Building steel shed over heating oil tank

dgtazzman

Can somebody advise if, under current legislation, it is permitted to build a steel shed over a heating oil tank?

I'm in the process of buying a newbuild which has oil heating and am looking into options as to what to do with the tank. They won't put it underground, due to costs.

From the regulations I can find, I would think a steel shed would be ok, as it is non-combustible material (a wooden or plastic shed would be a nono, unless they were so large as to fulfill the requirements concerning distance for combustible walls etc.), but can somebody confirm this?

I would like to (eventually) put a shed over the tank for security from thieves, protection of the tank from the elements and also for cosmetic reasons. I could put it in a cage if a shed isn't allowed, but that wouldn't be my second choice...

Many thanks.

suki1964

We have just metal trellis and a clematis hiding ours, you can disguise a cage in the same way

the only regs I can find are that if the oil tanks is stored in a building then it has to be so far away from a door or window, and if outside so far away from combustible material, so a metal shed would be fine

However - you need to get it filled so you are going to need a pretty high shed which would make it an even bigger eyesore imo. We have a metal shed ( not for oil) and 9 years down the line its a rusty ugly looking thing thankfully hidden to the back of the car port

I would go with a trellis

Davesnave

I think the regs are pretty plain:

760mm away from a non-fire rated boundary such as a
wooden boundary fence;

600mm away from screening (e.g. trellis and foliage) that
does not form part of the boundary.

1.8m away from a non-fire rated building or structure (e.g. garden sheds,including the one you contain it in)

......which would indeed make for a huge wooden shed!

The other point to watch is if the proposed shed is in the front garden, when it should not be placed forward of the building line without planning permission.

G_M

dgtazzman wrote: »

From the regulations I can find, I would think a steel shed would be ok,....... put a shed over the tank for security from thieves, protection of the tank from the elements and also for cosmetic reasons..

A steel shed? Cosmetic? :eek: Give me a plastic tank over a shed any day!

As for 'protection of the tank from the elements' what on earth is that about? You might as well put a steel shed over your house to protect the roof from the elements! :rotfl:

Put a trelis or wire mesh over it and plant some fast growing creepers - it will soon be hidden from thieves and cosmetically attractive.

More important (thief-wise) is its location. Place it as far from the road as possible ideally out of sight. Thieves want a quick in-out. They don't want to be dragging hoses or tin cans of oil across a garden, they want to pull their lorry up beside the tank.

Davesnave

I took it that 'protection from the elements' meant from the degrading effects of sunlight, which has, historically, caused many tanks to fail early.

The problems people have had with claims under guarantee are well documented.