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removing an old heating oil tank


Dc
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My new english neighbour has an old metal heating oil tank which he wants to remove from his cellar. Unfortunately it is too big to get up the stairs and will have to be drained (1/4 full) and then somehow made smaller/cut up to get it out. Has anyone any ideas on how this can be done safely and also the best way of pumping the heating oil out. Any help greatly appreciated.
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Hi Dc

When I moved from a previous house and went over the gas heating, I drained mine with a drill pump, at small unit that fits into a hand drill, I think I took out something like 250 gallons. Sorry cannot help in cutting it up,maybe an angle grinder, but think it may be worth flushing out with water to get rid of the disel. other wise it could catch light.

 

Colin

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Most fuel oil suppliers have the facility to drain and degas oil tanks

This should be done to prevent fire risk as the tank will have to be cut with an angle grinder or a cutting torch

Again your oil supplier can do this or direct you to a suitable company

Oil is hazardous waste and must be disposed of at a specialist facility, normally by a licensed contractor, the same as waste such as asbestos

Fumes are potentially more dangerous than the liquid fuel, liquid will catch fire but fumes will explode

Best to get a specialist to do the job, I do and as a professional plumber I would never attempt to cut up a tank unless it I was in posession of a certificate to say it had been degassed

Le Plombier

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Before I retired I owned a company which specialised in gas-free testing. This tank must be pumped out and and completely dried out by an air line.It must then be tested and certificated that it is gas-free before any "hot -work" is carried out on it. Locallised flairing will be occur because the fuel has "soaked"into the steel.
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hi ok

 all them 30   odd years as a diesel mechanic  welding leaking tanks never ever seen one go up  , petrol will , but diesel needs a medium to ignite it ,you can throw a lighted match into a diesel tank and it will go out , drain it and cut it up with a grinder

           Dave

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