Re: Pipe from oil tank to boiler is leaking somewhere under a few feet of industrial strength concrete

The pipe that goes between the oil tank and the boiler (in my Aunts > house) is leaking.

> Well, no oil is getting through to the boiler and oil is leaking from > the pipe close to the tank. The plumber who has looked at it says that > the copper pipe is encased in a plastic sheath beneath the concrete > and the oil is leaking through the copper and flowing back between the > copper and plastic and emerging from the pipe near the oil tank. > Is this likely or possible? (I haven't actually seen it myself so i'm > only relaying a secondhand account). > > The tank is situated about 10 or 15 yards from the house in a secluded > spot and ideally she doesn't want to have to move the tank adjacent to > the house as it would be unsightly. > > How difficult would it be to cut a groove in the concrete with some > sort of grinder and relay it? > How deep would it have to go as cutting through 2/3 feet of concrete > sounds unrealistic?

seems odd that it's started leaking *somewhere* under 2 ft of presumably undisturbed ?? concrete and then tracking back to the tank

- perhaps more likely it's leaking whewre the sheathed pipe joins the valve at the tank and *appears* to be coming from a leak further on?

Did the guy do it originally? can't be that old if it's white plastic sheathed?? Has he quoted for replacing the whole lot perchance??

Have you tried checking whether the leak is coming from tank end or

*further* down pipe and tracking back? - bog roll twisted and wrapped round at various points (to absorb oil and so narrow down origin of leaks) is your friend........

cheers jim

Reply to
jim
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That sounds rather unlikely to me unless things have been disturbed - after all why would it fail?

The normal arrangement of these things is that there will be a few inches/cm/insert-your-favourite-small-unit-here of bare copper tube at the connection to the tank before the plastic cover begins. Oil leaking from the joint to the tank will run down the tube and be noticeable as it hits the plastic. I would thoroughly clean the pipe with paper towels so that it's both clean and dry. Then leave it a short while and carefully examine it (use a mirror to see the back if necessary) and you should be able to see for sure where the oil is coming from.

Actually, thinking a bit more about it, you said no oil was getting to the boiler. Unless it's absolutely pissing out of a hole in the pipe, which I doubt from the tone of your post, then I can't see why a small leak would stop oil getting to the boiler. How much oil is leaking? Could it be that the boiler has a problem or the tank filter is blocked or something and your aunt has called out the service man who has just spotted a minor leak that has been there for ages and is nothing to do with the real fault?

Reply to
Calvin

Make sure that the leaking oil is caught. It is very expensive for you and/or the neighbour to replace their gardens including topsoil.

Reply to
Invisible Man

only if you are stupid enough to involve oficialdom. Kerosine and Gas oil both evaporate given time

Reply to
cynic

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