Single skin vs 'bunded' oil tanks-worth the extra?

Emuchops

We need a new oil tank as our 10yr old single skin tank has started splitting. We're being quoted an eye-watering £550+ vat for the single skin tank and about £850+vat for a double skin or 'bunded' tank. Has anyone had any experience of the bunded variety of tank and do they think it's worth the extra money? The single skin tank has a 2yr guarantee whereas the bunded tank has a 10yr guarantee. Any info much appreciated.
Dawn.

matelodave

You haven't said what size you are after but have a trawl around the internet (search on Google) to see what's about and how much a new one will cost.

Does your quoted price include installing the new one (does the base need modification) transferring any oil and taking the old one away. If it does it may work out quite reasonable unless you can get one off the web and install it yourself

highrisklowreturn

£10 on gumtree, or free from a recycling site? If you come to NI, I've got two spare, their yours, one is a 3000 ltr beehive.

On another note I once saw a crooked landlord had his oil plumbed into a 180 litre b and q water tower for his tenants.

They also are easy to drain and transfer contents, just turn off stop valve, disconnect feed pipe, then switch back on with 20 litre drum underneath, then gradually shift it. Easy peasy.

Emuchops

Thanks both for your replies. Matelodave-looking to get a tank 650-1200L in size. The quote is supply only-I believe fitting will be about another £300. Highrisklowreturn-thanks for the offer! You make it all sound so easy-heard all sorts of horror stories about tanks leaking and the cost of cleaning up afterwards etc....

nande2000

I used to have a single bunded plastic tank, but removed it due to a change in heating system. It was 15 years old and had no problem (ok the fill gauge was knackered, but that wasnt too much a problem).

From what i've heard where you site a tank is very important. A plastic tank sited somewhere that gets a lot of direct sunlight will degrade a lot quicker. If it were me i'd spend the money on as big a single bunded tank as possible (to get the best bulk oil prices) and take particular care to site it away from the elements.

Emuchops

Thanks Nande2000 -I didn't think of siteing it somewhere else. TBH I think it's the sun that's done it more damage than anything else (even here in Wales). I'm thinking of making the new one some sort of 'protective cover' out of roofing felt or something.

matelodave

You could knit it a tea cozy;)

fluffymuffy

Building regulations require the tank to be bunded if the new/replacement storage exceeds 2500 litres.
- from http://www.oilstorageregs.co.uk/

Mumbly_2

Are you close to a river, stream natural pond or lake? If you are, then a bunding the tank is compulsory, can't remember the exact distance might be 100m. If you are not looking at a large tank then non-bunded will be fine.


One other aspect to consider with a bunded tank (double skinned variety) is that it is harder for the oil to be stolen. Thieves in my neck of the woods are syphoning oil by drilling a hole in the bottom of the tank and draining it off!