leaks found

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

SINGLE LINE BURIED 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.

DUAL LINE 2 VALVES - Oil Line-dual line, remove fire-o-matic on return side & add check valve

Safety: 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.[per Dave Ferris - M&S Environmental Systems - HVAC expert. - personal comm. to DJF 1987]

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.

CAULK 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.

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

We did not find a proper vent pipe on this tank. 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

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.

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

We did not find a heating oil filter installed on the system. 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.

FIRE SAFETY VALVE - Add Fire Safety Valve at the Oil Burner (Fire o matic Fire-o matic oil shutoff safety valve)

SAFETY IMPROVEMENT: When the service is performed we recommend installation of a "Fire-o-matic" safety valve on the oil line at the burner. This valve controls flow of fuel oil to the burner, and has a lead core which melts and shuts the valve, stopping the flow of oil in event of a fire in the building. Even when one of these valves is installed at the oil tank the proper place for this protection is right at the burner as well.

More Information on Oil Tanks, Oil Piping, & Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• Oil Tanks - The Oil Storage Tank Information Website: Buried or Above Ground Oil Tank Inspection, Testing, Cleanup, Abandonment of Oil Tanks
• Abandon a Buried Oil Tank, How To - Abandoning Commercial Underground Tanks, Russ Brauksieck, ASHI Tech. Journal, Vol.3 No.1 Spring 1993, P. 40-41 [Reprint]
• Above Ground Oil Tanks: Visual Inspection of Oil Storage Tanks for evidence of leaks, damage, improper piping - photos and text
• Above Ground Oil Tanks Checklist, an Oil Company's advice
• Above Ground Tanks UL Standards, UL Tank Listing Standards, guidance for home owners, buyers, and inspectors
• Buried Oil Tanks - Finding How to Find Buried Oil Tanks and "Nearly Hidden" and Leaky Oil Tanks - photos and text.
• Buried Fuel tank - Advice - Buried FUEL Tank - GAS or OIL advice for home buyers, inspection report language
• Environmental Issues & Regulations for Oil Tanks, Registration, Abandonment, Leak Reporting
• Home Inspection Report Language Library: Buried Oil Tanks, Basic home buyer advice - home inspection report language suggestions
• Home Inspection Report Language Library: Visible Defects in Oil Tank Installations, Tanks, and Heating Oil Piping
• Home Inspection Report Language Library: Gas Fuel Piping or Tank Faults Basic advice - home inspection report language suggestions
• Home Inspection Report Language Library: Oil Tanks text file list © Oil and Other Storage Tank Leaks, Testing, Abandonment, Inspection - UST home inspection report language files - Reference List
• Indoor Environment Website Indoor Building Environmental Hazard Detection, Testing, Repair, & Prevention - Main Web Page
• Leaky Heating Oil Tanks - Advice for Home Owners or Buyers: caused of leaks in oil tanks, oil tank testing alternatives, what to do about leaky tanks: D.J. Friedman, ASHI Tech. Journal, Vol.2 No.1, Winter, 1992 p. 42-43 Illus
• Leak or Failure Rates for Home Heating Oil Tanks
• Legal Issues Regarding Buried Oil Storage Tanks K.S. Rea, Attorney, summary from ASHI Chapter Seminar.
• Primer on Petroleum Bulk Storage Tanks & Petroleum Contamination of Property Paul H. Ciminello, ASHI Tech. Journal, Vol.3 No.1 Spring 1993, p 35-39
• Petroleum Bulk Storage J. Sibblies, NY State DEC, Advice to Home Owners and Home Inspectors about Oil Storage Tanks - summary from ASHI Chapter Seminar.
• Septic Tank inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair
• TANK FAILURE CAUSES - Oil Tank Failure Causes - oil tank leaks are caused by corrosion, damage, soil conditions, other factors
• TANK FAILURE RATES - Oil Tank Failure Rates - Oil Tank Leak Probability as a Function of Tank Age, Location, Condition, Soil Conditions and Other Factors
• TANK TESTING - How Oil Tanks are Tested for Evidence Leaks, of Current or Previous Oil Spills
• Web Link Exchange: Contact Us to list your website or contact information for oil tank testing, tank corrosion research, oil industry experts

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