Prevent Sludge By Filling Up Your Oil Tank In The Summer

Taking care of your oil tank “off-season” has major benefits

There’s a lot to look forward to here in southern Maine in the summer. Lobster rolls. Fried clams. Long hikes in beautiful weather. Spending the day at one of our many beaches. Farm stands full of summer’s bounty, including our state’s signature blueberries!

But, before you head out for all of that fun in the sun, there’s one thing you need to do: Have PitStop Fuels make a heating oil delivery to your home so your heating oil tank is full. That may surprise you, we know. Why would you need a full tank of heating oil when it’s 80˚ outside?

This is done for a multitude of reasons, including protecting your heating oil tank and help it last longer. Let us explain:

A full tank is a healthy tank

Empty space is a troublemaker when it comes to oil tanks. It’s always better to keep your tank at least half-full (preferably more) during the warm months.

Condensation is the exact reason why you should address that. Empty space in your tank is space where water condensation can form. And condensation is more common during the spring and summer, when hot days and cool nights create the right atmosphere for condensation buildup to accelerate inside your tank. If your tank is aboveground, outdoors and in an un-shaded area, it’s incredibly vulnerable to condensation.

Oil and water don’t mix. Water forms on the bare walls on the empty area of the tank. It then drips down and sinks to the bottom of the tank because it is denser than heating oil. There, it becomes an ideal environment for bacteria and other microorganisms. These eventually become sediment that can create problems with your oil tank. One problem is that sediment can enter your fuel lines and clog them up, causing your heating system to shut down.

Another benefit of having your oil tank filled now is that if there’s an early cold snap this fall, you’ll be ready far ahead of time, meaning better prices (click here to see our current rates!) and a delivery schedule that can better align with your own, before we start to get super busy!

Before heating season rolls around again, don’t forget to enroll in Automatic Delivery if you aren’t enrolled already! That way, you know you’ll always have enough heating oil in your tank to keep your home warm and comfortable.

Schedule your heating oil delivery with PitStop Fuels today. We’re Cumberland and York County’s go-to fuel delivery and heating-equipment services provider – Since 1986!