Fire Barrier - Oil tank

[transatlantic]

I've just had my boiler serviced, and it has been brought to my attention that my oil tank is too close to the boiler flue.

I have a flue like this, and the oil tank is literally right next to it. Like a foot away

So I guess I have two options.

- Move the tank
- Put up a fire wall

Has anybody had any experience with either of these? Both sound very expensive

If I was to move the tank, it wouldn't be far, perhaps 20ft or so to the other end of the garden, but from what I gather, it's not cheap, as you have to pump the oil out before moving, and of course re-plumb things as well as building the new platform.

I'm not sure exactly what a fire wall entails. Is it just a wall between the flue and tank? or does it have to go all around tank? even above?

Does anyone know who I'd contact to get quotes on both of these? or even who to contact to get advice on my setup?

I want to get this work professionally carried out, I've heard horror stories of people trying to move the tank themselves and causing thousands worth of damage due to leaks.


Edit : Just found that the OFTEC site has a list of technicians in my area, so will try to get a few quotes that way.

 

[NazNomad]

Get a fire-rated tank? http://www.tuffa.co.uk/oil-tank/plastic ... anks.html/


Your third option is to do nothing, the advice given is just that... advisory. ;-)

 

[transatlantic]

Thanks! .. thats option 3 I guess. Certainly more expensive than moving the tank but if my tank is coming up to the end of it's lifetime, may make sense

 

[Lons]

Regs are regs and whoever sited the tank / boiler didn't comply...or did they? :-k Depends on how long ago they were installed.

Regs have changed over the years and my own installation is a very good example: My 2500 ltr steel tank is sited inside the garage - yes INSIDE! and that was allowed when the house was built some 35 years ago, but not allowed today. Boiler is next to it but has blockwork enclosure and flued through a conventional chimney so safe. A side effect is that the tank is still in good condition although I know the rust from the inside also.

Interesting however from a safety point of view is that before we bought the house 29 years ago it had a serious fire which started in the garage, and burned off the external oil level tube off the inside of the tank and the timber battens under it however even though the tank was half full, the oil did not ignite. Garage doors burned off as well as roof and boiler destroyed in the fire.
I was told that this is because heating oil vapour is the dangerous element and why its' ignited in the boiler under pressure. I'm not saying it won't burn as it certainly does but I'm no expert, just quoting the facts as they happened.

Bob

 

[Phil Pascoe]

It's unlikely to ever cause a problem, but you should at least clad the tank with something fireproof/insulating. The downside of course is that it undoubtedly comprises your fire insurance.

 

[NazNomad]

Regs are regs and whoever sited the tank / boiler didn't comply...or did they? :-k Depends on how long ago they were installed.

The regs changed between installing my single-skin tank and a split appearing in it some years later. They wanted to resite the base, bunded tank etc etc, was going to cost me £1000s.

I requested a like-for-like tank because it was still within the 10yr warantee and changed it over myself.

 

[Lons]

Regs are regs and whoever sited the tank / boiler didn't comply...or did they? :-k Depends on how long ago they were installed.

The regs changed between installing my single-skin tank and a split appearing in it some years later. They wanted to resite the base, bunded tank etc etc, was going to cost me £1000s.

I requested a like-for-like tank because it was still within the 10yr warantee and changed it over myself.

Just as an aside, a split in a plastic tank, don't know about steel, can be temporarily repaired and leak stopped by rubbing a bar of soap into the split. The oil softens the soap but it forms a plug. I had read about that but used it on a mates tank several years ago and it worked on a sizeable split.