Janet Galpin wrote:

I have a rusty steel oil storage tank which I want to replace because I
have a horror of it springing a leak and flooding the garden with oil.
I'm not sure whether to replace it with another steel tank or a plastic
one. Any thoughts about the merits or drawbacks of either type?

Talk to the company that services the tank (the engineer who services
the boiler should check the tank valve, clean the filter, etc during the
visit). See what they suggest. We did, and they suggested plastic. Very,
very strongly. Long-lasting, don't require maintenance, less internal
rust leading to contamination of the oil supply if the filter fails.

regards
sarah


--
NB. Note change of *usenet* email address:
'amitiel.demon.do.uk' will soon cease to function.
My other email address will remain valid.
Think of it as evolution in action :-)

The message om
from "Dave Liquorice" contains these words:

On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 08:07:41 +0100, Janet Galpin wrote:

I'm not sure whether to replace it with another steel tank or a
plastic one.

Is this for domestic use only oil? If there is any hint of commercial
use (say the property is also a B&B or Holiday Let) or if the stored
quantity is avove 2500l (I think) then the regulations have changed
and you will have to fit a bunded tank.

Personally I wouldn't even think of fitting a steel tank, even if you
can still get them. Plastic are fine but check the current regulations
regarding bunding and siting, distance from building openings etc.
Plastic tanks are available with built in bunds but will need support
over their entire base area unlike a steel tank.

Thanks for the various suggestions that plastic is best.
I was all set to go for a plastic one but the chap who is likely to fit
it mentioned two disadvantages. One is that when they go, they go quite
suddenly and leak fast rather than seeping gently like steel tanks.
Second is that he can't dispose easily of old plastic tanks whereas
steel ones can be taken to a scrap merchant. He implied that the life
expectancy of a plastic tank is not much better than a steel one, though
I didn't ask him directly.
However, not needing to paint it is a strong argument in my mind.
I assume bunding is a kind of reinforcement. The bunded ones seem a lot
more expensive. Mine will be a long way from any building, but should I
consider a bunded tank for length of life?

Janet G

The bunded ones seem a
lot more expensive. Mine will be a long way from any building, but
should I consider a bunded tank for length of life?

A bund is usually a raised wall or similar that will contain an oil spill in
case of a serious leak. AFAIK self bunded tanks have a structure to contain
leaks. Whilst not legally required for domestic tanks they are a good idea
if you can afford the extra cost.

Janet Galpin wrote:

The message om
from "Dave Liquorice" contains these words:

On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 08:07:41 +0100, Janet Galpin wrote:

I'm not sure whether to replace it with another steel tank or a
plastic one.

Is this for domestic use only oil? If there is any hint of commercial
use (say the property is also a B&B or Holiday Let) or if the stored
quantity is avove 2500l (I think) then the regulations have changed
and you will have to fit a bunded tank.

Personally I wouldn't even think of fitting a steel tank, even if you
can still get them. Plastic are fine but check the current regulations
regarding bunding and siting, distance from building openings etc.
Plastic tanks are available with built in bunds but will need support
over their entire base area unlike a steel tank.

Thanks for the various suggestions that plastic is best.
I was all set to go for a plastic one but the chap who is likely to fit
it mentioned two disadvantages. One is that when they go, they go quite
suddenly and leak fast rather than seeping gently like steel tanks.
Second is that he can't dispose easily of old plastic tanks whereas
steel ones can be taken to a scrap merchant. He implied that the life
expectancy of a plastic tank is not much better than a steel one, though
I didn't ask him directly.
However, not needing to paint it is a strong argument in my mind.
I assume bunding is a kind of reinforcement. The bunded ones seem a lot
more expensive. Mine will be a long way from any building, but should I
consider a bunded tank for length of life?

Bunding is not reinforcement in the sense I think you mean, it's a
design that ensures a leak from the tank will not seep out and
contaminate the surrounding area. 'Seeping gently' is very^16 bad news
these days -- if your steel tank fails like that you'll have to pay for
disposal and replacement of all the contaminated soil, which can cost
UKP000s depending on area and might also affect subsequent sales of your
property if it is registered as contaminated. Whatever tank you get,
ensure it's mounted in such a way that you will *see* ASAP if it's
leaking.

What he says above, too: you should check that the installer is
up-to-date on all the regs regarding the citing of oil tanks; if memory
serves, for example, they have to be 1m (or is it 2m?) from any
boundary, and there's a minimum distance from windows and air intakes,
too. You might be able to find someone willing to disregard this, but
then the installation will be uninsurable.

No disrespect to the chap you've spoken to, but you should ask him
directly about the lifespan of plastic tanks (after all, you're paying
him) and get second opinions from other installers. Check to see which
brands are recommended -- FWIW ours is a Titan, and has sat patiently in
a corner for well over ten years with no painting needed -- and be sure
to get a good quality valve fitted, one with a proper filter to stop
bits of earwig getting into the oil pipe. New hazardous waste regs
undoubtedly affect the disposal of dead plastic tanks, but that's some
years away and you'll probably soon be paying to dispose of the tins
from the paint you'd use on the steel tank.

regards
sarah


--
NB. Note change of *usenet* email address:
'amitiel.demon.do.uk' will soon cease to function.
My other email address will remain valid.
Think of it as evolution in action :-)

sarah wrote:




What he says above, too: you should check that the installer is
up-to-date on all the regs regarding the citing of oil tanks;
^^^^^^ aaaargh.

I mean, it could happen, but...

regards
sarah

--
NB. Note change of *usenet* email address:
'amitiel.demon.do.uk' will soon cease to function.
My other email address will remain valid.
Think of it as evolution in action :-)

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 01:15:47 +0100, Janet Galpin wrote:

I was all set to go for a plastic one but the chap who is likely to
fit it mentioned two disadvantages. One is that when they go, they
go quite suddenly and leak fast rather than seeping gently like
steel tanks.

You're much more likely to notice a fast leak than a slow one which
may go on for years and contaminate a huge amount of ground that
you(*) will have to pay to be removed and disposed of.

Second is that he can't dispose easily of old plastic tanks whereas
steel ones can be taken to a scrap merchant. He implied that the
life expectancy of a plastic tank is not much better than a steel
one, though I didn't ask him directly.

My mind wonders if he has a stock of steel tanks that he can't
shift... Again check the regs, all the new tanks I've not seen around
here have been plastic. I guess if you keep a steel tank maintained it
will have a good long life, like plastic. But with plastic it's pretty
much fit and forget.

Our plastic tank has been in place for a good ten years, exposed to
the SW'ly gales and winter storms it also directly catches the summer
sun. The surface might be degrading slightly but nothing I'm worried
about. This is a Titan tank.

I assume bunding is a kind of reinforcement.

A bund is some form of secondary containment that can hold at least
110% of the tank capacity. Look at large oil storage tanks you'll find
them surrounded by a wall with no drain inside. All in one plastic
bunded tanks are a tank within a tank.

Mine will be a long way from any building, but should I consider a
bunded tank for length of life?

Life (and disposal of old tank) shouldn't be a issue, we are talking
20 years or more, who knows what the regs will be by then. If you can
afford it go for a bunded tank even for a small domestic supply. Land
clean up costs can be phenominal. You may even get a hefty fine if it
gets into the ground water.

(*) Or your insurance company, check your cover...

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

(sarah) wrote in message k...
Janet Galpin wrote:

I have a rusty steel oil storage tank which I want to replace because I
have a horror of it springing a leak and flooding the garden with oil.
I'm not sure whether to replace it with another steel tank or a plastic
one. Any thoughts about the merits or drawbacks of either type?

Talk to the company that services the tank (the engineer who services
the boiler should check the tank valve, clean the filter, etc during the
visit). See what they suggest. We did, and they suggested plastic. Very,
very strongly. Long-lasting, don't require maintenance, less internal
rust leading to contamination of the oil supply if the filter fails.

Somebody mentioned sudden failure of plastic tanks. I'll bow to
anybody's experience, but surely when plastic fails outdoors it's
because of the effect of UV light on the material: wouldn't this start
in the visible areas at the top and on the sunny side? If so, you
should see it coming long before it reaches danger-point. They must
surely be made of a UV-resistant material, too. The plastic oil tank I
had installed nineteen years ago is still doing the present owner
proud, even after they'd changed its position, which would have tended
to worsen any weakness.

Mike.

In message , Alan Gould
writes
In article , Janet Galpin
writes
I have a rusty steel oil storage tank which I want to replace because I
have a horror of it springing a leak and flooding the garden with oil.
I'm not sure whether to replace it with another steel tank or a plastic
one. Any thoughts about the merits or drawbacks of either type?

I may be wrong about this, but if the tank is for storing heating oil,
there can be Local Authority safety standards to comply with. It might
be as well to check with them first before deciding what to purchase.

Where I live everyone that has replaced their oil tank has chosen a
plastic one to replace it. They seem to be well pleased with them. I
don't much like their shape but sooner or later my steel tank will
require replacement.

What do people reckon are the best ways to disguise one of these ugly
brutes? Hammerite deep green heavy metallic makes my steel one look
almost OK against vegetation. The flat top collects water though..

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

Martin Brown wrote in news:YlkwAMEZ32
:


Where I live everyone that has replaced their oil tank has chosen a
plastic one to replace it. They seem to be well pleased with them. I
don't much like their shape but sooner or later my steel tank will
require replacement.

What do people reckon are the best ways to disguise one of these ugly
brutes? Hammerite deep green heavy metallic makes my steel one look
almost OK against vegetation. The flat top collects water though..


Dunno about oil tanks, but willow hurdles make a good screen for a propane
tank. You need to leave access to the top, of course, but screening the
sides helps.

Victoria
--
gardening on a north-facing hill
in South-East Cornwall
--

The message
from Martin Brown contains these words:

In article , Janet Galpin
writes
I have a rusty steel oil storage tank which I want to replace because I
have a horror of it springing a leak and flooding the garden with oil.
I'm not sure whether to replace it with another steel tank or a plastic
one. Any thoughts about the merits or drawbacks of either type?

Ours is a plastic Titan, 10 yrs old and looks to be in good
condition.(It's raised up on a concrete platform so any leakage would be
easily seen).


Where I live everyone that has replaced their oil tank has chosen a
plastic one to replace it. They seem to be well pleased with them. I
don't much like their shape but sooner or later my steel tank will
require replacement.

What do people reckon are the best ways to disguise one of these ugly
brutes?

We've erected an L shaped heavy duty lattice screen (which will be
covered in plants), sufficiently far from the tank that the plants won't
touch it, and the delivery man still has easy access. The other two
sides are, or soon will be, screened by hedges.

Janet

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 01:15:47 +0100, Janet Galpin wrote:

I was all set to go for a plastic one but the chap who is likely to
fit it mentioned two disadvantages. One is that when they go, they
go quite suddenly and leak fast rather than seeping gently like
steel tanks.

You're much more likely to notice a fast leak than a slow one which
may go on for years and contaminate a huge amount of ground that
you(*) will have to pay to be removed and disposed of.

Second is that he can't dispose easily of old plastic tanks whereas
steel ones can be taken to a scrap merchant. He implied that the
life expectancy of a plastic tank is not much better than a steel
one, though I didn't ask him directly.

My mind wonders if he has a stock of steel tanks that he can't
shift... Again check the regs, all the new tanks I've not seen around
here have been plastic. I guess if you keep a steel tank maintained it
will have a good long life, like plastic. But with plastic it's pretty
much fit and forget.

Our plastic tank has been in place for a good ten years, exposed to
the SW'ly gales and winter storms it also directly catches the summer
sun. The surface might be degrading slightly but nothing I'm worried
about. This is a Titan tank.

I assume bunding is a kind of reinforcement.

A bund is some form of secondary containment that can hold at least
110% of the tank capacity. Look at large oil storage tanks you'll find
them surrounded by a wall with no drain inside. All in one plastic
bunded tanks are a tank within a tank.

Mine will be a long way from any building, but should I consider a
bunded tank for length of life?

Life (and disposal of old tank) shouldn't be a issue, we are talking
20 years or more, who knows what the regs will be by then. If you can
afford it go for a bunded tank even for a small domestic supply. Land
clean up costs can be phenominal. You may even get a hefty fine if it
gets into the ground water.

(*) Or your insurance company, check your cover...

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail