The Importance of Keeping Oil in Your Tank During the Heating Offseason

Summer is fast approaching, so heating oil is probably the last thing on your mind as you gear up for a little well-earned beach time here in Massachusetts.

But before you pack up your sunblock and beach chairs, there are two things you should be thinking about when it comes to taking care of your heating system during the warmer offseason months. The first is to consider getting your heating maintenance out of the way now rather than waiting until the fall, when everyone will be doing the same thing. The second is to give your heating oil tank a little TLC to avoid any unwelcomed surprises down the road.

A professional heating tank inspection is a must, especially if you have an older steel tank that lacks the fiberglass inner lining of today’s virtually leak-proof heating oil tanks. But there’s something else you can do yourself (with a little help from us) that is just as important for a healthy heating oil tank: keep it at least half full during the offseason.

A heating oil tank that contains more air than oil will accumulate condensation (water) on its interior walls as temperatures shift between seasons. This condensation creates the perfect conditions for bacteria growth in your fuel, which will eventually turn it into a sludge that clogs your system and hampers efficiency. Condensation will also eventually corrode the bottom of your tank, since water is heavier than oil and will sink once it falls from the tank walls.

The bottom line: A build up of condensation in your oil tank is a problem that is easy to avoid – schedule a heating oil delivery today and it very well could prevent problems down the road. It 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.

Is your heating oil tank less than half full? Contact FSi Oil and Propane today to schedule a heating oil delivery to your Western MA home.