I’m planning a finished basement and am trying to determine what to do around a 275 gallon oil tank.
there really isn’t enough room between the tank and the wall to get any reasonable insulation behind it and have it covered for code.
i was think of just boxing off the tank leaving a door and space for maintenance and to check fill level. But I’m worried that 6’ section of wall not insulated like the rest of the basement (rigid foam) will hurt the envelope or cause a moisture issue inside the proposed oil tank “closet”.
suggestions?
Replies
I can think of a couple options.
1--Move the tank. Easier if empty. and if it sets on the slab. You would have to move the fill/vent lines as well as the oil output line. You can get the tank emptied, (and cleaned out if it has been there a while).
2-- insulate the surfaces on the house side of your enclosure. Include the ceiling, and the walls to the rest of the basement. and use an exterior door with weather stripping. make sure to ventilate the space to the outside. I would pipe in two air vents, one high, one low. Seal all the penetrations of the space from the house.
3. insulate the wall behind the tank with a foam board designed not to need fire covering. https://www.dupont.com/content/dam/dupont/amer/us/en/performance-building-solutions/public/documents/en/thermax-sheathing-pis-43-D100094-enNA.pdf
or similar.
the Dow site says this is a former product, but I see it still listed for sale.
https://www.awarehousefull.com/dow-thermax-sheathing/
I put this stuff in my basement storage and utility space to save work and space.
Unfortunately I can’t move it because I still need it for heat. Maybe in the future I will switch to propane or if natural gas comes down my street here in PA.
I think that fire rated insulation may be best and just cut it around the vent/fill lines. Might have to go down to 1” from the 2” I’m using throught the rest due to the minimal space And then just enclose the tank as a closet with louver doors same as what I can do with my oil burner on the adjacent wall.