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Tips for Handling Old Residential Heating Oil
No. 2 Home Heating Oil Shelf Life
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Shelf life of home heating oil: this document explains the shelf life or storage life of home heating oil (No. 2 home heating oil) and discusses what can and should be done with old heating oil found in unused or abandoned oil storage tanks.
Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman.
What is the Shelf Life or Storage Life of Home Heating Oil?
 Separately at HEATING OIL - OLD, USEABLE? we discuss how to move or make use of old heating oil.
Proper oil storage tank abandonment requires the use of good
engineering practices, including consideration of the future condition of the tank.
While the original of this article focused on commercial oil storage tanks, the concerns and steps should be examined by those
abandoning residential oil tanks as well.
Readers of this page should see The Oil Storage Tank Website.
Uses for and handling of used lubricating oils (not heating oil) is discussed in US EPA publication Managing Used Oil.
Diesel fuel, which is basically the same as No. 2 heating oil, is said by sources we've read to have a shelf life of 18-24 months without any fuel additives having been put into the tank. (Diesel fuel is basically No. 2 heating oil PLUS some fuel additives for winter use in vehicle engines).
Additives to diesel fuel are intended to be added when the fuel is put into the tank, not years later, and they claim to preserve the fuel's octane and combustion characteristics.
How can we extend the storage life of heating oil in a tank?
IF someone had put the proper additives into the tank of home heating oil when the fuel was delivered, it could have been reliably stored and then used up to two years later. Contact your heating oil delivery company to ask their recommended products for adding to and protecting the life of heating oil.
Can a heating oil additive "restore" old heating oil and make it good to burn in our oil burner?
Can an oil additive rejuvenate old stored heating oil? It's unlikely but we'd need to ask the chemical engineers who make those products. We speculate that products intended to be added to Diesel or perhaps to heating oil are intended to be added as preservatives at the time of delivery of the oil and that they are not designed to restore or rejuvenate old heating oil.
We have found no indication that adding a diesel fuel additive, or a heating fuel additive such as 4-in-one hot™ (sludge breakup and water remover) to heating oil will "restore" the original properties of oil that has been stored for a decade.
Remember that what was in the ground for a million years was not No 2 heating oil, it was a gooey ugly sludge crud that was then refined or cooked and purified at the oil refinery.
Why does heating oil deteriorate while in storage?
What might contribute to heating oil breakdown in an oil tank?
- bacterial action that is natural and happens in all heating oil tanks
- contamination by water, acids that form in the tank
- contamination by sludge, rust, crud that form in the tank
- contamination by someone dumping un-wanted chemicals of any sort into an old heating oil tank that they knew was unused - old dirty motor oil, paint, thinner, or just about anything. We have had occasional surprising reports of weird stuff people dump down wells and into tanks because they didn't know what to do with it and were afraid to call their local DEP or the EPA (as they should).
What Can we Do with Old Unused Heating Oil
Used oils (not recovered "virgin oil") can be re-refined and used for various purposes according to the US EPA but we are doubtful that the volume of old virgin oil in a typical residential heating tank is enough to interest most large recyclers. Your heating oil company can remove and dispose of your unused heating oil, as we recommend just below.
Concluding Advice for People who Find Unused Oil in an Old Oil Storage Tank
Oil burners are tolerant of a range of oil quality, and it's possible that old heating oil would "work" in such a unit, but given the uncertainties and information we listed above, we would not risk a heat outage or an extra no-heat service call to make use of a couple of hundred gallons of heating oil. You are getting $600. or so of "free" home heating oil but you are risking $250. to $400. for a no-heat call, or a still greater expense if loss of heat leads to frozen, burst pipes in a building.
The owner of the old heating oil should call local heating oil companies to ask if they'll pump out the oil - be honest with them that it's old (give the date of last oil delivery if it is known) - lest the oil be distributed it to someone and cause a heating problem.
Removing the heating old oil avoids a future oil leak or environmental issue at the property - a potentially costly problem. It is improper to leave an abandoned oil storage tank with oil inside - the oil should have been removed and still should be removed now at this later point
Be SURE that the tank filler and vent are totally removed lest you get an un-wanted oil delivery. Don't laugh, it happens.
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Technical Reviewers & References
Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
- OIL TANK INDOOR INSPECTION - "Visual Inspection of Above Ground Residential Heating Oil Storage Tanks - ASTs" provides photos of common and easily seen tank leaks and defects, and
a description of some easy visual checks of the condition of a visible oil tank, things that you can do yourself
- OIL TANK TESTING Oil Tank Testing Methods & Choices
- BURIED OIL TANKS, FINDING How to Find Buried Oil Tank
- OIL TANK FAILURE CAUSES Oil Tank Leaks or Oil Tank Failure Causes - oil tank leaks are caused by corrosion, damage, soil conditions, other factors
- TANK FAILURE RATES Oil Tank Failure Rates - Oil Tank Leak Probability as a Function of Tank Age, Location, Condition, Soil Conditions and Other Factors
- OIL TANK WATER CONTAMINATION - how to find out if there is problematic water in an oil tank and how to get water out of an oil tank are explained
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
 The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
Or choose the The Home Reference eBook for PCs, Macs, Kindle, iPad, iPhone, or Android Smart Phones. Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAEHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
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- Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, have provided us with (and we recommend) Carson Dunlop Weldon & Associates' Technical Reference Guide to manufacturer's model and serial number information for heating and cooling equipment
Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Technical Reference Guide purchased as a single order. Just enter INSPECTATRG in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- Oil Tanks - The Oil Storage Tank Information Website: Buried or Above Ground Oil Tank Inspection, Testing, Cleanup, Abandonment of Oil Tanks
- Abandon a Buried Oil Tank, How To - Abandoning Commercial Underground Tanks, Russ Brauksieck, ASHI Tech. Journal, Vol.3 No.1 Spring 1993, P. 40-41 [Reprint]
- Above Ground Oil Tanks: Visual Inspection of Oil Storage Tanks for evidence of leaks, damage, improper piping - photos and text
- Above Ground Oil Tanks Checklist, an Oil Company's advice
- Above Ground Tanks UL Standards, UL Tank Listing Standards, guidance for home owners, buyers, and inspectors
- Buried Oil Tanks - Finding How to Find Buried Oil Tanks and "Nearly Hidden" and Leaky Oil Tanks - photos and text.
- Buried Fuel tank - Advice - Buried FUEL Tank - GAS or OIL advice for home buyers, home owners, inspection report language for homes where a buried oil tank is or was installed
- Environmental Issues & Regulations for Oil Tanks, Registration, Abandonment, Leak Reporting
- Home Inspection Report Language Library: Buried Oil Tanks, Buried or aboveground oil tank advice for home buyers and home owners, where a buried oil tank is or was installed, also home inspection report language for oil tanks
- Home Inspection Report Language Library: Visible Defects in Oil Tank Installations, Tanks, and Heating Oil Piping
- Home Inspection Report Language Library: Gas Fuel Piping or Tank Faults Basic advice - home inspection report language suggestions
- Home Inspection Report Language Library: Oil Tanks text file list © Oil and Other Storage Tank Leaks, Testing, Abandonment, Inspection - UST home inspection report language files - Reference List
- Indoor Environment Website Indoor Building Environmental Hazard Detection, Testing, Repair, & Prevention - Main Web Page
- Leaky Heating Oil Tanks - Advice for Home Owners or Buyers: caused of leaks in oil tanks, oil tank testing alternatives, what to do about leaky tanks: D. J. Friedman, ASHI Tech. Journal, Vol.2 No.1, Winter, 1992 p. 42-43 Illus
- Leak or Failure Rates for Home Heating Oil Tanks
- Legal Issues Regarding Buried Oil Storage Tanks K. S. Rea, Attorney, summary from ASHI Chapter Seminar.
- Primer on Petroleum Bulk Storage Tanks & Petroleum Contamination of Property Paul H. Ciminello, ASHI Tech. Journal, Vol.3 No.1 Spring 1993, p 35-39
- Petroleum Bulk Storage J. Sibblies, NY State DEC, Advice to Home Owners and Home Inspectors about Oil Storage Tanks - summary from ASHI Chapter Seminar.
- Septic Tank inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair
- OIL TANK FAILURE CAUSES - Oil Tank Failure Causes - oil tank leaks are caused by corrosion, damage, soil conditions, other factors
- Tank Failure Rates - Oil Tank Failure Rates - Oil Tank Leak Probability as a Function of Tank Age, Location, Condition, Soil Conditions and Other Factors
- OIL TANK TESTING - - How Oil Tanks are Tested for Evidence Leaks, of Current or Previous Oil Spills
- "How do you choose the right tank testing method?", Cynthia Johnson, Fuel Oil & Oil Heat Magazine, November 1995
- National Association of Oil Heat Service Managers, PO Box 380, Elmwood Park, NJ 07407
- "Homeowners Guide to Fuel Storage," Agway Energy Products, Verbank, NY, November 1990
- Web Link Exchange: Contact Us to list your website or contact information for oil tank testing, tank corrosion research, oil industry experts
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