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One Litre of Fuel Oil
Can Contaminate
One Million
Litres of Water.
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Spilled oil leaches
down and laterally
like an inverted
mushroom cloud.
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Oil Tanks
WHY
SPILLS OCCUR
Like most metal products, the fuel oil tank located
in your basement or outside of your house will
deteriorate over time. Water and sludge in the bottom of
your tank, or the effects of exterior corrosion will
eventually cause small pinhole leaks to develop.
However, although they are the
most common, pinhole leaks are just one of the many ways
that oil spills can occur. The most common causes of oil
spills are listed below.
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| COMMON CAUSES OF OIL
SPILLS |
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Pinhole leaks from interior
or exterior corrosion |
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Damaged fuel lines or
filters from falling snow or ice |
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Oil tank legs collapse from
corrosion |
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Leaking pump, atomizer, or
fuel oil filter |
| • |
Valves or fuel lines burst
from pressurization during the filling process when a
vent pipe is blocked |
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Leaking underground storage
tanks |
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Oil tank topples as a result
an unstable base or footing |
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Oil tank is overfilled at
the time of delivery |
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Vehicle impact to outside
oil tank |
Caution: If you detect the odour of fuel oil, do not
attempt to mask the odour with any type of masking agent. It
is recommended that you find the source of the odour, take
corrective action to eliminate any leaks and remove both
surface and absorbed fuel oil.
PREVENTATIVE
MEASURES TO PROTECT YOUR HOME
Heating a house with fuel oil continues to be a
common source of heating for rural residents. However,
some home owners tend to overlook their responsibility
for the maintenance of both the furnace and the fuel oil
tank. Some home owners assume that the fuel supplier
will ensure that the tank and fuel lines are maintained
and safe. This is not a safe assumption.
Every home owner using fuel
oil should adopt the following preventative measures to
protect their home, family, and neighbours:
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Be aware of the smell of
oil. Contact your heating contractor immediately if you
smell the odour of fuel oil. |
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Check to ensure that your
oil tank is approved by Underwriters' Laboratories of
Canada (ULC). |
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If your tank is 15 years of
age or older, consider replacing the tank with a new
tank. |
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Never buy or install used
fuel oil tanks. Never transfer oil from an old tank to a
new tank, as water and contaminants can also be
transferred. |
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Oil tanks should be located
at least 100 ft. from the nearest well. Tanks located
beside drive ways should be protected with concrete
posts. |
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Ice shields are available to
protect your tank and lines from falling snow or ice. If
your tank is at risk, have a shield installed. |
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Oil tanks should rest on a
solid, non-combustible, level surface. |
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Oil tanks should not be
touching a wall, resting on wood or wood supports, or
raised on stacked blocks. |
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Have your oil tank, fuel
lines and furnace inspected by a certified oil burner
technician at least once a year. |
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Impacts From Oil Spills-Be Informed!
ENVIRONMENTAL
 Oil spills from home heating fuel oil tanks often involve
significant quantities of leaked oil. Spills resulting from
toppled tanks and leaking lines are more likely to occur when
the tank has just been filled or is in the process of being
filled. Leaks from underground tanks can go undetected for
months or even years.
When oil leaches through the ground, it can
spread several hundred metres to contaminate wells, water
tables and waterways. One litre of oil can contaminate one
million litres of water to the point that it is not only
unsafe, but may be detected in the smell and taste of the
water.
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FAMILY HEALTH
Fuel oil contains a small amount of benzene, a known
carcinogen. If you can smell fuel oil upon entering your home,
immediate action should be taken to investigate the source of
the odour. Prolonged exposure could pose a significant health
risk to you and your family.
If visitors to your home comment on the
smell of fuel oil, pay attention. Prolonged exposure, even
with minor spills, may affect your ability to smell the odour
since you become desensitized to that particular odour over
time.
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FINANCIAL LOSS
 Millions of dollars have been paid by mutual insurance
companies in Canada in recent years, to cover the cost of
cleaning up oil spills. The cost of clean up may range from a
few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Most
of these spills have resulted from tanks that are 15 years of
age or older, but even new tanks can fail unexpectedly.
The fuel leakage peril is not part of every
insurance policy. If you are unsure if you have coverage, ask
your agent or broker to check for you. Without coverage, you
could be responsible for the entire clean up costs.
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