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George George is offline
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Default How often should an interior fuel oil tank be cleaned out?

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"EXT" wrote in message
anews.com...
I have never heard of a "tank cleaning service" -- it sounds like a revenue
generating idea created by the heating oil company.

Any tank that is 25 years old, cleaned or not, may be questioned by your
insurance company with a demand to replace it with a new tank. Insurance
companies don't want a huge payout for environmental cleanup if it should
leak.


Underground tanks have a life of 15 to 30 years. Above ground tanks
considerably more. You can do ultrasonic tests that reveal rusting of the
tank. I've never heard of one being replaced because the insurance company
requested it, but I guess it can happen. I know of may tanks that are 50
years plus and still working.


I know a few friends whose insurer required tanks to be replaced only
because of age. It also lessens further risk because all new interior
tanks are double wall.