With summer in full swing, your heating oil tank level is probably not top of mind. Fair enough—we waited long enough for summer, right? Yes, but that’s not the whole story. We’ve got a few good reasons why you should top off your heating tank now, rather than letting it go until Rhode Island’s first cold snap next fall.
If your tank has empty space, condensation can easily form on the walls. As that moisture drips off and hits the bottom of the tank, it creates an environment that’s ripe for both sediment and bacteria to develop. The result of this is corrosion, which can ultimately cause your tank to fail. Resolving this problem can be expensive and time consuming, and keeping your tank full over the summer is a quick and easy way to prevent it. With a heating oil fill-up, you’ll prevent condensation from forming in your tank.
Aside from corrosion, sludge is another result of condensation. It can form at the same time as the sediment and bacteria we mentioned, but rather than causing corrosion, sludge can clog your fuel lines. This will drastically reduce your system’s efficiency, and once your lines are clogged, your furnace or boiler will be unable to receive your fuel. The inevitable—and expensive—result of this is a system breakdown. Your in-between fill-up will also eliminate the chance of sludge forming in your tank over the summer.
If all you have in your heating oil tank is your leftover fuel from last winter, you are setting yourself up for an emergency delivery in the event of an earlier-than-expected cold spell. However, if you go ahead and fill up your heating oil tank now, you’ll have plenty for the first wave of cold weather, and you’ll be protecting your tank from corrosion and sludge in the meantime.
Take it from us: the best kind of care you can offer your heating oil tank is to make sure it’s filled up for the season.
Are you enrolled in automatic heating oil delivery from Vaugh Oil? If not, learn more about it and contact us today. We also handle equipment installation and service, and we offer pricing and payment options that are convenient for you!
