AdBlue is sensitive to heat. Prolonged high temperatures and direct sunlight shorten its shelf life and can push it out of the specification your vehicle needs, so through the summer months it should be kept cool, shaded and sealed.

Stored correctly it will last perfectly well, but a season spent in a sun-baked shed or the boot of a hot van can quietly degrade it. Here we explain why heat affects AdBlue, the temperature range to aim for, and how to store it safely whether you keep a couple of cans or several thousand litres.

Why hot weather affects AdBlue

AdBlue is a precise solution of high purity urea and deionised water, mixed to a fixed concentration known as AUS 32 and made to the ISO 22241 standard. That precision is exactly why heat is a problem. When AdBlue is held at high temperatures for long periods, the urea begins to break down and release ammonia, which slowly shifts the concentration away from the specification the solution is supposed to hold.

Once AdBlue drifts out of specification it stops doing its job properly. In the vehicle it can lead to SCR faults, dashboard warning lights and, in the worst cases, blocked or damaged injectors. None of that is caused by the AdBlue being poor quality to begin with. It is simply the result of good product being stored badly through a hot summer.

How to store AdBlue in hot weather for drivers and small quantities

If you keep AdBlue in cans or a drum for a car, van or a small amount of plant, storing it safely through summer is straightforward. Keep containers tightly sealed so that ammonia cannot escape and contaminants cannot get in. Store them in a cool, shaded indoor space such as a garage or utility area rather than an outdoor shed that bakes in the sun. Keep containers off hot surfaces like concrete or metal that has been sitting in direct sunlight, as these hold their heat well into the evening.

Above all, avoid leaving AdBlue in a hot vehicle through the summer. A sealed cab or boot can reach very high temperatures, and a container left there for weeks will degrade far quicker than one kept indoors.

Storing bulk AdBlue and IBCs through summer

For sites and fleets storing IBCs, drums or bulk tanks, the same principles apply on a larger scale, and the stakes are higher because more product is at risk. Where possible, position tanks and IBCs indoors or under cover, out of direct sun. Metal and plastic tanks left exposed can heat up considerably, so shade and good ventilation around the storage area both help to keep temperatures down.

For larger volumes it is worth monitoring the temperature of the storage area through the warmer months rather than assuming it is fine. Stock rotation matters too, using older product first so that no AdBlue sits through an entire summer before it is used. If you are taking delivery in hot weather, it is also worth checking how your supplier stores and transports the product, since heat damage can begin before it ever reaches you. As a manufacturer we test and certify every batch to ISO 22241 before it leaves our site, and correct storage from that point is what keeps it in specification.

If you need suitable equipment you can find our AdBlue storage tanks and 1000 litre IBCs, and we can advise on bulk delivery for higher volumes.

Signs your AdBlue has been affected by heat

It helps to know what degraded AdBlue looks like. In good condition it is clear, colourless and almost odourless. If a batch has been affected by heat you may notice it has turned cloudy or slightly discoloured, or that it gives off a stronger ammonia smell than usual. If you suspect AdBlue has degraded, it is safer not to use it, as putting fluid that is out of specification into a vehicle can cause the very faults you are trying to avoid. AdBlue is not classified as hazardous, so a suspect batch can be handled and disposed of without special measures.

How long does AdBlue last in hot weather?

Stored correctly, in a cool and shaded place, AdBlue will typically last around a year. Held consistently in high temperatures, that can fall to six months or less. In other words, heat does not ruin AdBlue overnight, but it steadily eats into the time you have to use it, so keeping it cool and out of the sun is really a way of protecting the shelf life you have already paid for.

Keep it cool, and start with quality

Storing AdBlue well through hot weather comes down to keeping it cool, shaded and sealed, but good storage can only protect good product. As one of the largest AdBlue manufacturing sites in the UK, we lab test and certify every batch to ISO 22241 before it leaves us, so what you put into storage is exactly what it should be.

Browse our AdBlue range in sizes from 10 litre cans through to bulk, or speak to our team about keeping your supply in specification right through the summer.