This month at Property Claims Loss Assessors Ireland, we have come across several oil leaks. Oil leaks are very common at this time of the year because the temperatures are starting to drop after the summer so people are getting a fill of oil & turning there heating back on.
Oil leaks can lead to extensive damage to your property, health problems & environmental issues, so here at PCLA we thought we would outline a few reasons how they happen, signs to watch out for, what to do if they happen, what can happen & how to avoid them from happening;
Reasons for oil leaks:
- Failure of the tank
- Damage to equipment on the tank such as gauges
- Damage to fuel feed lines
- Failure of components on the boiler such as flexible hoses
- Metal tanks can rust
- Plastic tanks can split
- Spills can happen when oil is delivered
Signs to watch out for:
- Oil stains around the tank
- Constant smell of oil
- Bulges, cracks, discolouring or rust around tank
- Stained grass on particular areas of the garden
- Unusually high oil consumption
What to do if an oil leak occurs:
- Switch off the oil supply at the tank
- Find out where the leak is coming from
- Get plumber to repair leak
- If you get a strong smell of oil within your property ventilate the area by opening windows & doors
- Prevent spilled oil from getting into drains & waterways
- Try to work out how much oil has been lost by checking the level of oil in your tank
- The clean-up should only be carried out by a specialist environmental contractor.
What can happen as a result of an oil leak:
- Contaminate the water supply to the property
- Cause harmful fumes within the property
- Kills the grass & garden plants
- Soak into the foundations & blockwork of the house
- Spread into drains & affect the septic tank & sewage treatment system
- Spread into neighbouring properties
- Pollutes rivers, streams & ground water surrounding the property
How to avoid oil leaks from happening:
- Always be present when your tank is being filled
- Keep your tank & boiler well maintained
- Make sure your tank is on a solid base
- Keep an eye on the level of oil in your tank. If you notice a big drop in the oil level don’t assume the oil has been stolen as there could be a leak in an underground fuel line.
If you have any questions at all regarding any of the points mentioned above, please feel free to reach out to one of our qualified team members at info@PCLA.ie and we would be delighted to advise you.
