One big reason you should keep your heating oil tank at least half full

Heating oil tanks don’t require a lot of TLC to continue to do their job safely and reliably year after year – just a little annual maintenance and an inspection from a professional heating contractor will usually do the trick.

But one thing you can do to avoid problems with your heating oil tank and lengthen the lifespan of your equipment is to keep your tank at least half full at all times – including during the offseason.

Here’s why keeping a half-full oil tank is so important: A tank that contains more air than fuel will encourage water (in the form of condensation) to accumulate on its interior walls as temperatures shift over the course of the year.

This condensation creates two problems for your heating oil tank: first, it helps bacteria grow in your fuel, which will eventually transform your heating oil into a thick sludge that will jam your fuel lines and rob your system of efficiency.

Second, condensation will eventually drop from the tank walls and sink to the bottom of your tank (since water is heavier than oil), corroding it from the inside out. When a tank decays this way, you won’t spot a heating oil tank failure until it’s too late.

Top off your heating oil now, save a headache later

The takeaway here is that condensation doesn’t play well with a steel-walled heating oil tank, and keeping your tank at least half full can help prevent it. Top off your tank now and it could prevent problems down the road.

An offseason fill-up could save you money, too, since pre-season heating oil prices are often lower than in-season prices, when heating oil demand and market prices are highest.

Need a heating oil delivery? Contact Economy Oil today!

Economy Oil – Serving Dutchess, Columbia, Orange, Sullivan, Delaware, Greene, and Ulster counties with quality heating oil at the guaranteed lowest price in our service area.