We just bought our first home and have lots of work to do.one of the first things we had to do was have a new oil tank installed out side.The old tank was shot.My Q is the guys have in a place we agreed on.But they have it tilted down towards the filter.My friend says that any water will now settle at that low end and freeze up the line.He says it should be tilted towards the back.I was not home when they placed it,they also have to come back and hook up the line and so on.So witch way should the tank be.Thanks for the help.Don in canada.

 

Its right let it alone.This way you keep the water out of your tank all the time . Think about it,if you tilt the tank the other way yes the water will stay in there and as time goes by it will just RUST OUT THE TANK FROM THE INSIDE . We always set the tank so it tilts to the filter.If you have room and dont mind you can put the filter by the burner in side the home. I also have put a heater tape around a filter outside because some of the cheap oil you get will get a wax build up in the filter when it is very cold. ED

 

There's only a couple reasons I can think of that anyone would want to pitch a fuel oil tank towards its outlet and the filter. Some homeowners might want to tilt it so to use the few extra gallons that normally would remain in the tank, below the outlet. In an emergency, this might be necessary to keep warm till the fuel-man shows up. Under normal circumstances tho, you don't want to draw fuel too close off the bottom because of possible water and/or sludge, so keep it level. Remember, you don't draw all of the gas from your car's gas tank for the same reason. As for rust, with a new tank your furnace will probably puke before the tank rusts out. The other reason to tilt the tank towards the filter is for JOB SECURITY! Some wannabee techs just love to come out annually and change your filter and sell you a new nozzle. Be smart and ask that the tank be leveled. In years down the road, if water appears in the filter, then its time to drain the tank or pump it.

 

Lets go this way, after more than 40 years working on and installing oil units.You want to get the water out of the tank as soon as you can.Dont tell the ERA where you put your tanks or you will get a big fine.I have worked on guns for bunker oil#5,and for the home, pot's and guns, oil#3,#2,and #1
Now on the techs comeing out to clean your unit change the oil filter and looking at the nozzle. This got any water that was in your tank out you get a new filter your pump dont have to work so hard and you know you did need that new nozzle cause it is wore out and out of pattern also the fan has some dirt on it now and now you dont get the right Co2. SO as I look at it the so calledtechs saved you a lot of $$$$$$$$ Had a good one years back.When done, the pick up for the oil was 3" off the bottom of an in ground tank aftersome years,had hard and lots of rain one day.When we went there we later found out the tank had rust holes from the water in it.With the rain the ground water came into the tank and pushed the oil out and in the ground do you want this kind of mess, i dont for sure and havent lost a tank yet
So get that water and sludge you get from that cut rate oil out of your tank and away from you burner. Thats like on my plane the tanks and filter have drain's just to look for water. ED