How to Detect Heating Oil Leaks

Fredericks Fuel can help in the event of a spill

Choosing a heating system that is powered with heating oil is a solid way to keep your Northern New Jersey home warm and comfortable throughout the winter. After all, heating oil is accessible, cost-effective and reliable. On top of all that, the fuel can help your heating equipment last longer than it otherwise would and it can help a heating system have longer burn times between refills.

All that being said, it is important for any homeowner who does use heating oil to know how to prevent, detect and deal with an oil leak or spill.

If you feel like this is an area where you need a little guidance, keep on reading. Fredericks Fuel is here to help!

Why it’s important to be on the lookout for heating oil leaks

Noticing and stopping a heating oil leak helps prevent contamination that can have a severe negative impact on the environment. Additionally, this contamination also poses a risk to your oil tank as well as to your personal safety.

Fortunately, there are some common signs that you can look for that may indicate that your tank is leaking.

Signs that your heating oil tank is leaking and what to do

If you are experiencing any of the below, your home may be experiencing a heating oil leak:

• You’re smelling oil: When heating oil leaks, certain compounds in the fuel evaporate into the air and turn into a vapor. This vapor has a specific odor – it usually smells like diesel fuel. If you’re noticing this around your home you could have an oil leak.
• Your home’s water has an oily sheen to it: If you notice an oily sheen on the surface of your home’s water, contact a professional immediately.
• Dead plants and vegetation: When oil leaks from a tank, it can soak into nearby soil and contaminate it. This contamination can lead to dead plants and vegetation.
• You’re paying more for your heating bills: An oil leak will cause your heating system to lose fuel. In an effort to compensate for this loss, the amount of energy your heating system uses will go up. Therefore, if your heating bills are suddenly more expensive and you haven’t made any major changes on your end such having your heat on more or setting your thermostat to higher temperatures your tank may be leaking.

If you suspect that your heating oil tank is leaking, conduct a visual inspection where you look for wet, discolored or stained soil around your tank as this will give you a good idea of what you are dealing with.

The next best thing is to contact a professional service like Fredericks Fuel to help you repair this leak.

Preventing a heating oil leak

The good news is that you can help prevent a heating oil leak and it is in your best interest to do so considering that prevention can be more cost-effective than paying for repair after repair.

The best thing you can do to prevent a leak is to minimize wear and tear on your tank. We suggest keeping your tank safely stored in a closed spot on your property. It should also be on a slab of concrete so that, in the event of a leak or a spill, oil doesn’t soak into the ground.

Call in the professionals at Fredericks Fuel

Whether you have a heating oil leak or not you can count on Fredericks Fuel for heating oil and servicing on your heating equipment.

Contact us today to learn more about the heating services we offer throughout Northern New Jersey.