A word about oil tanks

[woolybanana]

It no longer conforms with the regulations to have the oil tank and the boiler in the same room. Not perhaps an obvious problem as it is hardly enforced BUT, think insurance!

[Gluestick]

Since when, Woolly?

I have the last regs in both English and French and that's not so many years back......

[8-)]

[woolybanana]

Quite recent according to my plumber who had to move mine yesterday, though for another reason.

[Chrissie]

We were told this about 2-3 years ago when replacing boiler.  However, I asked our insurance agent (also a friend) and he looked into regs at that time and said it was advised for the tank not to be in the same room as boiler, but not required.  There must of course be a containment wall around the oil tank.  Things may have moved on since then for new installations, but I can't believe they would ask half the homes in France to change existing arrangements.

Chrissie (81)

[Gluestick]

Fiche Technique No. 2. Êdition Septembre 2004

I.4.2             STORAGE ABOVE GROUND IN A BUILDING

Rules vary depending on the tank capacity

 

I.4.2.1            Storage above ground up to 2,500 litres

May be installed on ground level or in a basement

Area must be properly ventilated

Must have a fire-door with a resistance of 1/4hr.

Walls floor and ceiling must have fire resistance of ½ hr

Tanks may be plastic or metal.

Must be on a flat concrete base

Must either have a double skin or a retaining wall

If the secondary envelope is plastic it must have passed a fire-safety test

Tanks must be a minimum of 1 metre from the boiler

If the tank is in a garage, it must be protected from any possible collision

 

I.4.2.1. Storage above ground over 2,500 litres

A separate area is required whatever the composition of the tank (plastic or metal)

The walls, floor and ceiling must be fire resistant for 2 hours

The area must be closed off by a fire door with a resistance of 1 hour, opening  to the outside. the door must have an automatic closing mechanism and always be operable from inside. If the area serves as the safety barrier there must be a step.

The area must be ventilated by a fresh air inlet of at least 1dm²

No other combustible materials may be stored in the area

The tanks must all be of the same material, capacity and height, up to an overall maximum capacity of 10,000 litres.

 

[woolybanana]

Maybe the requirements have been modified since 2004, Gluey?

[Gluestick]

Dunno, Woolly?

I paid a nice English linguist and tech translator for the document when the regs were published.