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18th May 2022
Do You Need a New Oil Tank
Sometimes it can difficult to judge exactly when you need a...
There are many different sizes and designs of tank available. Plastic, steel, bunded, single skin, underground and many more. The type of tank you choose should take into consideration your unique requirements. If in doubt, always consult an OFTEC registered technician, who will help you choose the tank best suited to your needs.
There are specific regulations that must be followed when choosing a tank. For example:
Oil should never be stored in a translucent plastic container due to the detrimental effects of ultraviolet light on both the plastic and the contained fuel. Plastic oil tanks are manufactured using coloured Polyethylene and are moulded using a rotational moulding process.
Most domestic steel oil storage tanks are rectangular in shape with a tented top. They are constructed with mild steel and contain internal bracing. The thickness of the steel used varies according to tank size.
A single skin oil storage tank is fabricated from one layer of steel or plastic and should only be considered for installation where it can be proven that there is no risk of environmental damage in the event of an oil spillage.
A bunded tank has a secondary containment (bund) either inside the tank itself or around the tank. This bund must hold at least 110% of the capacity of the tank to comply with regulations. Many areas require a tank to be bunded to reduce the risk of oil escaping into the environment.
The team at Atlantis Tanks Group have many years of experience in supplying installers and merchants with domestic oil tanks. We find that 1000-1500 litre bunded plastic oil tanks are the most popular among domestic households, but the size of the tank depends on your individual fuel requirement.
Read our blog ‘How to Choose an Oil Tank’ for more information or browse our range of domestic oil tanks now.
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If you live in a rural area, outside the range of normal gas mains, it’s likely that your home is one of the 1.5 million in the UK with heating powered by an oil-fired boiler.
Oil has many benefits when compared to other domestic heating methods:
One of the most important features of oil powered home heating is the oil storage tank which houses the oil. There are many kinds of tank available. With this in mind, there are important considerations when choosing your oil tank.
Having a reliable, fully functioning tank is vital to make sure your oil heating system works to its full potential. If your tank is 20-years-old or more, or if you have recently moved into a new house, it’s worth making sure the oil tank is still working as it should. It’s also important to check that it still meets the standards set in current regulations. If your tank isn’t functioning safely and efficiently, buying a new tank should be a priority!
Oil-fired heating is an efficient and relatively simple way to heat your home. It works as follows:
According to which.co.uk, the average annual cost of an oil-fired heating system is £830. But, bear in mind, this is an average for the UK. Your home’s age, size and insulation all affect the cost of providing heat and hot water.
The price of heating fuel may change as oil prices fluctuate. For example, these are the costs per litre of kerosene heating oil over a period of 5 years:
The price of oil also changes depending on the season, as higher demand in colder months drives the price up. In addition, winter fuel also contains extra additives to help stop the oil from freezing (or thickening) in cold conditions. Whilst oil in the warmer months is cheaper, remember to always buy oil that has anti-freezing additives for use in the colder months.
Read our blog ‘Oil Storage Tanks’ for more information or browse our range of domestic oil tanks now.
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A high percentage of diesel engine failures are caused by fuel contamination. Common forms of contamination are caused by microbial organisms. These can be bacteria, fungi, viruses and types of yeast – collectively known as ‘the diesel bug’. Given the right conditions, the diesel bug population in your fuel can double in size every 20 minutes. It doesn’t take long before this contamination seriously affects the quality of your diesel, causing performance problems and even complete engine failures.
If you store diesel, it’s vital you know what warning signs to look for and what steps to take to prevent and treat the problem.
Diesel bugs thrive in the layer between your fuel and any water that has entered your storage tank. Fuel that is left to stand for longer periods is more likely to have problems caused by the diesel bug. This is because condensation can form in poor-quality storage tanks over time.
Accumulations of bugs may look like dark brown or black slime. You may also notice coffee-like sediments in fuel filters and a foul-smelling odour.
Contamination corrodes your fuel storage tanks, clogs filters and may mean engines are difficult to start or fail completely.
Look out for frequently blocked filters and gauges, increased fuel consumption, sluggish performance and black smoke from exhausts. Diesel bug contamination also causes corrosion of other vehicle parts, like elastomers. Infections also lead to increased tank and pipe corrosion and may cause stress cracking.
The accumulation of diesel bugs is largely prevented by using high-quality fuel storage tanks such as the StoraFUEL and PortaFUEL range. These tanks seal tightly to prevent water and microbial organisms from getting into your diesel.
It’s important to act quickly if you discover evidence pointing towards contamination. Take these steps to get rid of the diesel bug, maintain the quality of your fuel and prevent engine damage:
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Keen gardeners often have rainwater butts to collect water to use on their lawns and flower beds. However, until recently it wasn’t considered practical or safe to use this water elsewhere. Now, new technology means a rainwater harvesting system can be plumbed into your home’s pipework. Harvested water can be used to wash clothes and cars, water gardens and flush toilets – a large drain on your mains water supply. Rain can even be treated and used as drinking water.
In fact, by combining a water meter and rainwater harvesting system, householders can benefit from a 50% saving on their water bills.
We wash ourselves, clothes, dishes and our other belongings more than ever before. We power wash our patios and cars. We use hose pipes and sprinklers in our gardens. The average home in the UK is using 350 litres of water a day according to the Department of Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Over 50% of that water is used for processes which don’t require potable water (water that is safe for drinking).
Most of us take it for granted that we turn on our taps and there’s plenty of water – but our increasing personal and home hygiene standards mean we’re using more and more of this precious resource. The truth is, collecting water in reservoirs, treating it and pumping it to our homes is a costly process. We’re paying an increasing cost – and so is the environment.
The process of supplying domestic and commercial water uses a huge amount of energy. Producing this energy creates carbon emissions. Our water use is also a drain on natural water resources: lakes, rivers and underground reserves are plundered.
Rainwater harvesting systems are increasingly effective at reducing your mains water usage. The water is mainly collected from rain falling onto your roof, your existing guttering and downpipes are used to supply a tank where the water is filtered and stored. Water is then pumped directly to points of use in your home, or may be fed into a secondary header tank in your loft to increase the pressure of the supply.
Complete systems are cost-effective, simple to install and require little maintenance.
New innovations mean that it’s now possible to turn rainwater into drinking water with the use of a potable tank. Dependant on rainfall, it’s entirely possible to replace a large proportion of mains water use.
To find out more about how to save money and reduce your home’s impact on the environment, have a look at PuraTANK’s range of complete rainwater harvesting systems.
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