Keep Your Farm Fuels Protected this Harvest Season
The busy harvest season is on the horizon, so it’s time to ensure your fuel, machinery and tanks are in tip-top condition to avoid unplanned maintenance and to keep your farm moving.
In today’s climate of fluctuating fuel prices, farms must seek ways to conserve fuel in order to reduce costs. Anyone who has unfortunately experienced problems with their fuel supply will know the impact it can have on production, expenses and stress levels.
Check your fuel storage tanks
Ensuring your fuels and oils are stored safely during Harvest season is essential to avoid spillages from badly positioned and poorly maintained tanks. One in ten UK farmers have experienced a fuel spillage, so keeping on top of your tank’s condition is vital.
Your tank must comply with the most recent legislation outlined in The Control of Pollution Regulations 2001 is vital. You must:
- Store your fuel in a tank with an impermeable secondary containment structure or bund with a capacity of 110%
- Steer clear of any water source by at least 10m
- Store everything within the bund, including sight gauges and shut-off valves
- Ensure any flexible, permanent delivery pipes are fitted with a self-closing tap or valve that’s kept locked inside the bund when out of use
- Keep your tank at ground level if feasible
- Keep a spill kit nearby
Here at Nationwide Fuels, we supply a wide range of fuel storage tanks that adhere to regulations that comprise mobile bowsers, site static tanks, plastic tanks, metal containers and more. They vary in size and can be delivered to your farm directly.
Now it’s all well and being having the correct tank, but monitoring and maintaining its condition is just as important. Tanks can be a costly addition and regularly require ongoing maintenance to ensure they are compliant with the latest regulations. Without maintenance, farmers run the risk of costly spillages and leaks from erosion or issues with your tank.
If you spot signs that your tank is in a poor condition, then it needs to be replaced right away to ensure your tank doesn’t start leaking fuel.
What’s more, if your tank is deemed to be unsafe, most reputable delivery companies will refuse to fill it up which can in turn affect your farm’s productivity.
Check your fuel health regularly
No matter how well you store fuel, it can still end up contaminated. And with the outside temperature steadily increasing but the nights still remaining cool, your fuel is more susceptible than ever. A fluctuation in temperature increases the likelihood of condensation forming inside of your fuel tank, causing its contents to become contaminated with bugs and water.
Therefore checking the condition of your fuel regularly is a great way to avoid farm downtime. Annual checks may not be enough to spot signs as bacterial contamination can spread faster during this season.
The tall-tale signs of contamination are:
- Water in the fuel or on the inside of the tank
- Erosion of the tank
- Engine failure
- Bugs in the tank
If you suspect fuel contamination, we have a team of fuel specialists on hand to help. We offer a range of services to help you get the most out of a bad situation, such as our fuel uplift services.
If you’re looking for ways to secure your fam fuels and lubricants, give our farm fuels experts a call on 0330 678 0880 to learn more.
Maintain your fuel levels
It’s every farmer’s worst nightmare running low on fuel or even worse, dry. Having the correct and reliable supply is essential because the last thing you want to be worrying about is if there’s enough fuel left in the tank.
Telemetry systems monitor fuel usage and notify you when a top-up is needed to ensure there’s never any downtime on your farm.
Here at Nationwide Fuels, we have the very best and latest technology to enable us to take care of your fuel requirements for you. When your fuel levels drop, we deliver a top-up to ensure you’re never waiting for that delivery. And what’s more, our fuel management system service is completely free, you just simply need to opt-in.
Keep things running smoothly
Monitoring and changing your engine oil regularly is one of the easiest yet most important things you can do to avoid machinery breaking in order to keep your farm running smoothly. As well as tractor engines that need frequent lubrication, milking machines also need specialist oils and greases to keep them moving.
Lubricants reduce friction, help decrease wear and tear and help prevent the build-up of dirt and debris that occurs when working in muddy fields.
If you don’t keep on top of your oils and lubricants as part of your maintenance checks, you pose the risk of accidents, reduced equipment life span and increased costs on new parts. Look out for signs of excess oil or grease build-up on pistons and check for leaks around seals.
Rainfall can cause metal surfaces to corrode which can result in rust and affect the functionality of the equipment. So, it’s really important to protect them when not in use for months at a time.
Choosing the right lubricant for your machinery is imperative because there are certain types of oils and greases for each part. We blend and provide agricultural lubricants and greases of all types, and moreover, we can even make your very own blend suited to your exact requirements.
Look after your engine
Uneven fields and winding country roads can take its toll on your tractor’s engine so it’s hugely beneficial to look after it throughout.
Fuel additives like AdBlue and transmission fluids can improve performance and give you peace of mind that you’re getting the most out of your machinery. What’s more, AdBlue helps reduce harmful CO2 emissions which means you’ll be helping contribute to a greener planet.
Here at Nationwide Fuels, we can help you with all areas covered to ensure you keep costs to a minimum and keep productivity to a maximum. We are a leading supplier of red diesel and promise to never leave you waiting for our delivery.
If you’re looking for a new fuel supplier to help ensure your agricultural business or farm is kept topped up with all of the fuels and lubricants you need. We’re already helping thousands of farmers across the UK with safe fuel storage, fuels and lubricants. So, give our knowledgeable farm fuel experts a call today on 0330 678 0880 to find out how we can help you and your business.