If a sludge problem persists, fuel testing/treatment and tank cleaning/replacement should be considered.
tank or customer? Next, evaluate the last
delivery data. Was a less than anticipated
amount of fuel delivered? Is it possible a
‘short fill’ was made and not considered
when calculating when more fuel would
be required?
The investigation should continue with
a conversation with the customer to
determine if there have been any changes
which might have caused fuel consumption
to increase.
For example:
• A new baby
• Additional people living in the home
• A change in lifestyle
• Home additions
• Additional appliances
If it’s determined during the customer
interview that there’s a logical explanation
for the increased consumption, the
technician should provide enough fuel
to maintain heat until a delivery can be
made. The customer’s K factor should
also be adjusted to prevent future runouts.
When a determination for the cause of
the out of fuel call cannot be made, it is
possible that the tank and/or fuel lines
may be leaking. Filling the tank can make
an existing problem much worse.
If the customer requires more fuel before
the situation can be fully examined
and fixed, a temporary tank should be
employed or a minimal volume delivery
made.
In some cases, the fuel supplier can
check for a leaking fuel tank or lines.
Exposed underground storage tanks and
fuel lines can be visually inspected. If a
leak is found, company policies and jurisdictional
guidelines must be followed.
If the tank and/or fuel lines are not
exposed, testing of the tank and lines is
warranted prior to making deliveries. If
an outside contractor is conducting the
testing, obtain copies of any reports for
retention in the customer file.
Fuel Line Leak
Fuel line leaks can develop over time
especially in unprotected fuel lines that
are buried in concrete. Sudden leaks can
also occur as the result of activities such
as the building settling or contractors
working on the property accidentally
damaging the line. Workers who were
landscaping, gardening, exterminating,
installing underground sprinkler systems
or performing other activities may have
damaged fuel lines without knowing it.
Leaking suction lines do not always
cause the burner to stop operating as they
may be operating on gravity or siphon
flow and leaks go undetected. However,
even slight suction line leaks can lead to
service problems including rough starts,
rough stops, noise, after drip, etc.
Leaking return lines do not affect
burner performance and they can go undetected
for a long period of time before
being discovered. While suction lines
can be checked for leaks by following the
procedure outlined below, return lines
can’t always be checked with confidence
because they often terminate above the
fuel level in the tank.
The National Oilheat Research Alliance
recommends that systems be operated on
one pipe whenever possible.
To Check For A Fuel Line Leak
Perform a visual check to look for signs
of fuel leaks along the path of the fuel
line and at the filter.
Verify the fuel unit holds vacuum by
performing the following procedure:
1. Disconnect the inlet line and fitting
from the suction port of the fuel
unit
2. Apply pipe joint compound to a
vacuum gauge and install it into the
suction port
3. If the unit is connected as a two-pipe
system, remove the return line
fitting and by-pass plug.
4. Apply pipe joint compound to a
plug and install it in the return port
5. Turn on the burner and open the
air bleeder
6. Close the bleeder when the vacuum
reaches 15"
7. Turn off the burner
The vacuum should hold for 5 minutes.
If it does not, repair or replace the fuel
unit and perform the same test on the
new or repaired unit
If the unit holds vacuum, remove the
vacuum gauge, apply pipe joint compound
to the inlet line fitting, reinstall it
and reconnect the suction line.
This process verifies the fuel unit will
hold vacuum—is NOT leaking and is suitable
to use for testing of the fuel line.
The following procedure can then be
used to check for a leak in the piping
between an above ground storage tank
and the burner OR in the line between
the burner and the shutoff where the line
from a UST enters the building.
1. Shut off the fuel valve at the tank (or
wall) & disconnect the fuel line
2. Connect a “plug” to the disconnected
fuel line
3. Start the burner
4. Once the vacuum reaches, 20" turn
off the burner
The vacuum should hold for 30 minutes
If it doesn’t, there is a leak in the fuel
line, filter or fittings.
Once you’ve double-checked the filter(s)
and valve(s) to establish that they are not
the cause of the leak, change the fuel
line.
10 ICM/March/April 2021