Home Heating Oil

[Craig S.]

This might be a little off topic, but I'm sure some of you here can relate, and can advise accordingly. I'm burning wood this year, and have my home heating oil tank outside, above ground. I've had problems in the past with gelling of the fuel over the winter, and now that I'm burning wood for heat, the oil will sit even longer in the tank this winter. I still use the oil for hot water.

I've got a full tank of oil, and a bottle of diesel fuel conditioner to put in, but everyone tells me to add it 'when' I get a fuel delivery, since my tank (Roth) feeds from the top. Obviously I'm not getting another delivery this winter, so can I add the conditioner now? Or will it not mix properly and float on top?

 

[BrotherBart]

Gonna move this to the DIY room where a lot more folks will see it and help out.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Are you sure your fuel was gelling? More than likely there was some water in it,and as soon as that water hits the thin supply line it freezes solid and shuts off your furnace. It needs to get pretty darn cold for heating oil to gel. Close to Zero. You could put a heat tape on the line. THey don run all the time, they activate just above freezing.

 

[UncleJoe]

Ideally yes it should be put in before the tank is filled. But since it wasn't open the top of the tank. Get yourself a cordless drill and attach one of those long paint stirrer thingys. Get a good circulation going and add your treatment. Keep it stirring for awhile; maybe 15-20 minutes. Should be fine.

 

[Craig S.]

Am I sure, about the gelling, no. But it was pretty damn cold that week. Furnace shut off during the night, and woke up to 51 degrees in the house. Added the conditioner, and didn't have the problem again for the rest of the winter. Was a recommendation from the oil company.

 

[BrotherBart]

Ideally yes it should be put in before the tank is filled. But since it wasn't open the top of the tank. Get yourself a cordless drill and attach one of those long paint stirrer thingys. Get a good circulation going and add your treatment. Keep it stirring for awhile; maybe 15-20 minutes. Should be fine.

Beat me to it.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Am I sure, about the gelling, no. But it was pretty damn cold that week. Furnace shut off during the night, and woke up to 51 degrees in the house. Added the conditioner, and didn't have the problem again for the rest of the winter. Was a recommendation from the oil company.

May be some water disperser in that conditioner. Whenever mine would shut off i would run the soldering torch over the line a few times and that would open er up. Does not take much water to freeze and block the line.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Ideally yes it should be put in before the tank is filled. But since it wasn't open the top of the tank. Get yourself a cordless drill and attach one of those long paint stirrer thingys. Get a good circulation going and add your treatment. Keep it stirring for awhile; maybe 15-20 minutes. Should be fine.

Thats exactly what i was thinking,but i envisioned the thing falling off and down into the tank never to be retrieved.

 

[UncleJoe]

Beat me to it.

And that's not easy to do around here. Man this forum moves fast.

 

[Craig S.]

Thats exactly what i was thinking,but i envisioned the thing falling off and down into the tank never to be retrieved.

That would be my luck.