Have I an oil leak on my tank?

[what..the?]

There was a leak on the tank when I bought the property so the full 1200 lt tank leaked to half way before anyone noticed as it was a slow leak and no one lived at the property for a year. I then give the job to fix the tank over the the work men but by the time I moved into the property and the heating was being started up with new boiler system and rads there was no oil at all so it had been leaking for a long time before it was fixed. So I filled the 1200lt tank with 500lt just before Christmas. Then in 1 month used it all. This seemed to be a lot of oil in such a short time and the builders had for 1.5 to 2 weeks been running the heating full blast 24/7 to dry out all the wet plaster etc. It still seemed to me like we used the oil quicker that expected. So filled the tank again on the 11 January again getting just 500lt since then the heating has been one say once or twice a day so maybe 3-4 hours a day. I have added up that we have 15 radiators/heated towel rails in the house they are all set to max but the thermostat that runs them all is set to 15-19 so the radiators don't heat the house excessively. I just checked and there is only half left so we have used 250lt in 12 days using 3-4 hours 15 radiators??? the three rads in the loft are little and don't eve heat properly. SOOOO I just put my hand under a value area outside and got wet oil transfer on my hand and it smells of oil out there?? Is 250lt in 12 days normal do you think? It a renovated 5 bed (2 in loft) highly insulated with a modern boiler and rads. Thanks in advance sorry for long message

[what..the?]

valve not value sorry

[bednobs]

i find it very worrying that seemingly 1200 litres of oil have seeped into the ground. This is an environmental hazard, and the ground should have been cleaned/remediated when it was discovered Probably by a registered company. Is it an underground or above ground tank?

[DTCwordfan]

that is huge

similar sized house where I am at the moment, actually one more b-room and not that much insulation being 18thC and 1000l lasts some ten weeks inc an oil fired aga

had the same problem....around 850 to 900 to replace for double skin plastic plus the fill

[what..the?]

thanks for that dtcross seems to be similar houses except with my insulation I should be using less than you, i think i need to investigate.

[The Builder]

Hello Mrs What. I would say a leak most definitely. I know your level of insulation, and the weather has been fairly mild too.

Is it an old type steel tank?

[DTCwordfan]

just run your finger along the welded seams of the lower edges - if there is oil there, you'll "pick it up" - only has to be a few pin pricks and you will lose it big time.

my costs included the tank take-way and no extra building of a bund or anything - my mother already had that and a decent plinth, as well as a small three sided "hut"

[what..the?]

no 'builder' its a single skin plastic one but the leak is in the valve section not the tank itself so hope it can be fixed rather than replaced.

[what..the?]

the builders were supposed to have fixed the leak, then when the oil was used quickly last time I asked them is it leaking, no they said, and they said 'it isn't leaking so I don't need for the bund I wanted' I think they owe me some compensation for all the lost money

[bednobs]

i hope you have this sorted now. I am extreme;y surprised that no-one apart from me has mentioned the environmental damage of 1200 lt oil leaking into the ground. Do you live near any water course? If the environment agency find out, they have a "polluter pays" policy, which means they WILL fine you heftily. DONOT plant or grow anything in your garden please! You might also want to alert your neighbours.

[Romintha]

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