Fuel oil tank leak HELP

hmariem116

I'll try to explain this as best I can. 

So Sunday morning (it's Wednesday now) I woke up with a strong smell in my house. After some inspection we found that our fuel oil tank was leaking from the oil filter. We moved into this house 2 years ago and don't use the fuel oil. It's too expensive so we just use space heaters. The oil tank is outside. The tank is pretty much empty so it wasn't a huge huge leak, but definitely enough to make it smell. We put a can under to catch it and that helped a bit. The furnace is turned off now so there is no risk of carbon monoxide, right? I know that's probably a dumb question. The rest of our house is all electric. We got the leak to stop, but I still smell it in my house. Another thing I noticed is that the oil was clear and I though fuel oil was red? Is there any way to get rid of the smell? Or does it sound like there might be a leak somewhere else? 

Jamie Hall

Diesel for on road use is clear. For off-road use it is dyed red. Pretty much the same stuff, except for the tax -- which doesn't affect combustion...

Carbon monoxide is a product of combustion -- if the furnace or boiler isn't running, there isn't any.

Getting rid of the smell is another story. Probably your best bet is to head down to the auto parts store and pick up some oil drying compound and use it. Depending on what it soaked into, it can be remarkably hard to get rid of it.

What space heaters? Electric? Unless you are in a warm or warmish climate with very cheap electricity, I'd take a close look at the economics there. They may be cheaper if used only in a few rooms and not that often, but to heat a whole house? A tank of oil and getting the furnace or boiler cleaned and maintained does cost money up front, but... in most areas will be a lot cheaper in the long run.

Big Ed_4

Probably it was water that collected and formed the environment to eat away at the tank from the inside out . Top feeds and improper pitched away from the bottom valve . It can also rot from the outside in . From not being on a concrete slab or collection of leaves ...

EdTheHeaterMan

OK OK, to get rid of the oil odor is the question Right?

If it is on a cement floor:
1. Get some oil absorbent from the auto parts store (or the cheap cat litter from the grocery store) and pour a good amount over the oil-stained area. About 1/4" to 1/2" thick
2. Grind it in using your feet. If you remember the dance called The Mashed Potato. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51eJ3-h86JQ
3. Sweep up the oil dry
4. Repeat
5. Get some Sweet Air from the supply house or Amazon https://www.amazon.com/ComStar-60-620-Remover-Absorbent-Container/dp/B01069LX6O/ref=asc_df_B01069LX6O/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167151917164&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9595954593865288087&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010494&hvtargid=pla-307206494775&psc=1
6. Apply Sweet Air powder to the area where the stain was and do The mashed Potato one more time.
7. Leave the powder there for a few days
8. Re-apply Sweet Air as needed.

Note: #2 above will cause the clay absorbent to break down into smaller pieces, almost a powder, and get into the pores of the concrete to suck up the oil that seeped in. It will partially mitigate the oil stain also

If the spill and associated odor is on a different surface please reply with more information

hmariem116

@EdTheHeaterMan the spill is outside in the grass but got on cinder blocks it was propped up on and we suspect it got in the crawl space. The odor isn't extremely strong right now, but noticable. Before we found the issue, I had all the windows open and that blew in most of the smell. 

EdTheHeaterMan

OK then, you will need to dig up all the contaminated soil and put it at the back of the yard and as far away from the house as you can. If it is a spill of more than 5 gallons then you should report it to the local health department or EPA. Place plastic on the ground first then cover the contaminated soil with plastic to keep the weather from spreading the contamination. Since it is probably less than 5 gallons you can replace the soil you dig up with soil from somewhere else in your yard.

Spray the area near the house/spill area with vinegar using a spray bottle. I used to keep a gallon bottle of vinegar on my service truck just for that reason. Vinegar will cut the oil odor over time. You will need to do it daily until the odor diminishes. The fuel oil that you lost in the soil is not enough to become an environmental hazard, so in a year or two, you will see vegetation growing where the contaminated soil is. That is a sign that the problem is not that big a deal.

If there is a lot of soil that is contaminated, (more than 5 gallons of oil will contaminate more than a couple of wheelbarrows full of soil) then you need to call a company that handles that problem, otherwise, you will be dealing with the odor for years. Especially if it is in the crawlspace. that smell will find its way into the house for ages.