Rix Group Home Reset
  • Shop
  • Search
  • My Account
  • 0800 542 4207
  • Rix Logo Large
    • Search
    • Contact
      • Rix
      • Account
      • Search
      • My Depot
        • Energy Saving Tips
        • Domestic
              • You’re searching Region in Section

                  • Domestic Fuels

                    • Domestic Heating Oil
                    • K+ Heating Oil
                    • AGA Cooker Fuel
                    • HVO Heating Oil
                  • Domestic Services

                    • Heating Services
                    • Oil Boiler Service & Repair
                    • Heating Oil Fuel Tanks
                    • Tank Health Check
                    • Oil Boiler Insurance
                    • Heating Oil Monthly Payment Plans
                    • My Account Request
                  • Domestic Info

                    • Customer Reviews
                    • How Often Should your Boiler be Serviced?
                    • What is Heating Oil?
                    • How Does a Heating Oil System Work?
                    • Energy Saving Tips For Your Home
                    • Heating Oil Price Guide
                • Popular Pages

                  • About Rix
                  • Why us?
                  • FAQ’s
                  • Customer Reviews
                • Recommended Pages

                  • About Rix
                  • Why us?
                  • FAQ’s
                  • Customer Reviews
                • Get Your Heating Oil Quote
                • Contact your depot
        • Agriculture
              • You’re searching Region in Section

                  • Agri Fuels

                    • Red Diesel
                    • Agricultural Gas Oil+
                    • Road Diesel for Farms
                    • Kerosene
                    • Agricultural Superheat35
                    • Agricultural Lubricants
                    • AdBlue for Farms
                    • HVO Renewable Diesel
                  • Agri Services

                    • Agricultural Heating Services
                    • Agricultural Forward Purchase
                    • Agricultural Fuel Tanks
                  • Agri Info

                    • MSDS Downloads
                    • Apply for an account
                    • Fuel Quality
                    • Agricultural Fuel Cleaning
                • Popular Pages

                  • About Rix
                  • Why us?
                  • FAQ’s
                  • Customer Reviews
                • Recommended Pages

                  • About Rix
                  • Why us?
                  • FAQ’s
                  • Customer Reviews
                • Get Your Heating Oil Quote
                • Contact your depot
        • Commercial
              • You’re searching Region in Section

                  • Commercial Fuels

                    • Red Diesel Tax Changes
                    • Diesel
                    • Diesel +
                    • Commercial Gas Oil
                    • Commercial Gas Oil +
                    • Superheat 35
                    • Commercial Kerosene
                    • Commercial Lubricants
                    • AdBlue
                    • HVO Renewable Diesel
                  • Commercial Services

                    • Commercial Heating Services
                    • Commercial Forward Purchase
                    • Commercial Fuel Tanks
                    • Fuel Cards
                  • Commercial Info

                    • National Accounts
                    • MSDS Downloads
                    • Apply for an Account
                    • Fuel Quality
                    • Haulage Fuel Cleaning
                • Popular Pages

                  • About Rix
                  • Why us?
                  • FAQ’s
                  • Customer Reviews
                • Recommended Pages

                  • About Rix
                  • Why us?
                  • FAQ’s
                  • Customer Reviews
                • Get Your Heating Oil Quote
                • Contact your depot
        • HVO
        • Info
              • You’re searching Region in Section

                  • Information Hub

                    • Information help centre
                    • Customer Reviews
                    • Covid Information Centre
                    • Covid Risk Assessment
                  • My Account Request
                  • About Rix

                    • Family owned business
                    • Communities
                    • CSR Policy
                    • History
                    • Our Companies
                    • Long Term Vision
                    • News
                    • Blog
                  • Legal & Privacy

                    • Careers
                    • Complaints
                    • GDPR Policy
                    • Legal Information
                    • Modern Slavery Statement
                    • Privacy Policy
                    • Terms & Conditions
                    • Accreditations
                • Popular Pages

                  • About Rix
                  • Why us?
                  • FAQ’s
                  • Customer Reviews
                • Recommended Pages

                  • About Rix
                  • Why us?
                  • FAQ’s
                  • Customer Reviews
                • Get Your Heating Oil Quote
                • Contact your depot
        • Contact
              • You’re searching Region in Section

                  • Contact us

                    • Contact head office
                  • Our Depot locations

                    • Chester
                    • East Anglia
                    • Essex
                    • RixK9Fuels Gainsborough
                    • Grangemouth
                    • Oakleys Mercia
                    • Oakleys Midlands
                    • Montrose
                    • North East
                    • North Lincolnshire
                    • RixStones Malton
                    • Scotland
                    • South Lincolnshire
                    • Yorkshire & the Humber
                  • Find depot
                • Popular Pages

                  • About Rix
                  • Why us?
                  • FAQ’s
                  • Customer Reviews
                • Recommended Pages

                  • About Rix
                  • Why us?
                  • FAQ’s
                  • Customer Reviews
                • Get Your Heating Oil Quote
                • Contact your depot
        • Get Your Heating Oil Quote
        • Get in touch
    • Search

      Search

      We found {results_count_total} results for {phrase}

      Generic filters
      Exact matches only
Viewing No Region Selected Reset
  • For home
  • News
  • Types of Oil Tanks Explained

Types of Oil Tanks Explained

 

November 2, 2020

< Back to our News

AdBlue Explained

November 12, 2018

Post by:

 

 

Selecting an oil tank can be a daunting process as there are many different types of oil tanks to choose from, with multiple shapes, sizes and capacities to consider. To help you decide on the best oil tank for you, we’re going to explain the differences between the four main types of oil tanks, as well as offering some guidance on the best size and construction of oil tank to opt for based on purpose and usage.

Rix engineer inspecting a heating oil tank.

Types of oil tanks:

 

1. Single-Skinned Oil Tanks

 

One of the many types of oil tanks you can choose from is a single-skinned oil tank. As single-skinned oil tanks only offer one layer of protection against an oil leak, they’re usually installed in a secondary containment system, such as reinforced concrete or masonry bund.

 

Although single-skinned oil tanks are less expensive, they have an increased risk as they don’t have built-in protection from oil leaks. This means that the clean-up resulting from a potential oil leak can be expensive and reduce your overall savings in the long run.

 

Here are some conditions that need to be met for single-skinned oil tanks:

  • The capacity of the oil tank must be less than 2500 litres
  • No other potential environmental hazards nearby
  • The tank isn’t located within a Ground Source Protection Zone
  • Cannot be installed if the tank is within 10m of controlled water (stream, river, septic tank etc.)

 

2. Double-Skinned Oil Tanks

 

Double-skinned tanks (aka, twin-walled tanks or dual containment tanks) have two layers. The two layers provide secure containment of chemicals and liquids, along with helping to protect against an oil leak in the case of a tank failure. It is recommended that double-skinned tanks are also installed in a secondary system.

Rix engineer in hi-vis jacket and gloves refilling a green heating oil tank.

 

3. Integrally Bunded Tanks

 

Integrally bunded tanks offer the best protection against an oil leak, as the attached bund can hold 110% of the inner tank’s capacity as well as the fittings. Bunded heating oil tanks are usually made out of steel or plastic, however, some are steel/plastic hybrids.

 

An integrally bunded tank is considered to be the best oil tank on the market. This is because they offer the very best protection from any oil leaks and condensation due to the insulation provided by their air gaps in the bund.

 

4. Underground Tanks

 

Oil tanks are not limited to being installed outdoors. If compliant with building regulations, oil tanks can also be installed indoors and underground.

 

Underground tanks require professional construction and may require planning permission. The benefits of installing a tank underground are that they can significantly save you space, and they have a reduced risk of being targeted by thieves due to being out of sight.

 

However, the disadvantage of underground tanks is that they can be difficult to maintain due to being underground. For this reason, most households install their tank outdoors.

 

The Best Oil Tank Material – Plastic vs Steel

 

Oil tanks can be made out of both plastic and steel. Plastic tanks require less maintenance and aren’t as vulnerable to failure and rust in comparison to steel tanks.

However, steel tanks are arguably more secure as thieves can easily drill into plastic tanks to siphon off oil. Also, as steel tanks are heavier, they’re more difficult to steal.   

 

Best Oil Tank Sizes - What size oil tank do I need?

  • 650 litres to  100 litres – are usually utilised in 1 to 2 bedroom houses
  • 1000 litres to 1550 litres – are usually utilised in 2 to 3 bedroom houses or small commercial buildings
  • 1650 litres to 2500 litres – are usually utilised in 3 to 4 bedroom houses or larger commercial premises
  • 2500 litres plus – are usually utilised in homes with 4+ bedrooms or larger commercial premises

 

Rix has a huge selection of tanks that are suitable for a variety of different purposes to suit all needs and tastes. Choosing the best oil tank for you can be quite a daunting experience, so if you are new to heating oil or are thinking of getting it for your home, please read our guide for more information. Alternatively, contact your local Rix customer service team who are fully trained and happy to help with any questions you may have.

Related Products & Services

Heating Oil
Rix have been keeping homes warm for over 85 years. Delivered direct to your tank.
Find out more
K+ Heating Oil
Fuel your home the energy efficient way with our premium heating oil.
Find out more
Aga Cooker Fuel
Ensure your oil-fired cooker is up to the challenge with our Aga cooker fuel.
Find out more

Related News Posts

Industry Updates, Local Community News
gainsbrough
Rix Petroleum acquires Gainsborough-based fuel supplier
Rix Linconshire
Industry Updates, Local Community News
gainsbrough
Rix Petroleum agrees year-long partnership with Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance
Get a quick quote
Heating oil at the best prices
0800 542 4207
Mon-Fri: 08-30 - 17:30
* Please see your
local depot for details
Request callback
Fill out our quick form and we'll call you back
        • About Rix

          • Site Map
          • Our Companies
          • Family owned business
          • CSR Policy
          • Careers
          • FAQs
          • Blog
          • News Landing
          • Customer Reviews
          • Oil Price and Availability Update
        • Home

          • Heating Oil Price Guide
          • Heating Oil
          • Premium Heating Oil
          • AGA Cooker Fuel
          • Heating Oil Fuel Tanks
          • Heating Services
          • Oil Boiler Insurance
          • My Account
        • Agriculture

          • Gas Oil
          • Gas Oil +
          • Diesel
          • SuperHeat 35
          • AdBlue
          • Lubricants
          • Fuel Tanks
        • Commercial

          • Gas Oil
          • Gas Oil +
          • Diesel
          • SuperHeat 35
          • AdBlue
          • Fuel Tanks
          • National Accounts
        • Legal & Privacy

          • Legal Information
          • Terms & Conditions
          • Privacy Policy
          • Complaints
          • Accreditations
          • Downloads
          • Cookies
          • Cookie Settings
          • Marketing Preferences
          • Modern Slavery Statement

connect with us:

Part ofJ R Rix Logo

Sage Pay
Cyber Essentials

Registered office: Two Humber Quays, Wellington Street West, Hull, HU1 2BN

We use cookies to deliver the website’s basic functionality in a secure manor and analytics cookies to count visits/traffic sources to improve the performance of our site. We share info about the use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. By selecting the “ACCEPT ALL” option, you consent to the use of the above cookies. To personalise your settings, please select the options below and select “ACCEPT CHOICES”.
REJECTALLOW CHOICESACCEPT ALLCookie settings
Cookie Settings

Privacy Overview

We use cookies to deliver the website’s basic functionality in a secure manor and analytics cookies to count visits/traffic sources to improve the performance of our site. We share info about the use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. By selecting the “ACCEPT ALL” option, you consent to the use of the above cookies. To personalise your settings, please select the options below and select “ALLOW CHOICES”.

The last two cookie categories are optional and can be switched on or off using the Manage settings option below.

If you are OK with cookies, then simply select the ‘Accept All’ button.

To find out more read our cookie policy here.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Performance
We use cookies to monitor user activity on our website so we can understand just how people use the site. These valuable insights allow us to see where improvements can be made so we can develop and improve the website going forward.
Marketing
Marketing cookies help us decide which of our products, services and offers may be relevant for you. We may use this data to tailor the marketing and ads you see on other websites and mobile apps, including social media.