Domestic Oil Tanks

Whilst it may not be mandatory to have an oil tank installed by a professional, there are certain requirements in order to install an oil tank yourself. You will have to notify your local authority and a site inspector will be required to inspect and authorise the installation. The costs for this vary and requirements could vary per region. Contact your local authority for advice on this.

With regular maintenance, an oil tank should have a life span of 20 years for a plastic oil tank and 30 for a steel oil tank. Replacing an oil tank is only a requirement when the existing tank is damaged, warped or beyond repair. It is best to consult the person who services and maintains your tank for advice on this.

In all cases, a risk assessment should be carried out by a suitably qualified engineer.  If the installation of the tank is within certain parameters, a bunded tank will be required.

A 'twin walled' or 'double-skinned' tank is a tank with a double wall, for the purpose of strength and shape integrity. These 'twin-walled tanks' are not designed to the same regulations as the bunded tanks and therefore may not have the legal secondary containment of 110% of the tank capacity for the tank contents. Therefore, they should not be confused with a bunded tank.

There are advantages to both steel oil tanks and plastic oil tanks. You can read about these in more detail in the article Steel Tank vs Plastic Tanks.