Aboveground tank service you can trust

As the weather starts to cool down, it’s a great time to check up on your heating oil tank – before you really need to put it to good use for the season. If you’re seeing any signs of wear and tear on your fuel tank or you have an older system, it may be time to consider an upgrade.

But, what factors should you consider when deciding what style and size of heating oil tank is right for your home? Read on to learn more about how the experts at Fredericks Fuel & Heating Service can help you determine what works best for you.

What size tank do you need?

Heating oil tanks come in a variety of sizes, and these days, you have more options than ever. While that can be overwhelming, we’re here to help you make sense of what’s available.

• Standardized sizing: Most aboveground heating oil tanks have capacities ranging from 100 to 500 gallons, with 275 gallons being the most commonly found tank size in residential homes. If you have an older model heating oil tank, you can typically gauge your tank size just by eyeballing its shape and length. Your expert technician can walk you through it by phone!
• Look for a label: Federal law requires that heating oil tanks be labeled with their capacity, so there should be a sticker on your tank that tells you its specifications.
• Tank shape: Heating oil tanks are generally shaped like a cylinder or an oval, unless you have a customized tank.

Factors influencing tank size needs

• Lifespan: Most older heating oil tanks have an anticipated lifespan of about 25 years, which means if your home was built prior to 1995, it is likely time for an upgrade. Fuel tanks have gotten more efficient and compact over the years, so you may not need the same size tank you initially had decades ago.
• Average household fuel usage: Your fuel experts can take care of estimating your usage based on household demand throughout the year. You’ll want to make sure your tank size is large enough for everyone to have their fuel needs met – and then some. Don’t forget about household members who may split their time in different homes, such as seniors who “snow bird” in Florida, or kids away at college.
• The half-full rule: An industry rule of thumb is to always keep your heating oil tank no less than half-full. This protects you from fuel runouts, and also builds in a little leeway, in case there is an unanticipated delay. Your fuel tank will need to be big enough to accommodate this safeguard.

Factors to consider alongside tank size

Whatever tank size you select, it’s important to also consider whether your chosen fuel company offers:

• Safe, secure installation of your fuel storage tank: When you heat with heating oil, you want to be confident that your fuel storage tank has been installed properly and is the right fit for your home, priorities, and heating needs.
• Longevity in the community: Having been in business since before the advent of home heating oil, Fredericks Fuel has installed literally thousands of aboveground storage tanks and we follow strict protocols to ensure that your fuel is stored safely.
• Quality to withstand freezing temps: Turn to Fredericks to ensure there will be no interruption in fuel flow when it gets extremely cold in West Milford, Oak Ridge, Sparta, Wantage, Riverdale and surrounding towns.
• Industry best practices: All of our installation technicians have been trained in the industry standard best practices for installing aboveground fuel tanks.
• Brands you can trust: We install tanks by such respected brands as Granby and Roth, so you can be confident that once your fuel tank is installed, you won’t need a replacement for many years.
• Tank protection plan: Replacing your outdated fuel tank is a big decision that you’ll rely on for decades to come. Heating oil tanks nowadays have improved tremendously over tanks from 20 years ago. In fact, today’s models are virtually leak-proof. For peace of mind, Fredericks Fuel also offers a tank protection service agreement through the ProGuard program, for both underground and aboveground fuel storage tanks.

Fredericks wants to be your home comfort company

To learn more about aboveground tanks, contact us today, and one of our equipment specialists will promptly respond. We look forward to welcoming you as a customer of Fredericks Fuel & Heating Service!