Question on Heating Oil!

sujsuj

greatcrested said:

sujsuj said:

Davesnave said:

MSE has an Energy Forum with a sub section for heating oil etc.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/lpg-heating-oil-solid-other-fuels

Most of us with experience with oil have a trusty stick somewhere which we've annotated over the years to compare with the electronic thingy that might be plugged-in somewhere, purporting to tell us how much oil we have. If you haven't a thingy, don't panic; the stick is fine and over time it will become more accurate!

Having established you have lots of room in the tank and may be running low, I might start by ordering 1000litres of oil (probably kerosene 28, but you don't give any clues to what's using it). I wouldn't get any more because at this stage you don't know the condition of the tank, how much sludge or water is in there etc. The previous owners may have left you a pristine tank with years of life left in it, but the chances are against it.

Get the tank looked-at with your annual service, done by someone found through local recommendation. I pay about £80 a year to a local guy I trust. Oil is messier than gas, so servicing is needed more often, but otherwise it's a reliable fuel and relatively cheap at present.

How often you expect Tank clean up? Every year. Sludge is this toxic material need to be disposed carefully ..??

Maybe after 15- 20 years? Or more?

Not something one does regulary and we are only mentioning it as you are a new owner with an old tank so who knows what it's like inside. Chances are it's fine.

If you DO get a contractor to syphon off the oil and check for sludge, he'll take it away in a drum and dispose of properly (assuming he legit not a cowboy!)

That's good to know. thanks 

greatcrested

Yes, fast delivery costs more than a week-2 weeks.

If you want it tomorrow, they may have to send out a lorry specially, whereas if they have a two week window for delivery they can combine yours with someone else nearby - there's a lot of cost in the delivery, so they like to send a full tanker out to several drops in the same area.

A bit of research and you can compile a list of local suppliers and community buy groups.

sujsuj

greatcrested said:

Yes, fast delivery costs more than a week-2 weeks.

If you want it tomorrow, they may have to send out a lorry specially, whereas if they have a two week window for delivery they can combine yours with someone else nearby - there's a lot of cost in the delivery, so they like to send a full tanker out to several drops in the same area.

A bit of research and you can compile a list of local suppliers and community buy groups.

Next postcode got a Oil Club, will they happy to accommodate me as well?? or its strictly that post code..?

greatcrested

Only one way to find out....!!

greatcrested

OK here's my list from my spreadsheet. Many will be local to my area, some will cover larger/national areas. And some have merged. But gives you an idea.

Boilerjuice.co.uk

Watsons

Total Butler

www.fcdawes.co.uk Cranfield NRG

Shell / GB oil

CPL

Barton

www.conquestoil NRG

Nolan oils

Goff Petroleum

www.directoil.co.uk

www.heatingoil.co.uk

www.yobco.co.uk

www.fueltool.co.uk

http://www.whichoilsupplier.co.uk/

http://theheatingoilclub.co.uk/

www.oil-club.co.uk

http://www.heatingoilshop.com

https://www.oilnrg.co.uk/

Davesnave

sujsuj said:

Davesnave said:

sujsuj said:

Thanks for all inputs I manage to take some pics of my Oil  Tank as well as Boiler. I managed to find my boiler is 

Worcester Greenstar Danesmoor External 25/32 Regular Boiler Oil ErP

See Tank & Boiler photos. I understood this is a 28-second or heating oil as per boiler manuals.  Tank is rusty but functional. Any inputs ?

The boiler is a common model. As for the tank, no very rusty parts are shown, what it stands on isn't visible and it looks large; so we're still roughly where we were. However, it seems likely from what we can see that the support for the tank is small and would probably not meet OFTEC guidance for supporting a new one. Any new tank also couldn't sit so close to combustible materials, like the fence.

Here is the OFTEC guide to installing a tank which would meet regulations:

https://www.oftec.org/consumers/off-gas-grid-heating-guides/liquid-fuel/storage-tanks

Tank is placed over a metal frame. its sturdy and not going to fall any time soon. Might do layer of paint in summer.

Fine for the tank that's there now, probably. It doesn't look anywhere near as sturdy as the one that used to carry my kiln, but I can't see much of it.

The other advantage of metal single skin tanks, apart from not usually failing catastrophically,  is that one can work out the amount in them more accurately than with weirdly-shaped plastic ones with internal bunding.

Sight glass gauges can be very accurate or completely hopeless, like the one we inherited here before replacing the whole system.

sujsuj

Found https://www.directoil.co.uk/ cheapest one and about to order then realised another issue!!

My house and Oil tank is about  200 meter away from main road. Got private Tarmac  road from main road to the house and last 30 meters gravel area. Not sure my tarmac road can handle  this large Tanker with 6/8 wheels ( not sure about weight)  like public roads.??? Anyone experienced this situation??

 I can see some suppliers gives option to select Tanker size as well. So looks like safer option is to go for that option..? Thanks.

greatcrested

I've never selected tanker size but suspect it puts the price up. Anyone know?

What is the distance from the last tarmac area up to the tank? The standard tankers do have incredibly long hoses....

Measure the distance and then contact them and ask:

https://www.directoil.co.uk/contact-us/

Davesnave

greatcrested said:

I've never selected tanker size but suspect it puts the price up. Anyone know?

I live in a very rural area and all the tankers here all seem to be roughly  the same size: i.e. small. as in the picture. I suspect this is because so many tanks are off narrow streets and down rough farm lanes. They do ask about access, and mine's good, but something like the lorry below always turns up.

sujsuj

Some suppliers like Direct OIl doesn't give option to avoid very large Tankers. So I think that could become a problem with Direct Oil. I think end of Tarmac to Tank is  ~25 meters gravel area. Probably pumping from end of Tarmac will do  if Tanker reverse from mail gate...!!Tarmac is narrow with lawn on both sides. I can't afford to  get Tarmac spoiled by 8 /6 wheeler...