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Oil lines frozen help

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Ken63
Ken63 Member Posts: 3
in THE MAIN WALL
Oil lines frozen help

Hello



i have a house in Fairfield Oh and like everyone we are not have a

normal Winter Extreme cold now well here's my dilemma i rent this home

out and the previous tenants let the oil run low well i filled the

275gall tank but inside my house when i went to bleed the line no oil

and my oil filter is on the inside by the way and i have changed the

nozzle,filter so i went outside unscrewed the fitting under the tank its

3/8 by the way and it has frozen solid i called the oil suppler they

said add a additive so i put to bottles of 911 diesel in yesterday and

used a heat gun and UN-thawed the valve to where oil was liquid and

dripping also the copper line about a foot before it goes underground

for 15 ft and into the house and i don't know how deep it is under

ground the temp was 15 below by the way and today it is a balmy 34 then

it is going to drop back to 9 below any help would be appreciated thank

you .

















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  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,545
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    Temp line

    You have water in the tank from condensation etc. Best bet if you have a spare fitting on top of the tank run a temporary line from the top of the tank to the burner. Be sure to plug the bottom frozen tapping. Use the proper fittings, firomatic valves and filter, double tapped bushing on top of tank. Keep the new line up off the tank bottom 6-8 inches and they will have to get deliveries more often. In the spring you can get the water out of the tank.
  • Bob Gagnon plumbing and heating
    Bob Gagnon plumbing and heating Member Posts: 1,361
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    Cold Tank

    I had an outside tank before and had to add either kerosene or additive when it got really cold. Your oil company will know how much kero, I think it was 10 gallons.



    Thanks, Bob Gagnon
    To learn more about this professional, click here to visit their ad in Find A Contractor.
  • VictoriaEnergy
    VictoriaEnergy Member Posts: 126
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    Oil in the cold

    The amount of paraffin present in oil varies throughout the year.  Oil refineries allow higher amounts in fuel produced in the spring and summer. 



    The problem arises sometimes with outdoor tanks where the tank is filled early in the fall.  During cold weather some of the paraffin can precipitate out of solution at very low temps and basically form a cloud or fog of wax in the tank that builds up at fittings or filter.  lots of hot water poured slowly on the fittings will get it flowing.  Don't use a torch (kinda obvious?).   Add kerosene (aka no1 oil, or stove oil) to keep paraffin in solution and hence prevent further clouding from happening.



    When all is done go back and double check to confirm you have no slow leaks at the tank and fittings.

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • billtwocase
    billtwocase Member Posts: 2,385
    edited January 2014
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    treating outside tanks

    we start treating them in October, and every delivery after that. No problems. We used to offer Kero for those, but it is far too pricey now.

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