On average, a fuel oil tank lasts 15-20 years, although some can last longer with the proper maintenance. However, the Maryland Department of the Environment recommends that homeowners plan to replace their oil tank approximately every 15 years to get ahead of the problems associated with an aging fuel oil tank. If you’ve been diligent about maintaining your tank, you may get some extra time out of it, but in general, it’s best to replace the tank before it becomes a problem.
An aging oil tank can damage your furnace, or it can leak oil into the ground. Both of these scenarios have the potential to cost a lot of money to fix and, in the case of an oil leak, it may cause damage to the environment as well.
If you know how old your fuel oil tank is, it’s fairly easy to monitor the tank and plan for replacement at the appropriate time. But, in many cases, fuel oil tanks last longer than the average time a family will spend living in a home. That means some homeowners don’t know how old their oil tank is because it came with the house when they bought it.
If you aren’t sure about your oil tank’s age, the best thing to do is schedule a tank inspection. Having the tank inspected by an experienced professional will give you a good idea of how old the tank is and detect potential problems before they happen. You may want to go ahead and replace an aging oil tank even if there’s no evidence that it’s leaking or causing other problems with the heating system. Waiting until a tank fails is somewhat of a gamble and could cost you a lot of money later on.
Age, however, isn’t the only determining factor when it comes to oil tank replacement. An oil tank that’s not protected from the elements is especially vulnerable to wear and tear. Additionally, if the oil tank is not properly maintained, then it will likely have problems long before it reaches the estimated end of its lifespan.