Heating Oil Tank Installations

 If any of the following criteria apply to the external installation of the heating oil tank or there is any potential fire risks within the close vicinity of the oil tank, then you will need to install appropriate fire protection to comply with current domestic oil storage regulations.  These apply to all heating oil storage tanks below 3,500 litres in capacity.  If you require storage above this capacity, then you will need to address additional requirements under commercial regulations. Fire protection of no less than thirty minutes extending 300 mm longer than each side of the oil storage tank and 300 mm higher than the highest part of the oil storage tank is required if:

• The oil tank will be located within 1.8 m of a non-fire-rated building or structure.  This includes timber garden sheds and any wall that does not have a minimum thirty minutes fire resistance.
• The oil tank will be located within 760 mm of a non-fire-rated boundary. If the tank is to be located against a stone boundary wall, that wall must extend at least 300 mm beyond the height and ends of the tank and have thirty minutes of fire resistance
• The oil tank will be located within 1.8 m of non-fire-rated eaves of a building
• The oil tank will be located within 1.8 m of a construction opening in a building, such as a window or door
• The oil tank will be located within 1.8 m of any flue termination
• The oil tank will be installed on a base which does not extend a minimum of 300 mm around all sides of the tank.  If the existing base does not extend 300 mm on all sides of the tank it will need to be extended so that it is 300 mm larger than the tank on all sides.  The only exception to this base-size rule is where the side and/or end of the base abuts a fire rated structure, such as a building, barrier or boundary, that already extends at least 300 mm beyond the extents of the tank in all directions, and in such circumstances the base need only be extended 100 mm from the tank to the fire rated structure.  Regardless of proximity to fire-rated structures, any exposed sides or ends of the base must still be extended by 300 mm.

The above criteria apply to external tanks only. Tanks to be located inside a building must be bunded and contained within a fireproof chamber.  For more information on installing tanks internally please either contact us or visit www.oftec.org

Prior to installing any oil storage tank, an OFTEC TI/133D form (based upon the above information) should be completed by a competent, qualified technici

 Oil storage tanks are manufactured either as single-skin or bunded unit, which is a tank within a tank and provides the most environmental protection as the outer skin will contain the oil in the event of a spillage. If any of the following criteria apply, then you will must install a bunded tank to comply with current regulations:

• Tank capacity will be in excess of 2500 litres
• The tank will be located within ten metres of controlled water.  Controlled water includes rivers, streams, lakes, canals, coastal waters, estuaries, and groundwater. This means all water, which is below the surface of the ground in the saturation zone and in direct contact with the ground or subsoil, and any ditches, soakaways, septic tanks and gullies, which could pollute groundwater or reach controlled water through groundwater
• The tank will be installed over hard ground that could enable spillage run-off to reach controlled water at a greater distance.   This includes hard-surfaces such as tarmac or concrete which slope towards a drain or other source of controlled water
• The tank will be located where any spillage could run into an open drain or manhole cover
• The tank will be located within fifty metres of a borehole or spring (including wells).  Your local authority or regional environmental authority will have information on the location of all water extraction locations, ground water sources or aquifers near to your property
• The oil tank installation will be located in a position where the tank vent pipe outlet is not visible from the fill pipe access.  Essentially, if the tanker driver is able to see the vent, he will be alerted to any potential danger of overfilling.  If he cannot see the tank vent when filling the tank, or the tank will be fitted with a remote fill pipe, then the tank will need to be bunded to contain any spillage.
• The tank will be supplying heating oil to a building other than a single family dwelling, for example to also heat an on site office.
• There are any other potential hazards individual to the site which may constitute a pollution risk.

• Fire rated oil tanks enable you to save valuable space outside and hide your tank away behind or even inside outbuildings and trestles 
• Offers a perfect solution to replace old tanks which are sited within 1.8 m of buildings and structures and are in compliant with current regulations
• Great alternative form of compliance to constructed fire barriers without the need for additional building work
• Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Assurance certified proving compliant with Building Regulations in Britain
• All of our fire protected tanks are bunded offering integral protection from leakage and overfilling
• Manufactured using a highly durable and tensile mild steel giving a serviceable lifespan in excess of 30 years (with regular maintenance)
• We work with installers across the UK and in most cases can recommend someone in your area.
• Independently tested to BS476: Part 22: 1987
• Independently tested to BS476 (Warrington Fire Research Centre) 
• Meets Section J 5.4 of Building Regulations, Table 5.1 for Fire Protection for Oil Storage Tanks
•  LABC Sytem Approval (Local Authority Building Control) 

Domestic:

• 30 minute fire protection – install a domestic tank adjacent to buildings and boundaries
• 60 minute fire protection – install a domestic tank inside an uninhabited building such as a garage (pending installer/inspector approval)

Non-domestic:

• 60 minute fire protection – install a non-domestic tank adjacent to buildings and boundar