1966 heating oil tank
first post. I have a 1966 heating oil tank. My service person is telling me it has low flow and likely is sludged up. He did a push pull pump and the flow improved. He says it’s a matter of time before I need a new one. The interior basement tank looks fine on the outside. The supply line comes out low down on the flat side of the tank. Is there any cost effective way to clean out the sludge either physically remove it or via chemicals? He said a new tank is $ to $ installed these days. 275 ish gallon tank. Thanks for your help.
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Well the tank is 60 years old it probably does have some sludge. These tanks don't last forever so I would start saving for a replacement.
We can't talk price on here but I will just say I would get other quotes. Changing it during the summer is best to do a planned change over rather than an emergency one.
You could buy some oil treatment "HOT" is one brand you can look on line..
The oil line could be rerouted to pull oil from the top of the tank keeping the suction pipe 6" up from the tank bottom to buy you some time.
60 years is a good run for a tank. If no signs of it leaking I would budget for a new tank and run the one you have for a year or so.
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all good advice thanks. So there is no way to economically remove the sludge physically? Could you remove the current supply line opening and suck the sludge out with an industrial vac of some sort? Or would that cost too much to make sense given the already late in life condition of the tank? I appreciate it. Thank you for your help.
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Yes get quotes. It’s time for a new tank before your luck runs out.
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also the tech mentioned two types of new tanks available these days. One was a basic metal tank that has a 3 yr warranty and the other was a higher tech also metal tank but had a plastic liner of some sort and had some kind of spill monitoring features but obviously cost slightly more but had a 30 yr warranty. Any thoughts on the worth of the higher tech tank? Thanks again.
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The sludge is only one problem with a tank that age. The main problem is internal corrosion. Since oil is lighter than water, condensation from changing temperature and humidity will settle to the bottom of the tank, which is steel and will rust. You cannot see this from outside.
A significant leak in an oil tank can turn your house into a hazardous waste site at immense cleanup cost. Most home insurers no longer cover this unless a specific rider is added to the policy. It's time for a new tank if you keep the oil burner.
—
Bburd
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You can get a plain steel tank like you have, or Granby sells a steel tank with a liner or you can get a Roth SS tank.
If it was mine and it shows no signs of leaking which your does not I would move the oil line into the top of the tank. Save up some money and make the switch in a year or two. Plan the install so the tank is below 1/4 full when you make the swap to make it easier. If you plan on staying in the house the longer warranty make sense although like most warrantys they look for ways not to pay
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@massHomeowner I have had the "good fortune" of removing many 275 gallon indoor oil tanks. It has been years since we did this type of work, but I was directly involved with at least thirty removals. Most of the time it was an oil to gas conversion and our job was to drain, clean and remove the old oil tank from the site.
We would hire an oil removal company, they would take the oil away for a small fee. However, getting them to take the sludge was more difficult. A typical tank would have about one inch of thick sludge sitting on the bottom. I would say the sludge was about as thick as wheel bearing grease, sometimes it was as thick as Vaseline. In some rare circumstances, the sludge was actually more like two or three inches thick. This sludge will almost certainly clog your oil line, filters, etc. In my mind when we blew air into the oil line from the burner area, all we were really doing was making a mini-volcano in the oil tank. Oftentimes, we would get a call back a few days later that the oil was not flowing again.
As Ed mentioned above, having the oil line in the top of the tank about six inches above the bottom of the tank is a great place to start.
We have installed many "regular" 275 oil tanks in the last forty years. I am not aware of any of them failing. We have installed a few of the more modern double wall style tanks, they also seem to hold up well.
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Many thanks to all who replied. I will plan on replacing the tank and potentially use some of the time extension methods suggested. Thanks again.
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When you have a new tank installed, the sludge will be removed with the 59 year old tank. Then fresh fuel in the new tank. Nozzle, filter, strainer, combustion test, done. What the tank looks like on the outside is not what it looks like in the inside.
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@massHomeowner There is another option available. Your oil company can pump out the oil along with the sludge. Ask them about this option. Whatever sludge that is left over that the "pump out" doesn't get can be treated in the tank. There are concerns that once the oil is pumped out or even treated, these things can also cause a leak to be exposed that was not previously seen. Talk to a few oil companies in your area. See what they have to say.
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Since this seems to happen quite a bit, I'm sure you're correct.
But I am confused as to why this happens if the oil is pulled from the bottom of the tank and it's properly pitched towards the valve. Wouldn't the water be the first thing to leave?
Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.
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@ChrisJ I think the OP mentioned he had the side outlet for the oil and no one pitched tanks back in the old days.
Big question in my mind if those things even help but can't hurt.
To prevent sludge I used to promote a two pipe system to constantly filter the oil. But I am by myself on that one . For some reason everyone thinks a two pipe system is death. Leak in the return line is the only comment I get which I find crazy
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Two things I have not noticed in any comments
- Oil tanks can rot away from the inside. That is the usual way a basement tank starts to leak since the outside of the tank is protected from the weather. That said, removing the tank bottom deposits and sludge from the bottom may expose some pin holes that are being blocked or plugged up by that sludge. Spending $$$ to clean a tank may clean the leaks out and then you need a new tank ASAP!
- Never put any oil from your old tank back into your new tank!!! So plan on running out of oil the day you are getting your new tank. Any combination of sludge and oil that is left in the old tank needs to be disposed of. Don't try to save a few dollars by putting 60 years of oil problems in your brand new tank.
Additionally, consider a double wall plastic tank like the Roth or Granby offerings.
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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many thanks for the further discussion. All good points. Will incorporate as I move towards replacement/reconfiguration…I was somewhat shocked at the replacement job price they were quoting, as a standard tank is in the one thousand dollar range so was looking for possible workarounds… thanks again.
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I agree price is crazy. I can remember buying 275s at a tank MFG on Cherry Street in East Hartford. When you went to pick them up he would ask "MA. or CT" and then tack weld the appropriate tag on the tank then hit that spot with black spray paint. I am sure they were never pressure tested as they were supposed to be.
Price was either $50/tank or $75/tank can't remember. We would load 4 on a pick up truck and head back to Springfield.
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A 60 year old oil tank has earned its retirement. A failure will cost you tens of thousands of dollars.
Don't mess with it.
That thing's got to go.
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