When dealing with anything volatile, like the storage of heating oil, one should be cautious. Safety concerns should be raised up not just for the benefit of the household but also for the oil, as well. It is at constant risk of being stolen, especially when stored in a plastic tank in an unprotected shed, where thieves could easily come in, drill a hole through the oil tank, siphon off a bucket of oil, and plug it when they’re done. If the drilling had been done on the side of the oil tank that is not immediately visible, and if you don’t do periodic checks, you might not even realize what had happened until you refill the tank and the plug fails under added fluid pressure.
This is one of the scenarios where getting a bunded tank to replace your old single skin one is better for your home. Especially in a commercial or commune setting where you have tanks collected in a single shed and you won’t immediately notice the theft in any single one. Another reason why it might be for you? Think about accidental spills during refilling. You might not think much about it, but the oil that seeps into the ground accumulates, giving it irreparable damage over time. As an environmental concern, this is huge, which is why some countries like the UK have made bunded oil tanks a requirement for commercial and domestic installations that exceed capacities of 2,500 liters.
Other points for environmental risk assessment include bodies of water that might be near the oil tank. In a major spill, oil might find its way towards the nearest body of water and pollute the water supply. Not only is this an immediate threat to the community that relies on a single water pipeline, it is also a disruption to their daily lives. Why? Because contaminated water lines need to be purged. This is a process that will take a lot of time and patience to finish.
If you have been convinced to opt for bunded tanks, your problem now might be regarding what kind you’ll get. Well, that depends on the boiler you’ll be feeding the oil into, how often it is used, the size of the house, and other uses you might have for the oil, which might include a cooker. If it’s a commune you’re replacing oil tanks for, it’s best to get bunded oil tanks in wholesale. Not only is this cheaper, but getting all your oil storage tanks from a single manufacturer means that inspection and maintenance would be easier. There would only be one type and one set of specifications to maintain. Also, wholesale discounts won’t hurt, as suppliers often throw these around for bulk sales.
There isn’t a lot of reasons why you should keep on using single skin oil tanks. Sure, those are cheaper, but they are risky. And think about the long term implications. Single skin oil tanks are flimsy compared to bunded oil tanks. They require more inspections and maintenance. They don’t have a secondary containment for spills. They are easy to steal oil from. These are just some of the reasons why you’d be better off with bunded oil tanks. It’s time for you to use one.
