HELP - Discovered heating oil leak!!

[Fla]

I have just built a porch and part of the work I am doing was removing all the render on the original outside wall - now internal to the porch. The heating oil pipe was embedded in the render. Having hacked off the render I have discovered that there was a very slow leak which has worked its way into all the bricks behind the render. I am at a loss to know what to do. For the moment I have fixed the leak and left the whole place open. IT STINKS of heating oil.

Please help ..... is there anything I can do

 

[skier-hughes]

What do you want help with?

Getting rid of the smell of oil?

Graham

 

[Fla]

Yes the smell is the primary problem.

Basically is there anything I can do to remove the smell bar replacing the bricks?

 

[skier-hughes]

In my opinion if it's lbeen leaking for a while and the bricks are saturated then replacement is the best option.

Graham

 

[MdB]

It may be worth just leaving it for a while whilst being well ventilated if it is just the smell you want to get rid of. The smell from our old oil tank went within a month or so. However, this was outside so would have evaporated quicker and there is still oil in the concrete underneath it which you can smell if you disturb it.

 

[Flyfisher]

Cement can be useful to 'draw out' and dry oil spills. Sprinkle it on and remove when saturated, then replace and repeat as necessary. But I've only used this method for small areas.

If the pipe has been leaking for some time into porous brick then replacing the bricks, if practical, might be the best solution.

 

[Fla]

Many thanks for the suggestions .....

i think i will replace the bricks one side at a time - single skin 9" brick.

I was going to replace bricks, damaged when removing the cement based render, and repoint the brick wall.

Interestingly I will not have to repoint the original stone wall which was also rendered. The render has come off in sheets to reveal the nice faced stonework with original mortor still in situe - undamaged!

 

[Aidan]

Many thanks for the suggestions .....

i think i will replace the bricks one side at a time - single skin 9" brick.

I was going to replace bricks, damaged when removing the cement based render, and repoint the brick wall.

Interestingly I will not have to repoint the original stone wall which was also rendered. The render has come off in sheets to reveal the nice faced stonework with original mortor still in situe - undamaged!

You can buy granules that are intended to soak up oil spills. Fullers' earth soaks up just about everything, it used as a chemical decontamination material. I seem to recall cat litter contains Fullers' earth and can be used to absorb oil.

 

[skier-hughes]

I was going to suggest the fullers earth cat litter, but was unsure if it would suck out all the oil from a brick.
It would be great for a new spill on say concrete.

Fullers earth cat litter is also known as grey cat litter.

Graham