re: way to check fuel tank yourself? SOLAR.KnowledgePublications.com

re: way to check fuel tank yourself?
11 oct 2005
steve k wrote:

> four years ago we had our furnace checked and some maintenance done by a 
> repairman who worked for the company that gave us our oil. he said our 
> fuel tank was getting thin and we ran the risk of it rusting out and 
> therefore spilling fuel oil all over the floor (the tank is inside our 
> house). he said we had maybe 2 more months and should get it done.
> 
> this was four years ago. our tank is still holding up fine so far. 

i replaced a basement oil tank that seemed to be on its last legs. in fact, 
the legs were completey rusted off. it was sitting on concrete blocks.
it looked horribly rusty all over, but when i cut it up with a sawzall to
get it out of the basement, i was amazed to see very shiny metal inside,
at least 1/8" thick all over. the oil protected the inside from rust,
even tho the outside was rotten. seemed to me the tank would have lasted
at least another 10 years, or maybe 20.

nick