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Home Storage of Combustible Liquids
Combustible liquids include diesel, kerosene, and lamp oil.
Storage Requirements
- Maximum residential storage of combustible liquids (diesel, kerosene and lamp oil) shall be limited to 60 gallons - preferably stored in an unattached garage or shed.
- Of this 60 gallon total, no more than 25 gallons can be stored in an attached garage and absolutely no combustible liquid storage is allowed in basements. (2015 International Fire Code (IFC) 105.6.16.3 - Table 5704.35, National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) 30)
- Combustible liquid storage containers shall be of an approved type (2015 IFC 5704.3.1).
- Most of these containers are labeled as approved for flammable liquid use and indicate the standards they are designed to meet. (Department of Transportation, American Society for Testing and Materials , NFPA 30, etc.)
- Always use approved or original retail containers. No milk jugs.
- If you decide to store combustible liquids at your home, you need at least one 2A20BC rated fire extinguisher located no closer than 10 feet to any combustible liquid and no further away than 50 feet (2015 IFC 5704.3.7.5.2).
- Control of sources of ignition is mandatory! All transfer and dispensing of combustible liquids require that careful attention be paid to eliminating static spark discharge and ignition of flammable vapors.
- Open flames and high-temperature devices must be controlled and approved for use with flammable/combustible liquids and smoking is prohibited in the storage area. (2015 IFC 5704.2.4).