The Rural Voice, 2002-11, Page 18Forgotten no more
You ;nag not have given much thought to that furnace oil
tank in gour basement since it was installed 30 to 40 gears
ago but new rules will mean you pag more attention
By Keith Roulston
Let's face it: most and advertising per
of us don't give ry- y sonnet.
much thought to it g While farmers at least
the furnace -oil tank in are aware of the
our basement other condition of the tank
than to curse at the cost that holds the fuel for
of filling it up. f m. their tractors and
Generally it's been combines because they
sitting there ignored for `�_" ' '` pull up regularly to
'_ ,��� � �<
years. But it's going to t refuel their equipment,
get a lot more attention the furnace oil tank may
in the next few years. have been sitting,
The Technical ''` basically ignored, for
Standards and Safety ;- �� 30-40 years. Edward
Authority (TSSA), the w i tells of one customer
same group that has who recently arrived
tightened regulations suggesting it was time
on your on-farm fuel his tank was replaced
storage tanks.. has set who recalled his tank
new deadlines for x being installed 50 years
inspection and ago.
certification of your The prospect of having
furnace oil tank. a to have those tanks
By May 2004 your " inspected upsets some
furnace oil tank is Fuel suppliers say not to panic, the new rules for furnace oil tanks customers, says Bob
going to have to have aren't as onerous as you might think. Turn to them first for help. Rowe of Hensall
been checked out by a counties have banded together to try District Co-op's fuel
trained inspector. By May 2007 your to get information out to the public division, "But I ask them what (else)
entire heating system from tank to oil about what is inspected. They've do you own that's 30 years old that
burner is going to have to have a hired Murray Gaunt, retired radio and you haven't done work on."
comprehensive inspection by a television farm director to create a The basic inspection will entail a
certified oil burner technician. TV commercial and a small public visual inspection of the condition of
While the new regulations for on relations firm to create an the tank to ensure it has a gauge and
farm fuel storage have been getting informative pamphlet to be included proper outdoor venting, that it's
the attention of many farmers and in fuel bills. stable on its legs and that the saddles
bringing calls to people like Paul It's a very loose group, many of holding the tank are in good
Nairn, Ontario Federation of whom got together a few years ago to condition.
Agriculture field representative for do some joint promotion of home Tanks are required to be
Huron and Perth, few people seem to heating oil, says Don Edward of Underwriters' Laboratories of
know much about the situation with Edward Fuels which has outlets in Canada (ULC) certified, Edward
furnace fuel tanks, he says. Clinton, Goderich, Kincardine and explains, but if it was installed prior
But if you think this is another Teeswater. The group includes both to the early 1970s, the ULC didn't
headache for you, be glad you're not private operations like' his and exist at the time. If proof can be
a fuel distributor. While the TSSA is cooperatives like Hensall District Co- offered that the tank predates that
implementing the new regulations, operative, Huron Bay District Co- ULC certification and if the tank
it's up to the distributors to enforce operative and North Wellington Co- meets all other requirements, its
them because they'll be liable if they operative. It's hard, Edward says, for 'approval can be "grandfathered".
fill tanks after the deadlines. That's these small companies to compete But common sense says that at
why a group of fuel distributors in with truge utilities that have some point you need to replace that
Huron, Bruce, Grey and Wellington skyscrapers full of public relations tank, Edward says. The problem is
14 THE RURAL VOICE