How Can You Tell if Your Oil Heating Tank is Leaking

A leak in your heating oil tank or system is not always obvious and sometimes can be very difficult to detect.  However, there are some tell tale signs that will assist homeowners who feel their oil tank is leaking.

An active oil leak will smell. 

If there is any odour of kerosene around the tank, from the ground itself or even, inside the house, there is likely to be a spill or leak somewhere in the system.  The smell will be strong and stronger as you get close to the source of the leak.  This may be in the pipelines feeding the boiler but can also be from the tank itself. If you detect a strong smell of kerosene, don’t waste any time if you suspect an oil leak and contact Enviroleak, or another reputable advisor, so that steps can be taken to contain the leak and curtail the damage as a matter of urgency.

The Soil around the tank

The ground around a leaking tank may look darker or discolored with grass dying off and plants in the area affected. There may be a damp patch under the tank. If you are unsure that there is a leak, you can try digging in the soil and if you unearth darker wetter clay and a distinct or strong ordour of kerosene rising up, there is likely to be an oil leak present.  The longer it leaks, the wider and more costly the damage will be.  This may have implications for your neighbours properties too and for local water sources.

The Heating Bill

For many people, an increased consumption of kerosene is the first sign that their precious heating oil is draining away elsewhere.   In these difficult times, when the price of fuel is fluctuating, it may be more difficult to spot the higher costs due to leakage.  But if you are burning through more liters than usual, It would be wise to check for a leak.  If your oil is being disappearing faster than normal and you cannot find signs of a leak, give us a call and we can advise over the phone, what steps you can take to establish whether a leak is happening.  Fast detection and remediation will reduce the damage of a leakage.

The Tank Itself

Check your oil tank for dents or scratches and obvious signs of damage. If there is any bulging of the tank or it seems deformed in any way, it will likely need investigation for leaking and or replacement.    Whitening or discolouration of the home heating oil tank is also a sign of deterioration of the tanks material.

Not all leaks have dramatic gushing losses and some oil leaks can be insidious with have long term detrimental effects. If you need any advice or assistance with detecting and dealing with an oil leak, feel free to call us at Enviroleak, where we have a 24-hour phone line and are trained and experienced at dealing with all kinds of oil leaks, including domestic.