Oil leaks and fumes

Leaks from oil tanks and boilers are inconvenient and expensive.

They are also a risk to public health because they give off fumes which can cause headaches, nausea, skin rashes, sore throats and drowsiness.

Oil leaks are caused by a range of things, including:

accidental fractures or cracks in the fuel supply pipeline
overfilled oil storage tanks
accidental spillages
poor installation of oil-fired central heating systems
corrosion of metal domestic oil storage tanks
cracks in plastic domestic oil storage tanks
worn out pipelines between domestic storage tanks and nearby houses
boilers which have not been serviced
faulty oil-filling indicators
vandalism.

Preventing an oil leak

There are several things you can do to prevent an oil leak in your home, such as:

checking the condition of your tank and boiler regularly
watching out for black stains
keeping a check on how much oil you use
getting your heating system serviced regularly
do not overfill your oil tank
keeping the fill points on your tank clear.

You should also review your home insurance policy to make sure you are covered for oil leaks or spills.

Identifying an oil leak

There are several warning signs that you may have an oil leak.

These include:

a strong smell of solvent, petrol or oil inside or outside your home or in your cupboards
black stains and dead plants or grass around your tank
a sudden increase in the amount of fuel you use.

If you suspect an oil leak, you should follow these steps:

try to find out where the leak is coming from
switch off your oil supply at the tank and arrange to have it emptied (if needed)
arrange for an engineer to repair or replace your tank or pipework
if the leak could affect a stream, pond or other water supply, call the Emergency Oil Care Hotline on 080 0807 060
never use detergents or a hose to wash the spill away
prevent the spill from entering drains by blocking its flow using earth, sand or commercial products that absorb oil
keep your home well-ventilated by opening windows and doors
call your household insurance company or landlord and make them aware of the leak
if there is a strong smell of oil in your home, call our public health team on 028 9027 0428.

Do not put off taking action or assume the problem will go away.