Oil Line on Floor or Overhead

Mike R.

Getting a new oil fired boiler. Old oil line in cement floor. Oil tank in basement. Is it better to have the new oil line run along the floor or go from the tank up to the joists, then run overhead, then run down to the burner?

If we run the oil line along the floor, it will run mosly along outside and inside walls in the basement. However, there are two places where it could get stepped on. Is there a way to protect the line, say run it in a corrugated tube, which can take the weight.? How about under a piece of angle iron?

old oil man

Take it from an old oil man. If it were me I'd only run an oil line over head as a last resort. Opens up a whole new set of possible problems - noise and air leaks to name a few.

Rookie_3

Mike

You have no choice but to #1) chisel out a groove in the
concrete floor, set the new line in, & cement over it where ever it can be stepped on. What can be ran against a wall has to be clipped and cemented over. Line must be protected or be in a listed or approved plastic piping when it goes under the concrete and must have an oil safety valve (OSV)
at the tank. #2) Run it overhead....I'm with the old timer, if I had a choice I'd keep it off the ceiling but I wouldn't be all that bothered if I did run it on the ceiling. Maybe you are in a state that is more lienient but I think I'd still tend to not leave it open to be walked on even under angle iron. Why have a speed bump in your basement, do it once, do it right!!!!!!!!!!!..........BB

Maine doug

Question about the OSV

My tank is in a dog house on the back of the building but my boilers are in the basement. We installed the OSV in the basement after the extra valve and oil filter. Should the OSV be installed at the tank on ground level?

RoosterBoy

Mike

if I was you I would rent a concrete saw the have electric ones also. and make a small trench in the floor and run the line in that and patch it over with concrete it will be like it was never there :-)im having a buderus put in this month also and im doing the same thing

good luck

Rookie_3

The OSV is to stop the flow and prevent any oil leakage should you have a leak or rupture in the oil line. The flow will stop for anything in front of the OSV so you would want the valve as close to the tank as possible for maximum protection. Keep in mind that an OSV is required only when the oil line is under a surface (concrete floor) that would prevent you from seeing a leak. That doesn't mean that you can't put one on a line that is exposed if you feel more comfortable knowing an undetected leak will get your attention when the system doesn't fire because the oil flow has been stopped due to a leak in the line. You had no choice putting the filter & thermal valve inside. I probably would have put the OSV at the tank........BB

Firedragon_4

The code and the OEM's prohibit the installation

of an osv anywhere 'where it is exposed to freezing temperatures'.

Rookie_3

Code wins!! I guess that makes since if the internal parts are plastic or some compound that the cold temp would mold
in the open position. Garden hoses left out in the winter practically turn ridgid. No protection for outside tank lines until they reach an inside wall. WOW, Could be a while before a leak was noticed. Dougs is in a doghouse and not exposed as much to the eliment but then again how often
does it get looked at?

Maine doug

Good info

The doghouse is about 8x12 and also acts as a wind break for the north entrance. I have it mostly insulated and expect to get it finished before the dead of winter. I use it for packing materials, saws for doing frames and of course the oil tank. The oil line is in one piece of the blue tube from tank to boiler room downstairs with a short section of about 3 feet outside. This section has 2 layers of insulation over it and the oil has a chance to warm up as the rest of the line is inside heated space.
So I will leave the OSV inside then. I do want to move the filter and OSV to the boiler room wall and repipe the burners with flex. Why have boiler doors that swing if the burners are connected with copper???
Thanks for the info.

todd s

oil line protection

We have done this several times, get some aluminum threshold material from the harware store, the brand around here is weatherking its in a blue and orange wrapper. This has two grooves under it which can easily fit the oil line. We use Tapcon screws in the center track to screw it to the floor. If trenching is required make sure to sleeve the line and/or use coated oil line.

Mike R.

> You have no choice but to #1) chisel out a groove

> in the concrete floor, set the new line in, &

> cement over it where ever it can be stepped on.

> What can be ran against a wall has to be clipped

> and cemented over. Line must be protected or be

> in a listed or approved plastic piping when it

> goes under the concrete and must have an oil

> safety valve (OSV) at the tank. #2) Run it

> overhead....I'm with the old timer, if I had a

> choice I'd keep it off the ceiling but I wouldn't

> be all that bothered if I did run it on the

> ceiling. Maybe you are in a state that is more

> lienient but I think I'd still tend to not leave

> it open to be walked on even under angle iron.

> Why have a speed bump in your basement, do it

> once, do it right!!!!!!!!!!!..........BB

Mike R.

Mike (Cutting Cement for new line)

I guess I will have to do this in two steps. Getting the new boiler very soon and I don't have time to cut or chisel a groove in cement floor. The best path for the oil line would be to follow the shortest path from the tank to the boiler. However, I should wait until after the new boiler is installed because I am not exactly sure where the current line is under the concrete. The only reason I am running the new line against the walls is to get it out of traffic. Thus I am using more feet of line than if I were to use the shortest path. Once the old line is abandoned and drained of oil, I can safely start chipping away at the concrete. Once the groove is made in the cement, shall I use the same new line temporarily set on top of the concrete floor (oil removed from line), cut to length, or start with new line? The new line will be coated.

Boston Boiler

If the temporary line on the floor is not damaged I would use that. You will be cutting it down with new flairs so why not! BB