Tank Siting - Guidelines and Separation Distances

Certain preparatory work must be completed outside your property before a Calor tank and LPG supply can be installed.

Following the guidelines set out on these pages will help to ensure that your installation work proceeds as smoothly and as efficiently as possible.

The site for your tank will have been carefully selected by our Sales Specialist or your installer and, once agreed with you, changes should not be made without prior consultation with Calor.

In choosing the site, we will have not only taken note of your preference but consideration will also have been given to the following:

1. Separation distance from buildings and boundary.

2. Access for delivery of the tank itself.

3. Suitability for gas deliveries. (Our driver must be able to see his tanker when standing by the tank during refuelling).

Once the tank has been installed, please do not erect any building or shed within the separation distance between the tank and buildings and property and building.

If you propose to carry out any building work in the vicinity of the tank, you should inform your Calor Customer Service Department.

Information on the siting of LPG storage tanks is given in the following LP Gas Association Codes of Practice:

• No. 1 - Part 1: Design, Installation and Operation of Vessels Located above Ground.
• No. 1 - Part 2: Small Bulk Propane Installations for Domestic and Similar Purposes.
• No. 2 - Part 4: Buried and Mounded LPG Storage Vessels.

Above Ground Tanks

The table below indicates the minimum separation distances in metres for above ground tanks from buildings, boundary, property line and fixed source of ignition. This includes outbuildings, sheds and greenhouses.

The distances refer to the horizontal distance between the tanks and the nearest point of the specified feature.

The tank(s) sited above ground should be located in the open air in a well ventilated position.

Tanks should also:

• Be sited away from other vessels containing flammable liquid or liquid oxygen
• Have the installation, its fittings and attachments protected to minimise inadvertent or deliberate interference
• The area around the tank(s) should be kept clear of all combustible materials including wooden fences, shrubs, trees etc
• Have suitable protection from potential damage from vehicles such as crash barriers or bollards
• Each tank should have clearly visible, legible and durable signage as defined in BS 5378 part 1

Underground Tanks

Underground tanks are only available from Calor Gas in two sizes 2000 and 4000 litres. They are used to improve the aesthetic appearance of bulk LPG tanks by either burying them below ground or covering them with an earth mound and to allow a reduction in the required separation distances.

Care should be taken to ensure that there is a clear line of site for the gas delivery driver, this is especially important, as the driver will be crouching down to reach the valving below ground.

Trees or deep-rooted shrubs should not be permitted within the separation distances as the roots may cause damage to the tank(s) or the cathodic protection.

To support the tank you will need to arrange for a concrete base to be laid. Please make sure that this is positioned exactly as agreed with your Calor Sales Specialist or installer.

The table below gives the base dimensions for different tank sizes, as well as the minimum separation distance which it is important to maintain.

For the construction, use shuttering with a simple 4:2:1 sand:gravel:cement mixture on a consolidated hardcore base. Allow at least seven days for the concrete to set. During this time you should, in winter, protect the work from frost and, in summer, keep it moist.

Please make sure the base is level, flat and, most importantly, that the top surface is at ground level.

*380 litre tank listed for information only and not generally available.

The contractor installing the tank will normally lay the underground gas pipe that runs from the tank to the building. The pipe will be laid along a prepared trench to the outside wall of the building where it will enter at about 600mm above ground level with a quick acting emergency control valve. Your contractor will connect the supply from this valve.

When preparing the trench it should be a minimum of 600mm deep and the width of an ordinary garden spade. You should ensure that the bottom of the trench and the back fill are free of sharp stones/objects as these may damage the pipe. Extra protection may be necessary if the pipe runs below roadways or walls etc. The route of the trench should be agreed with your Calor area specialist and indicated on the plan.