As one of Cork’s Home Heating Oil Suppliers, we can appreciate that hiding your home heating oil tank may be on your Wishlist for Spring. Home heating oil tanks are not the most attractive sight in any garden. Oil tanks by nature are practical and their sole function is as a domestic storage until for your home heating oil. They remain in their position all year around and are exposed to all the elements of the seasons. Once spring has arrived, it becomes that time of year when everyone wants to begin sprucing up the garden in time for the warmer temperatures in the summer.
There are lots of different ways you can make your home heating oil tank look more aesthetically pleasing to the eye and we are sharing some of them here in this piece. However it’s important to take note of a few points before you make any changes. The safety of your home heating oil tank should never be compromised in the interest of camouflaging it or improving its appearance in your garden.
FACTORS TO CONSIDER BEFORE HIDING YOUR HOME HEATING OIL TANK
- Don’t attach anything directly onto the tank itself. This is really important as you could damage the exterior of the tank or destabilise the structure of the tank. You also need to ensure that you can still walk around the tank regularly to check for any new scratches, dents or damage to the tank.
- Whatever you decide to put in place, make sure it is secure in its position. The last thing you want to do is install anything that is going to fall on top of or against the tank in high winds. This can in turn damage the structure of the tank, particularly if it is positioned on supports off the ground. The oil tank needs to be kept level at all times so you should avoid the risk of anything that will affect this.
- It’s important that your home heating oil delivery drivers can access the tank safely and efficiently for oil refills. Remember your home heating tank will need annual servicing so this is another important factor to consider.
- If you are in a rental property, you should make sure you discuss any changes you would like to make with your landlord.
If you decide to relocate your home heating oil tank, ensure you are following all government guidelines on the matter. A home heating oil tank should be no less than 1.8 metres from a building and 0.76 metres from a non-fire rated boundary such as a wooden fence. Another point is that you should provide a fire rated barrier of at least 30 minutes. There is some more really important information regarding oil tank regulation to be found on the Oftec Ireland website here
HIDING YOUR HOME HEATING OIL TANK WITH FENCING
This option is probably the most common and easiest way to camouflage a home heating oil tank. There are lots of different types of fencing from wooden panels, to bamboo or reed panels. You can either fence around the tank entirely or just install a single fence screen on one side to hide it from view. If your garden already has fencing in place, it might be better to choose fencing that will blend in with that for your home heating oil tank. Once the fencing is in place, you have the option of painting or staining it a different colour. It’s important to make sure it’s treated with a weather protect solution that will reduce the risk of damage over time.
TRELLIS AROUND YOUR HOME HEATING OIL TANK
This option can take a bit more time to come together but the results will be well worth the wait. You can purchase trellising in a variety of different shapes and sizes to suit the space around your home heating oil tank. Once secured in place, it’s time to start growing plants that will climb up and cover the trellis. You should choose plants such as climbing roses, wisteria, clematis, jasmine and honeysuckle. Try and make sure you choose plants that will flower at different times or evergreen. The end goal is that you should have colour and coverage for all seasons.
Another point to consider is deterring oil thieves. Choosing some climbing plants with prickly thorns will make oil thieves think twice about venturing any closer to your tank. They won’t want to leave any blood or clothing fibres behind that may identify them. To read some other handy tips on deterring oil thieves, you can read our blog here
HIDING YOUR HOME HEATING TANK BEHIND A HEDGE
Planting evergreen hedges around your home heating oil tank is more of a long term solution. Hedging may not suit if you are renting the property. It can take a longer time to grow as well so be prepared to wait for results. Before choosing this option, you should pay a visit to your local garden centre. It’s important to consider how much sunlight comes into the garden, the size of the garden and what type of soil is there. These factors will determine which type of hedging will be suitable. Hedging will need annual maintenance of pruning. However, it will also provide a new home for wildlife such as birds and insects.
GRAVEL HAS MANY BENEFITS
Gravel, crushed stone and other rocks placed around the home heating oil tank can serve two purposes. Firstly, from an aesthetic point of view, the addition of gravel or crushed stone can give the appearance of a landscaped garden effect. Secondly, gravel can deter potential oil thieves as they won’t want to cause a disturbance by walking on gravel. Another benefit is that should you have an oil leak, it will be more evident on a gravel surface as you will see damp patches appearing rather than the oil seeping slowly into grass.
PAINTING YOUR HOME HEATING OIL TANK
Your home heating oil tank could be a blank canvas for your artistry work. You could choose a very simple colour that will help it to blend in with the surroundings. Or you could go wild and check out Pinterest for some fun and funky designs. Before painting your oil tank, you should check what material your oil tank is made of. It would be advisable to have a chat with the paint specialist in your local hardware shop. You need to make sure you are using the safest and correct paint for your tank.
CAMOUFLAGE NETTING
This is a really great idea for hiding your home heating oil tank. Particularly if you don’t have enough room for a fence, trellising or a hedge. There are lots of different styles, sizes and colours available. A simple Google search will show all the different options. You can choose one that is suitable for your tank. However, it’s important to note that you should not place anything flammable near or directly on your oil tank.
Of course, if you have either relocated or made some changes to disguise your home heating oil tank, make sure to let us know when you are ordering your next refill of oil. We can let our delivery drivers know so that they can find your tank and get it refilled smoothly and efficiently. Call us on 022 4222011 or email us on info@cityoil.ie. You can check out our website www.cityoil.ie or our parent company, www.tria.ie for the full range of quality fuels to heat your home. We are one of Cork’s leading Home Heating Oil Suppliers with over 30 years of experience and we are happy to look after your home heating needs.