Lucky Catch, Failed Heating Oil Supply line - any online sources for vinyl coated line?

[peakbagger]

When I got up today, I smelled the sweet smell of #2 heating oil. I went to the basement and checked the oil boiler, no leaks. I went over to the oil tanks , no leaks. I then followed the path of the oil line along the wall where I quickly saw a wet spot. Once I got everything cleared out of the way, it was obvious I found the leak. The copper fuel line had been encased in concrete along the corner of the wall and floor when the house was built in 1987. It did have some plastic tape covering it before it was mortared in but it was obvious that the mortar has eaten the copper. I had about 500 gallons of oil in the tanks so I am glad it was just a wet spot instead of a pool.

Unlike Maine, NH doesnt require replacing copper lines with vinyl coated lines but I would highly recomend it. Unfortunately, I dont have a local supplier for vinyl coated copper so I had to replace a section with bare tubing and compression fittings which I will figure a way to encase or will just buy a vinyl coated line and repeat the process. At least the part of the line that goes under the floor is inside a PVC pipe so I dont have to worry about that section as much. Once I bled the burner, the furnace started right up.

A minor PITA but it could have been a lot worse! If anyoen can recomend an online source for vinyl coated copper fuel line I woudl appreciate it.

 

[North of 60]

Flared connections only. No compression on oil.(CODE here) Its also a good idea to have an OSV (anti siphon valve) @ the tank outlet. (CODE here)

 

[billb3]

How about plastic tubing ?
That's what they were going to do with the line in my basement until the law for getting it done got a reprieve for compliance until next year.



Mine is under the floor - probably the most dangerous, could weep for years.

My mom's ( I have to take care of her house since dad died) is on top of the floor in the corner encased in cement so it couldn't get damaged. If it were to leak it would pool on top of the floor.

 

[peakbagger]

My understanding and observation was that the copper line failed because it was encased in concrete, apparently the lime in the concrete eats the copper over the long term (thus the early failures of radiant flooring systems that had copper piping in concrete). The copper line was green in quite few spots and also was a lot less ductile. I have never heard of plastic piping allowed for a fuel oil line, I expect its better than a leak but is more prone to abuse and thermal issues. As soon as I get a source of vinyl coated copper line, I plan to fix it once and be done with it. I also will need to get a source for flared fittings per the prior recomendation.

I have a friend whose father's oil line leaked under the basement floor. They had to remove part of the floor, remove the contaminated soil and install a vapor extraction system out in the yard (it looked like an outhouse), after several years they finally removed the vapor system. I think the state covers some of the cost for these spill remediations with a surcharge on heating oil but it still was major hassle.