Domestic oil spills can happen easily – a simple accident that can have devastating consequences for the environment (since most domestic oil tanks are located in outside spaces) and the home, not to mention your domestic oil bills. These leaks can be sudden or they can happen over a long time; there is no ‘usual’ with them. They come from the tank itself in many cases, but can also come from the supply line or valves if they are damaged or simply grow old and less secure.
If you do find that you have a leak or a spill from your oil tank, you must deal with it as quickly and efficiently as you possibly can to stop too much damage from occurring. But how many people know exactly what to do and how to do it? The answer is, not many. Most of us with domestic oil tanks are quite happy to have them filled and to use the oil within them, but when it comes to problems, we wouldn’t know where to start. In many cases that’s not an issue; if the tank has a problem and the supply isn’t getting through, for example, an expert will be called in to fix it. However, with a leak there often isn’t time to call for help, so it is down to you to do what you can.
That’s why we’ve put together this list of tips to help you know what to do if you spot a leak, or you have a domestic oil spill.
Stop Tap
The first thing you should do is to turn off the stop tap. Although this won’t solve the underlying problem, at least it will prevent any further oil from leaking or spilling out of the tank. Once this is done, you can take a little more time (although not too much) to determine your next step.
Use Sand or Cat Litter
The oil that has spilled can have a seriously negative effect on nearby waterways, plant life, and animals. It can leak into rivers, soak into the ground, and generally cause devastation. Therefore, you will need to absorb as much of the oil as you can before it flows into water or sinks into soil. Sand is a good way to do this, so it is advisable to keep a bucket of sand (or perhaps a bag of sand or cat litter) in your garage or shed as a ‘just in case’ measure. This can be poured over the spill to contain it.
You can also buy specific oil spill kits, and these include drain blockers and putty to use to seal the leak.
Check Nearby Buildings
It’s not just the environment you need to be concerned about; you should also check nearby buildings to ensure that the oil spill hasn’t affected them too. Oil may be heading towards other buildings, for example, and in order to stop it from entering under doors and through gaps and cracks, you should place towels, sandbags, or other absorbent materials in its path.
How Much Loss?
Once the spill or leak itself has been contained it is important to find out just how much oil has been lost from your tank. You may have a gauge or app that tells you exactly how much has gone, but otherwise it will be a case of working out when you last had a delivery, how much you generally use, and looking at where the level is now. You may need this approximate figure when you speak to the various agencies you will need to contact regarding the leak.
Contact The Relevant Agencies
As mentioned above, an oil spill is not something that can be kept to yourself. You will need to call the Environment Agency to make them aware of what has happened (their number is 0800 807 060), and you may also need to call your local Environmental Health Officer (this is necessary if any heating oil has entered a building, or if drinking water may have been contaminated).
Your insurance company is another agency that should be contacted. If you’re not sure what is covered on your policy then they will be able to tell you.
Temporary Repairs
In some cases you may be able to start some temporary repairs on your tank. For example, if the leak has come from a split in a plastic tank, you can carefully rub soap into the split (soap needs to be in bar form as liquid soap won’t work). This will work for a short time; time enough for a professional to come and make the more permanent repairs needed.
Don’t Wash It Away
Whatever you do, try to resist the urge to wash the oil away with water or soap – this can actually make the spill spread a lot further, causing damage that would have been prevented had it all been left alone.
