Furnace oil - does it go bad?

[ollie76]

I know this may sound like a silly question, but does furnace oil go bad in an outside tank? Tank is only two years old so should be no issues there.

I only ask because since we installed our mini-splits, we run the furnace very rarely. The tank was filled up to the brim at this time last year and it's still almost full.

Does it need any attention?

 

[06switchback]

Should not be a problem sitting for one year I don't know how long it can be stored but I would worry about the condensation rather than the age

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[Bretny]

Condensation is what you may run into. If its in the shade it wouldn't be a problem. You can put additive in the tank to help this. Bmy tank is in the basement and try not to let it go further than 5yrs, no additave.

 

[nehog]

Like diesel fuel (which fuel oil basically is) it can have algae under some circumstances. There are treatments to prevent this.

 

[xjfish]

Like diesel fuel (which fuel oil basically is) it can have algae under some circumstances. There are treatments to prevent this.

Yes. Personally I would feel comfortable using diesel fuel treatment available at your local auto parts store...

 

[Jackfre]

Talk to the service manager at your oil company. An outside tank in NS should be running kero, but you need to know what fuel you have. Is it a bio-fuel? If so there are all kinds of problems related to fuel pumps, nozzles, filters and overall burners.

 

[James-W]

I have never heard of any fuel oil going bad, but then again, most people don't have it for more than a year before they use it up and buy new fuel oil.

 

[AmherstAndy]

Condensation is probably a bigger issue for the tank than it is for the fuel. You can have the tank condition evaluated with an ultrasonic instrument that determines tank wall thickness. If the tank is mostly full, there is less air volume to allow for condensation formation. As posted above, best to ask the oil company about the life of the fuel.

 

[Brian_WK]

3 years is all that is allowed for standby emergency generators and heating oil in a federal setting. We have 10k gallons to burn up this winter. When it gets old along with the algae it really plugs up the filters and screens when it gets old. Were not allowed to run additives.

Brian

 

[ollie76]

I will have to inquire about the oil and see if they use any additives. I would guess that there is very little condensation as the tank is damn near right to the top.

 

[rlitman]

Condensation is probably a bigger issue for the tank than it is for the fuel. You can have the tank condition evaluated with an ultrasonic instrument that determines tank wall thickness. If the tank is mostly full, there is less air volume to allow for condensation formation. As posted above, best to ask the oil company about the life of the fuel.

Condensation helps algae.

3 years is all that is allowed for standby emergency generators and heating oil in a federal setting. We have 10k gallons to burn up this winter. When it gets old along with the algae it really plugs up the filters and screens when it gets old. Were not allowed to run additives.

Brian

Algae is an infection of the tank. You don't just get algae out of nowhere, and it doesn't suddenly appear after a certain number of years. Once you have algae, it can grow rapidly in a tank flushed with fresh fuel too. Removing any hint of water is imperative for you (consider a water absorbing sock), and your tank needs a proper disinfection before refilling.

BTW, not only does algae clog filters, it also speeds corrosion of tanks.

 

[ollie76]

Luckily, it's a two year old fibreglass tank. Seems top notch to me.

 

[yeldogt]

Fuel will go bad .. but, most home heating companies treat the fuel. Call the supplier ...... is this above ground or buried?

Water is indeed the killer --not sure about Canada ...... above ground tanks in the USA should be on a slant w/ the supply at the low side (it current code) ... piped from the bottom. This sends all the water into the filter and separator.

I had my buried tanks tested for water every year and used a two pipe system.

 

[ollie76]

Above ground, outdoor installation

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... I've burnt fuel oil/ diesel that's 20 years old, No problem,....

Just make sure the filter gets cleaned,....

As noted above, as fuel ages, algae forms, the black gooey **** ya sometimes find in the filter,...
There's fuel algae treatment available at yer oil supplier that'll kill the algae, 'n help stop it from reformin',...
The filter oughta be changed again within a month or so of treatment, as all that dead algae has to go somewhere,...

 

[Brian_WK]

Ayuh,.... I've burnt fuel oil/ diesel that's 20 years old, No problem,....

Just make sure the filter gets cleaned,....

As noted above, as fuel ages, algae forms, the black gooey **** ya sometimes find in the filter,...
There's fuel algae treatment available at yer oil supplier that'll kill the algae, 'n help stop it from reformin',...
The filter oughta be changed again within a month or so of treatment, as all that dead algae has to go somewhere,...

20 year old diesel would not have been ULSD hence blocking the diesel fuel microbes from growing. Anything from 2006 on would be more of the problem child.

Brian

 

[TractorJeff]

Just put 2000 gallons through a generator, the tank it came out of is 3000 gallons that has been sitting for at least 4 years.
Furnace Oil systems typically have a filter before the Furnace to trap stuff.
If you are worried about treating, either contact your Supplier or dump a bottle of Diesel Treatment in.
As far as, is it Fuel Oil or Kerosene? Don't worry, your Supplier has been in business for a long time and knows what to deliver to his Customers to keep them warm!

 

[ollie76]

Slightly off topic

I usually get our furnace serviced every year. Usually consists of a cleaning, new nozzle, new filter, etc.

So I figure I only burned about 30L last year over the winter due to our heat pumps running all season. Is it really necessary to service it again? I figure I'll wait until next year. Unless there's something I'm missing?

 

[walrus]

Algae/bacteria doesn't grow because of age or ULSD, it grows because of water in tank. It grows at the interface between the 2.

 

[rlitman]

Algae/bacteria doesn't grow because of age or ULSD, it grows because of water in tank. It grows at the interface between the 2.

And in the headspace, where there is moisture in the air. It also creates biofilms that give it more places to grow.

But the comments about ULSD ring true. The sulphur seemed to keep down issues with algae a little. Bio-diesel is well known to have more issues with algae than plain diesel. Probably because it holds more dissolved water.

 

[Brian_WK]

Also some boilers/oil furnaces only use a screen instead of a true filter in the can. This causes issues when the screen on the orifice is smaller and get plugged up. This just happened on one of our large 1.5M Btu boilers. Screen will stop the big chunks but not the algae until it gets to the small screen.

Brian