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Guide to Heating Oil Piping for Duplex or Paired Oil Storage Tanks
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InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.
Oil tank piping: how to hook up fill & vent & oil line piping on duplex or dual oil storage tanks: this document describes the typical piping arrangements for heating oil storage tanks: how the oil tank fill, vent, and supply piping are arranged when two oil storage tanks (or more) are installed at a building. See OIL TANK PIPING & PIPING DEFECTS and also see text and oil tank defect photographs at Visual Inspection of Oil Storage Tanks.
Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman.
TYPICAL OIL TANK PIPING for DUAL OIL TANKS INDOORS
Quick Guide to Fill and Vent Piping for Duplex Heating Oil Storage Tanks
At buildings where two heating oil storage tanks are installed, typically indoors, this Audel Oil Burner Guide sketch shows the proper arrangement of fill piping, vent piping, and oil line piping leaving the tanks.
We have seen an alternative arrangement that provides a fill line only to the first tank, with the second tank filled by a second pipe exiting the top of the first oil tank - not an arrangement we recommend as this forces the first oil tank to be fully pressurized at the oil delivery truck pressure during fill-up of the second tank.
The piping shown in this Audel sketch is better.
Thanks to Arlene Puentes for technical editing, March 2010. |
Here are more details of dual oil storage tank piping
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Our photograph of duplexed or a "pair" of oil storage tanks in a residential basement shows (left) [click to enlarge the photo) shows the most common oil fill, vent, and copper oil supply piping arrangement when two oil tanks are installed side by side at a building.
- The oil tank filler pipe is connected to the first oil tank (the rear tank of the pair in our photo) at an oil tank top inlet fitting accepting a 2" diameter filler pipe.
- A second tank top tapping is used to continue the same diameter 2" steel piping out of the top of tank 1 and into the top of tank 2.
- The oil tank vent pipe is connected from the top of the second oil tank (the tank fully shown or "front most" in the oil tank pair in our photo) and routed outdoors to a location close to the filler pipe (so that the oil tank delivery driver can monitor the fill-up progress in the duplexed oil storage tanks.
- The oil tank level gauge is on tank #2 in our photo but would work equally well on either tank.
- Copper oil supply piping is connected at the bottom outlets of both oil tanks so that as oil is drawn from this heating oil storage system both tanks supply oil to the heating appliances, and thus the oil level will be the same in both tanks at all times. A tee in the copper oil piping taps off of the common line between the two tanks to feed oil to the heating appliances in the building, where you will typically also see a shutoff valve (aiding in service such as changing the oil filter).
At installations that include a fire safety valve at the oil tank (useful for service in this case) we like to see an additional fire safety valve at each oil burner oil supply line since that's a spot where a fire is more likely to occur. See FIRE SAFETY CONTROLS.
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As Carson Dunlop Associates' sketch (left) demonstrates,
the fill and vent piping for oil storage tanks must be of adequate diameter (typically 2" filler and 1.5" to 2" vent though older tanks may use 1 1/4" vents),
properly located (vent not too distant from filler), and
protected against water entry or insect nest blockage of the vent line.
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Thanks to reader
D. B. Harlow for asking about how to make the proper connections to have two storage tanks, in parallel.
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Technical Reviewers & References
Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
- Mark Cramer Inspection Services Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, Mr. Cramer is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors and is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator. Mr. Cramer serves on the ASHI Home Inspection Standards. Contact Mark Cramer at: 727-595-4211 mark@BestTampaInspector.com
- John Cranor is an ASHI member and a home inspector (The House Whisperer) is located in Glen Allen, VA 23060. He is also a contributor to InspectApedia.com in several technical areas such as plumbing and appliances (dryer vents). Contact Mr. Cranor at 804-747-7747 or by Email: johncranor@verizon.net
 Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. The firm provides professional home inspection services & home inspection education & publications. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The Home Reference Book & illustrations from The Illustrated Home. Carson Dunlop Associates' provides:
- Commercial Building Inspection Courses - protocol ASTM Standard E 2018-08 for Property Condition Assessments
- Home Inspection Education Courses including home study & live classes at eleven colleges & universities.
- Home Inspection Education Home Study Courses - ASHI@Home Training 10-course program.
Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on these courses: Enter INSPECTAHITP in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
- The Home Reference Book, a reference & inspection report product for building owners & inspectors.
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.
- The Home Reference eBook, an electronic version for PCs, the iPad, iPhone, & 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.
- The Illustrated Home illustrates construction details and building components, a reference for owners & inspectors.
Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Illustrated Home purchased as a single order Enter INSPECTAILL in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- The Horizon Software System manages business operations,scheduling, & inspection report writing using Carson Dunlop's knowledge base & color images. The Horizon system runs on always-available cloud-based software for office computers, laptops, tablets, iPad, Android, & other smartphones.
- 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.
- Arlene Puentes, an ASHI home inspector in Kingston, NY, contributed the example photograph of an outdoor aboveground oil tank. Ms. Puentes can be contacted at ap@octoberhome.com
- Audels Oil Burner Guide, Installation, Servicing, Repairing, Frank D. Graham, 1940's edition (obsolete). Updated versions of this guide are available in various editions, 1947, 1950, 1955, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1965, 1967, and at prices from around $3.00 to nearly $70.00 - useful for simple, clear, but not current, explanation of how heating equipment works. The original retail price was $1.00.
- Dave Ferris - M&S Environmental Systems, Dutchess County, New York. Mr. Ferris was an
HVAC expert. Personal communication to DJF 1987. Remove the firematic or
fusible oil supply line valve on return oil-line side - in case of fire if this
one closes first the pump continues to run, blows its seal, and sprays oil all
over the fire. Proper installation is to have a fusible link valve only on the
supply side, and to install a check valve on the return line to prevent
back-siphonage from the tank.
- "HUD Regulation for Manufactured Homes; Requirement that Heat-Tape not include a GFCI [ copy on file as /plumbing/GFCI_Heat_Tapes_HUD_CPSC_Letter1994.pdf ] - ", Meeting Log, US CPSC, HUD, Dennis McCoskrie, ESEE, 2/14/1994
- Thanks to reader D.B. Harlow for discussing parallel or duplex oil tank piping arrangement, October 2010
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.
- More Reading and advice about oil storage tank leak testing
- 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
- 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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