Underground Fuel Line

[ConfusedConsumer]

Hmm, hope someone here can help me.  Had my oil furnace serviced and inspected this summer, tech said everything was fine but suggested that the feed line from my above ground oil tank to the furnace be replaced because it is run through the concrete basement floor.  He left without saying this was mandatory.

2 months later the oil company calls me and claims that the inspection actually failed and they won't deliver fuel until the line is replaced.

Is running a line through the floor a violation?  It is encased in a plastic conduit.  I find it very odd that he didn't flag the failure on site, he initialed the report as a pass.  I don't really want to spend money on the system, I can get natural gas service now and am considering switching.  Plus it really pisses me off when companies insist on fixing things that don't need to be fixed.  The system is 15 years old and the line looks like new.

Thanks in advance!

[Admin]

Underground piping is allowed and it sounds like your fuel line is adequately protected.  I would ask them for a copy of the warning tag or a code reference to the infraction in question.  According to Ontario Regulation 213/01 they should have affixed a warning tag to the equipment.  Unfortunately the distributor can enforce their own requirements even if your installation is code compliant but it may just be a misunderstanding.  The technician may not have intended his recommendation to be considered a mandatory requirement and someone in the distributors office may have misread the technicians notes and issued a warning tag.  You could call and ask to speak to the manager or simply run a new coated oil line above ground to the tank.

Either way if you're planning to live in that house for 5-10 years more then make the switch to natural gas, it will pay you back faster than you'd think.