
Fuel Testing, Cleaning & Polishing
Ensuring emergency-power reliability.
Diesel stored for emergency use can sit for years between significant run times. Water, sediment and microbial growth can build up in the tank and plug filters when the generator or fire pump is needed most. Premier Mechanical samples stored fuel, polishes it where it can be recovered, and cleans tanks when contamination has settled to the bottom.
Who This Service Is For
- Facilities with standby generators or fire pumps that run infrequently
- Owners whose fuel has failed a quality test
- Facility teams seeing filter plugging or poor engine performance during tests
Situations We Resolve
- Water or sediment found in a fuel sample or at the tank bottom
- Sludge or microbial contamination at the fuel–water interface
- Fuel filters plugging during load tests
- Fuel that has been stored for years without testing
What the Work Includes
Fuel sampling
Samples taken from the tank so the fuel's condition can be assessed before deciding on treatment.
Fuel polishing
Fuel circulated through filtration and water separation to remove contaminants from recoverable fuel.
Tank cleaning
Removal of sludge, water and sediment that has accumulated at the tank bottom.
Recommendations
Advice on next steps when testing shows the fuel cannot be economically recovered.

How a Project Proceeds
Sampling
We sample the fuel and, where appropriate, arrange testing.
Assessment
We review the results and the tank's condition to decide between polishing, cleaning or replacement.
Treatment
Polishing and tank cleaning are carried out with the system kept available where possible.
Follow-up
We recommend a sampling interval and maintenance steps to reduce future contamination.
Working in Occupied Facilities
Polishing and cleaning are usually done with the building fully occupied. We plan hose routing, equipment placement and any brief outage with the facility team.
Related Projects
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Discuss This Service
Ready to review a project or schedule an assessment for your facility?
Helpful to Include in Your Inquiry
- Tank sizes and approximate fuel volume
- Date of the last fuel delivery and any previous test results
- Symptoms observed, such as filter plugging or water in samples
- Access to the tank and fill locations
