3 Easy Steps to Avoid Heating Oil Headaches

March 31, 2022

Many of us rely on heating oil as the fuel source to heat our homes. The heating oil is stored in either an above ground (in the home or outside) or underground (buried) storage tank that is connected to the boiler. Properly maintaining these systems can help avoid releases of heating oil, which can result in major headaches and unexpected expenses, especially with many new homeowner’s insurance policies excluding coverage for cleanup.

Here we’re sharing some easy steps to avoid a heating oil spill, as well as advice on what to do should you experience a release of heating oil on your property.

Check out the PADEP heating oil inspection checklist for homeowners. The PADEP has put together a webpage specifically designated to help homeowners to best manage their heating oil tanks, including a self-inspection checklist for above ground heating oil tanks that any homeowner can conduct themselves: https://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Land/SiteRemediation/Storage-Tank-Cleanup-Program/Pages/Residential-Home-Heating-Oil.aspx

Regularly inspect your tank system. Releases of heating oil can have a wide variety of causes, including overfilling of the tank, corrosion or damage of the supply run running from the tank to the boiler, corrosion or damage of the storage tank, over pressurization of the tank, and leakage from the filter. Inspecting your tank system on a regular basis can mitigate a lot of the risk of a release occurring.

Call in the experts. Should you find yourself dealing with a significant heating oil spill, Brickhouse has extensive experience working with homeowners, insurance companies, fuel oil suppliers, attorneys, contractors, and regulators to complete the cleanup quickly and efficiently, while minimizing longer-term potential liability. Our experience working on these issues since 1977 gives us the foresight to identify the probable challenges to cleanup and reasonable solutions to get the job done. If you have any questions or are dealing with a heating oil release, please call us at (610) 692-5770.

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