Oil Tank

[MistyLady]

I recently spotted a house where the heating oil metal tank had been fixed half way up the gable end of the house. Is this safe, legal, suicide or space saving????

[incitatus]

I assume that you are sure it wasn't a water tank? Legal depends on your local planning regs....Safe..depends really. The oil used for heating is not spontaneously flammable. It requires a wick or vaporisation to ignite. The upshot of this i that if you light a fire under the tank and boil the oil it will ignite, but if you chuck a bucket of the oil on a campfire it will put it out. (in the absence of a wick). In other words, I wouldnt do it, Im not sure that any plumber would recommend it, but its not as suicidal as you may believe..

[GeorgeR]

An oil Storage tank must be surrounded by a brick wall, to enclose an area which could contain all the contents of the tank, should it spring a leak. I can't imagine that what you saw is what you think. Perhaps a solar powered water heater??