How long will heating oil last?

radios1 · Nov 24, 2018

just curious how your Father worked in the garage for 10 years without power?. if the heater is a Boiler, the water must have frozen and cracked the boiler and lines years ago..

Jstpssng · Nov 24, 2018

^^^
Forced hot air doesn't require water. The power was tied into the greenhouse which they had turned off when the power bill got ridiculously high even though it was barely getting used. I believe that he drained the water out of the greenhouse boilers years ago when he installed another hot air system there, before he started forgetting things.

Old age sucks. :thumbdown:

fried1765 · Nov 25, 2018

radios1 said:
just curious how your Father worked in the garage for 10 years without power?. if the heater is a Boiler, the water must have frozen and cracked the boiler and lines years ago..

"the water must have frozen and cracked the boiler and lines years ago"
Ya think?
Isn't nontoxic antifreeze used in hot water systems on Long Island?
I have a house in New England, and another in Canada.
Both boilers/lines are shut down all winter, with never a problem.

Sawyer Rob · Nov 25, 2018

bironacad said:
Well diesel fuel and heating fuel are similar.

Similar??? One has red dye and the other doesn't! Is "that" similar enough for you?? lol

SR

LouNY · Nov 25, 2018

fried1765 said:
"the water must have frozen and cracked the boiler and lines years ago"
Ya think?
Isn't nontoxic antifreeze used in hot water systems on Long Island?
I have a house in New England, and another in Canada.
Both boilers/lines are shut down all winter, with never a problem.

Most boilers are just straight water, with an auto fill line for makeup water.
Some, a few will have an anti-freeze solution in them.

Red Horse · Nov 25, 2018

Jstpssng said:
Thanks for the replies. It sounds like the first thing that I need to do is get some of this; Gasoila All Purpose Water Finding Paste, 2 oz. Tube at Tractor Supply Co..

If you do use the paste, when using it in distillates (heating oil, diesel) best to let the stick sit in the tank for a minute or two -paste sometimes gets coated with the heavier fuel and will not react as quickly as it does in gasoline. I would worry about the integrity of that outdoor tank as much as anything-was it shielded in any way from rain and how far off the ground is the tank bottom?. Assuming it is on typical pipe legs, make sure there isn't a lot of corrosion where the legs screw into the brackets that are welded onto the tank.