Plastic or steel?
Plastic oil tanks are made from polyethylene, an extremely hard-wearing material, which is just what you need for any oil tank installation when you are storing a liquid which is both valuable and potentially dangerous.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both plastic and steel bunded. But it is important to note that, if properly maintained, they both do a very effective job of storing oil safely.
But which is best?
It’s a good idea to start by looking at the advantages of each…
Plastic oil tanks are:
- Lightweight – they are lightweight and more manoeuvrable, which makes plastic oil tanks easier and cheaper to transport, install and move to a new location if required.
- Not going to rust – unlike steel tanks, plastic oil tanks won’t rust. Steel tanks can form rust, which fills the bottom of the tank and clogs filters. The legs of steel tanks also have the potential to rust and become damaged. If this goes unnoticed, it could cause the tank to become unbalanced and tip over, leading to a major clean-up and the cost of replacing the lost oil and repairing the damage.
- Insulator – plastic is an insulator, which means it slows the transfer of heat from the environment (like the sun) to the oil inside, so the liquid is protected.
- Pliable – most plastic fuel tanks are seamless, so are less likely to prematurely split or fail. Even if it deforms, it can regain its shape and any deformations can be corrected if work is carried out quickly.
Steel oil tanks are:
- Long lasting – steel potentially has a much longer lifespan than plastic. Steel tanks are resilient to everything from UV rays to extreme weather, and can withstand some accidental damage.
- Larger capacity – steel tanks come in much larger capacities than plastic ones and can hold up to 120,000 litres. This allows you to take advantage of cheaper oil prices and bulk buy your oil when the price is right.
- More secure – Oil is a valuable commodity and theft is on the rise. Stolen oil will be expensive to replace and unexpectedly running out of fuel can be very inconvenient. Steel tanks are more secure as it is harder to drill and siphon oil from them than plastic tanks. They are also much heavier, making them more difficult to remove from your property.
As you can see, there are many good reasons for using a plastic bunded oil tank installation – and just as many good reasons for using a steel one. So your decision should really be based on your own needs and requirements.
If you are looking for something lightweight and easier to install, a plastic oil tank would be the best option. Plastic tanks are also lower maintenance, without the need for repainting. They are a good choice if you are looking for value for money, as they are generally cheaper than steel oil tanks. While they don’t hold the huge quantities of oil that the biggest steel tanks will hold, there are plastic tanks available with capacity up to 15,000 litres – far more than a domestic property would ever need to use in a year.
Plastic bunded oil tanks also come in a variety of shapes, including vertical, horizontal and slimline, which makes it easier to fit them into whatever space you have available.
Slimline plastic bunded heating oil tanks are some of the most popular oil tanks on the UK market. Here at Tanks for Everything, we stock slimline tanks in capacities from 650 to 2,000 litres by leading manufactures including Atlantis, ATLAS, Carbery, DESO, Diamond, Harlequin and TITAN.
Slimline tanks fit into spaces where the access is narrow or restricted and are especially well suited to cottage gardens.
Vertical plastic bunded heating oil tanks, which are round in shape, are generally more cost-effective due to their inherent strength from the design process. They fit well into corners or where space isn’t an issue. Our vertical tanks are available in capacities ranging from 1,230 to 15,000 litres and are manufactured by companies including ATLAS, Carbery, DESO, Harlequin, TITAN and TUFFA.
Horizontal plastic bunded heating oil tanks are a popular design and usually fit into a similar space to traditional steel tanks. Horizontal tanks fit well into corners or where space isn’t an issue. We stock horizontal tanks in capacities from 650 to 3,500 litres, manufactured by leading companies which include ATLAS, Carbery, DESO, Harlequin, TITAN and TUFFA.
By contrast, steel bunded oil tank installations are all rectangular in shape, so there is less choice of shapes to make the most effective use of the space you have available.
When looking for the right location for your plastic bunded oil tank, it is important to be aware of the security of your property. Can the tank be seen from the road? With the right opportunity and the right tools, it would be relatively easy for someone to drill into a plastic tank to steal fuel. It would also be a lot quieter, and less likely to be noticed, than attempts to drill into a steel tank. To make matters worse, theft will also increase the chances of a leak, due to the damage to the tank.
