Bunded 1000ltr plastic domestic oil tank leaking from inner to outer skin

[MikeFloutier]

Hi, our Bunded 1000ltr plastic domestic oil tank leaking from inner to outer skin, was installed, as part of a new-build, in 2016, to supply a boiler.

When getting it refilled last week, the delivery driver pointed out that the outer skin was bowing out slightly and advised me to check it.

I sent a length of flat mains cable down the gap, between the inner and outer skins, and found that it contained oil to a depth of around 350mm. This is well below the average (over time) depth of the inner tank.

I imagine that when it was installed, the feeder pipe was not securely fitted to the inner skin, and over the years, oil has seeped between the two tanks.

I am presently trying to find out who installed the tank but wondered if anyone had any advice as to how to proceed.

Many thanks

Mike

 

[centralheatking]

Oh dear, it will need replacing unless someone on PF knows if it can be repaired but I doubt it.
My first call would be home insurance, then take tank details and get manu to supply details of the supply...if you are very diplomatic you might get some help even tho it’s way beyond legal recourse.
How high or low is the breach...reducing the level of contents might be a safe stop gap.
Centralheatking

 

[SimonG]

You'll not repair it. I would look at warranty on it, what manufacturer is it. Whereabouts are you in the country?

I know harlequin offer a 10 year warranty, if it's been registered and 5 years if not.

Got a picture of it? Warranty might be out the window if not installed properly.

 

[SJB060685]

As Simon says you will not repair. If you're lucky a warranty replacement but maybe not. Please note if a new tank is required you may need to make some adjustments to comply with current regulations

 

[WHPES]

Should be under warranty if it's under 5 years old, assuming someone bothered to fill in the product registration

 

[MikeFloutier]

Thanks guys, I'm still trying to track down the original installer and the warranty.

Since the leak is 99% likely to be from where the pipe leaves the inner skin, common sense, to my mind at least, dictates that I simply need to tighten the relevant nuts (or whatever you call them 🙂).

Obviously this would be tricky given where they are, but, given the cost of tank replacement, I felt it worth exploring.

My plan would be:

1. Let the level go down quite a bit,
2. Lower a decent led light into the tank for illumination,
3. Try to tighten the nut using a suitable spanner fixed to a long bar

Seems worth a try. Also, it might be easier to do the same on the other nut, as access would probably be more direct - maybe🙂

 

[SJB060685]

If you've got a leak to outer bund I suspect you have a split inner bund. If I'm wrong and you are correct about a fitting then it should be a warranty job, providing it was installed correctly

 

[WHPES]

When I've found them to have leaked it's always in my experience been a split. The only way is to empty and take the top off and look.

 

[MikeFloutier]

Thanks guys, that's good to know so I'm not chasing a dead end.

 

[oz-plumber]

You should just contact the tank manufacturer.

If the tank is faulty, they will have to repair or replace the tank.