oil line leak

[AntoR]

Looking for some advice on a leak i have on my oil line to boiler, the soft coated copper coming from my oil tank to boiler appears to be leaking as it enters my garage i think its traveling up the white plastic coating on the copper and dripping where the coating ends on the cooper so leak could be underground between tank and boiler and its traveling up the coating is this possible and has anyone came across this before? i have no fitting underground. I had this leak last year and all of a sudden it just stoped and now it appear to be back can this type of leak just seal itself after awhile, the leak is very slow any advice

 

[Boilerman2]

You really need to get this fixed as oil pollution into the ground is a serious matter and costly!

Check the fittings at the oil tank end, as you may have a small leak there which is getting into the plastic sleeve at that end and reappearing in the garage, otherwise you have a leak on the copper pipe undergound, this will need to be dug up and replaced, any joints fitted underground have to be within an inspection chamber so they can be peridorically checked so best to replace the whole pipe

hope this post is usefull

 

[muggles]

As additional info...one litre of spilled oil can contaminate an acre of land, and they can and will make you pay to have any contaminated earth excavated and safely disposed of. If it finds it's way into a watercourse you've got even bigger problems.

 

[leakydave]

You could try putting an air pressure test on the oil line...

 

[muggles]

Yeah that's it, make sure that leaking oil is forced out of the split pipe into the ground good and proper!

 

[leakydave]

... well drain as much as you can first... but better to know whether the oil line is leaking or not. No point in changing it if isn't leaking...

 

[AntoR]

Thanks to ye all for your posts. The leak has stoped now all of a sudden, just sealed itself so ill prob leave it. I need not worry about the soil getting contaminated because if it leaks its coming up the plastic sleave and into the garage anyway. But all looks good now

 

[Boilerman2]

Oil Leaks NEVER stop by themselves it will be leaking into the gound somewhere, perhaps the ground has died a bit when it rains your leak will show itself again

 

[AntoR]

Yea i think ill take your advice and dig it up because it will be handy to dig up its just paving slabs down, so its not to much hassle to dig up and replace. should i sleave the new oil line to protect it or put it down as it is? and what will i use if i sleave it?

 

[muggles]

Put it down as it is but use plastic coated copper, or QualOil plastic pipe. IIRC it should be buried at a depth of 450mm on a bed of compacted sand, with more sand laid above it and preferably some marker tape on top of that.