Above ground oil tank

Bill Heiser

I recently had a new above ground oil tank installed. When I turned my oil fired hot air furnace on for the first time,I started getting a strong odor of heating fuel in the whole house. I shut off the furnace right away. It took a couple of days for the contractor to get to me. The whole time the odor was getting worse. He gave me the bad news that my 6 year old furnace was filled with fuel oil and needed a new one. He took it out and found that the fuel went into some of the duct work(down draft unit).
On inspection of the new tank, he said it didn't have a vent installed on it. When it was filled, all the air in the tank went thru the lines and blew out the seals to the furnace. This was his explanation.
I contacted the oil company that installed the tank and told him the contractor's theory.
His reply was that he put a combination fill cap/vent on it. It didn't need another vent on it but, he would if it would make me feel better. When I asked him if there was enough room around the nozzle to allow the air in the tank to escape while filling it , he said yes it was and that he thought it was not caused by them. I need help. What are you thoughts?

kevin coppinger_4

never heard of....

a combo fill cap vent...there is a vent/gauge combo...got any pictures? Tank definately needs a vent..is the tank inside or outside? kpc

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Bill Heiser

It is hinged,you open it to fill. When it goes down it has a couple of ridges under it to allow the air to escape while the fill cap is closed. The tank is outside.

Maine Ken

Huh????

Firedragon_4

Duh!

That sounds illegal as a sick bird!

jim sokolovic

What is the height...

of the tank above the oil burner pump? Could the pump seal have been blown from this being over the allowable (10 feet?) - this would cause alot of leakage into the burner housing, which could then get into the chamber, but usually dumps all over the floor. Just a different thought.

RoosterBoy

I never heard of anything so stupid in all my life

you must have a vent on a oil tank that is why they have 4 holes on top of the tank one for a gage one for a 2" vent and one for a fill and the other one you plug.

if the hack did install a combo he must mean combo vent alarm and gauge

you should see 2" black iron pipes coming out of the tank one is a vent cap and the other one fill if not get a pro in to redo your tank.

ps. there is only 2 major brands of fill caps one is o.e.m
and they have a hinged type fill cap for locking but it's by far a vent also

the other is scully and they call it a unifill that has ridges on there fill cap connector but it's not for vent

o.e.m makes one just like that also but they call it speedfill

good luck