What size oil tank to get?

tommygags

My father is getting a few different quotes for a new indoor oil tank. 

Two different companies are offering two different options..... Any recommendations?  They currently have a 1k gallon in ground tank and looking to get rid of it and get one indoors. 


400 gallon double wall
2, 330 gallon

Please let know if you need any more information. 

Thanks!

bburd

What is the annual oil usage?

Jamie Hall

Either will work, of course. It's as much a question of where do you put it -- or them -- as it is anything else. An unrelated question, however, but significant would be how often will it need to be filled? That's at the heart of @bburd 's question up there. If it needs to be filled at all frequently -- even twice a month -- have some consideration for the guy or gal driving the oil truck so they can actually get to the fill location on your house.

Big Ed_4

You don't want to store todays fuel oil , Small 275 tank I would recommend . Larger storage for larger homes . Homes that could get snowed in look in , then look to twin in two tanks.... Fuel oil today will breaks down quicker then years gone ...

jesmed1

Big Ed_4 said:

You don't want to store todays fuel oil , Small 275 tank I would recommend . Larger storage for larger homes . Homes that could get snowed in look in , then look to twin in two tanks.... Fuel oil today will breaks down quicker then years gone ...

As a point of reference, our 4800 sq ft condo building in the Boston area (built 100 years ago) uses about 1200 gallons of oil per year and has two 275-gallon tanks in the basement. In the coldest months, we get deliveries of 200-250 gallons per month.

Two 275-gallon tanks work well for us, but as Big Ed said, if your father uses less oil, one tank might be enough.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Unless your in the boondocks where delivery is difficult 1 330 should be plenty unless living in a mansion.

Jamie Hall

EBEBRATT-Ed said:

Unless your in the boondocks where delivery is difficult 1 330 should be plenty unless living in a mansion.

Even in a fairly large house, it really should be. That's all that Cedric has. On the other hand... we do get a delivery once a week in the colder months. So -- the obvious additional comment is that you need a very reliable oil company (a pre-buy arrangement always helps) and you need to be sure that the oil company can get access reliably, blizzard of no blizzard.