oil tank replacement

KMD

I have a buried tank 30 years old, when I bought the house the guy told me it was a 1000 gallon cast iron tank but I am not sure. How long will this tank last? I live in a climate (southern Maryland) and have a dual fuel (heat pump/oil) so a 225 or 275 gallon tank would be fine. If I replace the tank I will put the new tank in the crawl space (7' tall dry crawl space) below the house.

The tank has a 3/4" iron pipe reduced at the unit to 3/8" copper for the supply going to the unit, it looks like somebody added a 3/8" return line going back to the tank but this 3/8" return line doesnt seem to be copper It is black and I could tell it was from a roll but I dont know what it is was stainliess steel ever used? The return line is held up to the joists with electrical wire staples and if the line was copper I would see corrosion where it touched the metal I dont see that at all. If this line was regular metal it would have surface rust on it in a damp crawl space but it doesnt, it looks black does anybody know what this line could be?

Constantin

I would get rid of this tank ASAP

KMD, I'm a homeowner myself. IMHO, in-ground tanks have been a huge source of trouble for many fellow homeowners because of their potential leakage issues - it is simply a matter of time until the tank will start leaking. Then, you'll watch the $$$ mitigation costs pile up as your front yard is literally carted away.

Given the size of your crawlspace, I would go with Roth double-wall tanks as a replacement. Their inside tank is plastic, the outside wall is galvanized steel. They offer a built-in leak detector, and all of their pipe penetrations come from above. I liked them so much, I bought two 275 Gallon units.

It is my understanding that some US manufacturers have also started offering Roth-like tank systems at a discount. Perhaps your local heating professional can help you locate the right tank for you. Good Luck!