"Diesel Bug" refers to a special type of microbial activity that covers any and all micro-organisms that can live, feed and otherwise thrive in a fuel based environment. Be it bacteria, fungi, algae or something else this kind of growth manifests itself as a slime like substance and is often fast growing requiring both water and fuel to grow and thrive in warmer weather. Unfortunately this phenomena isn't just limited to diesel as the name suggests as it will impact and degrade all fuel types, be it Kerosene, diesel or Gas Oil.
Diesel Bug is caused when a system storing fuel is over saturated with water. Part of this oversaturation is caused by diesel itself with the fuel being Hygroscopic meaning that it attracts and retains water often caused by condensation at a molecular level so is a natural result of the fuel resting for long periods of time and is one of the reasons your fuel will naturally decay over the years. Other factors that may speed up this unfortunate issue vary from damage to the tank or container that is used to store said fuel, missing caps allowing rain water to seep in to where the fuel is located, areas of high humidity or temperature will also further influence how quickly the Diesel bug might grow and spread.
As shown by the images above a concentration of diesel bug will closely resemble a slime, the colour itself may vary depending on the type or types of microorganism making the slime its home but it is often dark brown or black in colour. It will sit between the water and fuel layers of the tank when present and may give of a rather unpleasant smell, somewhat akin to rotten eggs.
While it’s important to make sure you have clean fuel in your tank here at WCF Chandlers we know it's not always so easy looking in your tank to check so here are a few other ways in which you might notice some early warning signs so that you can act in time.
Although this list is not exhaustive it will hopefully help you in checking your fuel so you can spot the bug before it becomes a problem.
As the old saying goes “Prevention is better than cure” and with diesel bug that is no different now there's two ways to approach this, the first is tank maintenance and minimizing the amount of water that comes into contact with the fuel which can be done via filters or absorbers the other route is to use an additive, and here at WCF Chandlers we recommend Exocet’s Anti Bug additive which can be used in two ways. The first is by using a “protect” dose that will inhibit the microbial growth of diesel bug in clean tanks or can be used in a “Kill” dose that will tackle and eliminate an existing infestation of microbial activity and while designed for fuel tanks it can be used to treat individual vehicles or machine tanks.
Simply put it’s a fuel soluble biocide and preservative that works to inhibit and prevent the microbial growth responsible for diesel bug.
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With our domestic heating oil services for homeowners, bulk fuel solutions for farms and businesses, and local village buying groups with thousands of members across Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire, Norfolk, Northumberland, and the East Midlands, WCF Chandlers ensures you never run out of fuel, whether it’s home heating oil, gas oil for your farm, or diesel for your commercial operations.
Whether you need heating oil for your boiler, red diesel for farm machinery, or commercial fuels and diesel for your business fleet, we have you covered. Across all our depots, we are committed to providing exceptional value and exceeding expectations with our award-winning service. From affordable heating oil to bulk fuel supplies, WCF Chandlers delivers the right solution for your needs.
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Emergency
Heating Oil: If you run low, we offer express deliveries and kerosene boxes that can be collected directly from our Grantham depot, giving you peace
of mind when you need fuel quickly.
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support local Village Buying Groups, allowing you to benefit from more
competitive prices by grouping deliveries in your area. With thousands of
members, our buying groups reduce distribution costs, and we pass those savings
directly to you. Find your local group and join today.
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complete convenience, we can even manage your fuel levels with the WCF
Chandlers Tank Smart Monitoring service. And if you’d prefer to spread the cost of
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