Fuel oil tank inspection
Overhead or underground oil tanks
Inspection of your oil tank
The inspection of your oil tank is aimed at preventing soil contamination and helps you comply with current legislation.
It is therefore always very important to check that your oil tank is properly maintained, be it old or new.
No matter what type of residence or land you have, a technical problem with your oil tank could have direct consequences on your comfort, preventing you from heating your home if it cannot be filled, or even disastrous consequences if an undetected leak causes soil contamination. The costs of soil decontamination are astronomical.
Although it is only mandatory in certain cases covered by the law, it is still advised, or even recommended, to inspect your oil tank regularly. Please don’t hesitate to check if your tank carries a green tag. You will find all the information you need regarding the inspection deadlines.
However, there are certain cases, explicitly covered by the law, where the inspection of your oil tank is MANDATORY:
As the regions have competencies in this area, legislation varies between regions, and we refer you to our Regions pages, where you can find all the information you need.
What does a tank inspection cost?
Your inspection at the best price. Certinergie ensures that you get your legal inspections at the best price.
Get your customised quote easily online, depending on your residence.
What the inspection of your oil tank involves:
Before the visit:
- Our tank inspector will enquire about the capacity of the tank in order to confirm to you whether it does require a mandatory legal inspection.
- Our inspector will ask to see the information from the previous inspection report, if there is one.
For accessible or above-ground tanks:
- Our inspector will visually examine the tank, pipes and accessories such as overfill protection (alarm signal, electronic probe), filters and the level measuring device.
- They will check if the enclosure is in good condition and if the enclosure can accommodate all the tank’s contents.
- They will perform some tests: sampling water and any mud that may be present at the bottom of the tank, inspection of the overfill protection and inspection of the leak detection device (if present).
- At the end of the inspection, if the installation is active, our inspector will check that the burner has been switched on again.
For non-accessible or buried tanks:
- Our inspector will visually examine the inspection chamber, pipes and accessories, such as the overfill protection. (alarm signal, electronic probe), filters and the level measuring device.
- They will perform some tests: sampling water and any mud that may be present at the bottom of the tank, inspection of the overfill protection and inspection of the leak detection device (if present).
- For partially or totally buried metal tanks, they will measure the tank’s corrosion potential with the aid of a reference electrode.
- Our inspector will test the water-tightness with the aid of depressurisation, and check that this is maintained. The current level of fluid in the tank must be enough to perform this test. If it is insufficient, the test cannot be performed. No certificate will be delivered, but a fixed amount will be invoiced for the travel. The water-tightness inspection by depressurising the tank can only be conducted for cylindrical heating oil tanks with a capacity below or equal to 10,000 litres.
- At the end of the inspection, if the installation is active, our inspector will check that the burner has been switched on again.
During the test, smoking or producing fire is strictly prohibited in the inspection area, or near the outlet for vapours that escape during depressurisation.
What will you receive at the end of your oil tank inspection?
An inspection report:
At the end of the test procedure, our inspector will issue a report in electronic form as a PDF file, stating the test result, and they will confirm (or not) that the tank complies and is watertight.
A coloured tag fixed to your oil tank:
A tag is firmly attached to the filling pipe of the tank on the same day as the test.
The tag will be green, orange or red, depending on the result:
Follow a manual added link
Green tank inspection:
The tank can be filled. This tag is only valid for a limited period, which depends on the type of tank and the region of the country. After this period, a periodic check will be required.
Follow a manual added link
Orange tank inspection:
Watertightness is guaranteed, but not compliance. It must be corrected within 6 months. The tank can only be filled during these 6 months, once, starting from the month the inspection has been concluded.
Follow a manual added link
Red tank inspection:
The tank and/or pipelines are not watertight. The tank cannot be filled from the stated date onwards.
If a red tag is placed on the tank, our technician or the client must immediately notify the mayor and the officer in charge of monitoring.
In the event of contamination that represents a serious threat to the environment, SOS Environment/Nature must be contacted at 070 / 23 30 01 for tanks located in the Walloon region, or the municipal department of the environment for tanks located in the Flemish region.
If the tank is not repaired, it will be emptied, degassed, cleaned and removed. If it is not possible to remove the tank, it will be filled with sand or another equivalent inert material.
Who can perform the work for bringing it into compliance: Tank-Check
Certinergie has developed an independent structure, capable of providing you with services for restoring your oil tank: Tank-check.be
Do you want to:
Call TANK-CHECK’s specialist technicians
The Certinergie experience
Certinergie ASBL is an approved body.
In just one appointment, we will conduct oil tank inspections, along with other inspections that are legally required. We have acquired solid experience in this field, and you can count on our professionalism and our sense of duty.
Certinergie is also a major actor in the field of energy certification and electrical inspections.
As a certified body, we can also offer you a combined electrical inspection, and tank inspection, all for a very advantageous price. Get an online quote quickly by clicking here
Any questions?
For more practical information: