Heating oil tanks are a vital component in heating your home however, they can stand out as a bit of an eyesore in your garden. Large, green and broad in shape, these tanks were built more for practicality rather than aesthetics.

Luckily there are several things you can do to hide or improve the looks of your domestic home heating oil tank in time for summer.

Fence

Building a fence around or in front of the tank is probably one of the most common, cheapest and easiest fixes. Whether you choose to use wooden panels, bamboo or reed, these fences can be bought ready-made making installation easy. The fence can then be painted, stained or treated to protect it from the weather and to blend in more with its surroundings.

Trellis

Using trellis is a great way to make your tank more visually appealing, however, this method does take a bit of patience- adding hanging vines, climbers or wall shrubs can take some time to grow but with careful positioning and patience, this method can deliver great results.

This may also encourage different types of animals and insects to visit your garden, which could help other plants in your garden grow more healthily.

Hedge

Growing a hedge provides a great way to block your oil tank from view whilst also offering a beautiful aesthetic and colour all year round. It will also provide a new home for wildlife such as birds and insects.

A hedge is more of a long term plan and you will need to consider how much sunlight the area gets and which type of soil you have in your garden.

Paint

Feeling creative? why not try painting your heating oil tank by adding colour or a unique design that will stand out in your garden. There are many different designs already out there to inspire you; we suggest looking on google images or Pinterest for ideas. Depending on what your tank is made out of you will need to seek advice on which paint is correct to use and explain what it is for.

Things You Must Consider

• When doing anything regarding your heating oil you must always make sure it is safe and complies with the strict regulations that come with heating oil tanks. OFTEC regulations state there must be a clearance of 600mm between the tank and any screening. We suggest having a read of the OFTEC website before carrying out any work.

• Make sure that your tank is still accessible and the delivery driver can still locate your tank and has safe and easy access to it.

• Always speak to your landlord first before making any changes to a rental property.

If you have any ideas or photos of how you disguise your heating oil tank please share them with us on our facebook page, we would love to see them!