Premises nearby have had a bund built around their heating oil storage tank, looks like breeze blocks to me.
What happens when it rains? Would the water level inside the bund rise until the bund's effectively useless? Are breeze blocks a suitable material for an oil tank bund?
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Just in the process of buying a new oil tank myself. Perhaps the blocks are more to do with creating a fire resistant wall?
Our old tank from 2005 is, I'm told, not up to regs now of course so they can't replace like for like nor put a new one in the same place anyway, partly because of fire regs.
Total bore and is going to cost me two grand to replace it. Sigh.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Thu 21 Dec 17 at 12:41
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There should be a "Sump" and drain cock at the lowest point, to empty rain-water away, and also to provide a means of recovering the oil if the tank leaks. The inside surfaces of the blocks should be rendered and sealed.
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Concrete blocks alone will not provide a suitable oil bund.
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Must admit that after experiencing a failed oil tank at my parents, it's something you really want to avoid as it is very very expensive to rectify, including moving tonnes of contaminated soil, chemicals on bricks to remove penetrated oil, floor boards up for examination. Horrible mess.
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The current regulations regarding the siting of of oil tanks are extremely restrictive particularly with their position in relation to buildings and sheds. Fire proofing and the like.
Mine is positioned at the rear of the garage and a couple of sheds in close proximity.
One estimate wanted the tank more or less moving to the middle of the lawn however I was able to find an installer who was somewhat more sympathetic.
I went for a double skinned tank as the last single skinned started cracking due to UV light and out of warranty.
The installer stated that if he complied totally with the regs they would be out of business.
The issue of course is that many existing tanks were installed before the new regulations and replacement in compliance is almost impossible in many situations.
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Just today had the quote for a new tank from a second supplier. Both suppliers providing a plastic bundled tank. Same job exactly, same position. First supplier, 2k. Second supplier, £3.5k. Different tank make with second, and one size larger as that's the smallest they do. Big price jump though.
First supplier gets the business. Both include digging out and creating a new base (necessary n our case), transferring oil from old to new, disposal of old tank, a new remote Watchman fuel level thingy and recommissioning the system as required.
Our existing tank, a Titan, came in 2005 with a ten year warranty, single skinned. Just starting to crack now due to light, so we had 12 years from it. Wish they'd told me to put a cover over it years ago. I had no idea.
Anyway, turns out the industry has learned. A single skinned plastic tank is still available (and is in regs as long as "long list of stuff here") but now you only get a two year warranty. If you want the ten years you have to go for a bunded tank. So that's what I've picked.
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Your 2k job is keen.The 3.5 is a pee take.
However: You should obtain SPECIFIC details of the base specification. A few concrete blocks with timber bearers and a sheet of ply is NOT acceptable as the tank should be fully supported on a decent concrete base. The reg's don't say that, but I do and I do enough of them. As I say, 2k is keen.
Merry Xmas.
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Id agree with the above
Paid about £1600 for tank and instillation with concrete posts and slabs placed on top of existing dwarf walls.
Bit of light reading:
www.oftec.org.uk/consumers/domestic-oil-tanks-and-storage
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Bunding - Crankcase
