Corrosion in underground heating oil tanks is caused by the inherent tendency of iron-based metals to turn to rust. This can be accelerated by certain variables such as soil moisture, pH, age, and any scratching or damage that occurred during installation.
Tanks situated in a basement make it easier to spot those that are leaking and need to be removed. Classic warning signs are oil or an oily sheen in the sump pumps, around the floor drain or in French drains.
Be wary of door-to-door salespeople offering to conduct a soil test at little or no cost. They may be scammers who fake the results and convince you to have expensive repairs done to your system. Work only with a reputable company such as us who have an established place of business, and a strong reputation.
Have your tank checked regularly for water accumulation, as it will cause the tank to rust from the inside. If water is detected, have the tank pumped and inspected for signs of rust damage. If it is too extensive, the tank will need to be replaced.
Did you know? Double-walled home heating oil tanks reduce the potential for leaks. The tanks come in three common sizes: 160 gallons, 275 gallons or 400 gallons. Give us a call, and we’ll help you select the right double-walled tank for your needs.
In most cases, a backhoe can be used to dig a buried tank out of the ground for removal; however, in situations where mechanical equipment cannot access the tank site, it must be dug out by hand.
Rest easy. We’re experts in oil tank removal, which means you don’t have to be. We know and follow the American Petroleum Institute’s recommended practices for tank cleaning, removal, handling, transport, and disposal.
If there is a buried abandoned oil tank on your property, or you discover one that had not been previously detected, it needs to be inspected for damage (and leaks). Much like a damaged septic tank, rusted oil tanks can collapse, creating a safety hazard for anyone or anything standing or sitting on them.
Did you know that having a buried oil tank removed can increase your property value? In addition, multiple studies have shown that having a leaky oil tank removed from a commercial or residential property will make that property more attractive to potential buyers.
Once an oil tank is no longer actively used, it’s best to have it removed. If removal is too difficult or costly, however, the best alternative is to leave the tank in place and go through an approved abandonment process.
Modern oil storage tanks are usually made of steel, fiberglass, or a combination of steel and plastic. Above ground tanks are manufactured to withstand even severe fires. Many tanks often have extra safety features to protect against leaks, such as double walls or bottoms.
With buried oil storage tanks, corrosion occurs both on the inside and the outside of the metal shell. Corrosives and moisture inside the tank and the moisture and the pH content of the soil double the rate of decay.
Between 1984 and 1985, surveyors in New England found that one per 10,000 households, which represents 16 percent of total customers, had leaking oil tanks.
Most septic tanks require annual maintenance and inspection. Depending on the size of the tank and the amount of use, it will require pumping anywhere from one to three years. Performing regular maintenance will also extend the lifespan of your system.
Modern oil storage tanks are constructed with double walls to minimize the risk of leaks or spills. Many also incorporate monitoring systems installed between the two tank walls to alert you to a leak before it breaches the outer wall.
One of the biggest concerns with abandoned oil tanks is whether or not they were abandoned properly. These questions will follow the property every time it’s bought, sold, or insured. Removing the tank is a much better option in the long run.
What is API 653? Good question. It refers to the standards for inspecting and maintaining aboveground storage tanks (ASTs). It was developed to proactively monitor tank quality and integrity in an effort to avoid destructive oil spills.
It’s important to remember that many homeowners chose to leave their oil tanks in their basements when they converted to a different heat source. If you’ve recently purchased a home with oil tanks taking up valuable basement space, it’s a good idea to let us remove them before you move in.
If your oil storage tank is designed for the fuel to exit the bottom of the unit, sludge can migrate and clog the lines, filters, screens, burners and safety valves. If not properly maintained, the system will fail.
Although we’d like to be able to tell every homeowner that the removal of their oil tank will be a quick process, we can’t do that until we know its exact location. If you aren’t sure where it is on your property, we’ll have to locate it before we can give you a better estimate of its removal time.
If you have an underground oil storage tank for home heating purposes only, that tank is exempt from federal regulations governing underground storage tanks. This exemption only stands, however, as long as the tank isn't releasing oil into the environment. Have your tank inspected and serviced regularly to ensure it isn't leaking.
A geo-probe machine is a machine that can investigate the soil anywhere from 30 to 60 feet deep. This is very useful when doing soil tests to see how far a leak has gone if your above ground or underground storage tank has leaked.
Heating oil tanks come in sizes ranging from 50 to 20,000 gallons. Most home oil tank systems use tanks in the 275 gallon, 550 gallon or 1000 gallon range. Our trained technicians can evaluate your heating requirements and configure a system to meet your needs.
Did you know that the majority of homes built before 1975 used an Underground Storage Tank (UST) for their household heating oil? That means the likelihood of a home you purchase having an UST needing removed is very high.
Part of maintaining your oil storage tank involves keeping a certain level of oil in the tank at all times (usually around a quarter of a tank). Running low on oil can cause sediment buildup in the bottom of the tank to be pumped into the fuel line, clogging both your filters and equipment.
Some states have a defined grace period, where residential oil tanks that are no longer in active use must either be removed or decommissioned. Homeowners that don’t comply may be subject to fines or penalties.
Depending on the type of damage, oil tank repair can consist of fixing joints, welds, stopping small rust patches, and fixing a leaky oil gauge, threading, or gasket. These are repaired with the use of sealant, epoxy, part replacement, or other appropriate methods.
If you’ve been in your home for ten years or more and have an oil tank supplying heat to that home, then it’s definitely time to inspect your tank and service line. If the tank is older and thus more prone to leaking, you may want to have it removed and replaced as well.
After an underground oil tank is removed, the excavation will be backfilled. Often times the level of the backfill will go a little higher than the ground level. This is to account for ground settlement, which usually happens after a large rainfall.
If you purchase a property that contains a leaking oil tank, then you become responsible. In fact, in most jurisdictions, this is the law: that the property owner is responsible for removal and any necessary remediation.
The recommended distance between the oil tank and the furnace is ten feet. However, in some homes this is not possible, or a variance has been grandfathered in. We will inspect your home before we begin any installation to make sure everything is in compliance with local codes.
When a leak from or around an oil storage tank is detected, state and federal regulations require that it be reported within two hours of discovery. If possible, the leak needs to be stopped. If it is due to a damaged tank, the tank will have to be removed and replaced.
Electronic testing of oil storage tanks will not only locate any leaks that exist, it can also detect any flaws in the tanks structure that could prove problematic in the future so they can be corrected.
Before you build a deck or install a new patio or driveway, let us inspect the site to make sure you are not covering an abandoned oil storage tank. If there is one, we recommend having it removed before you start your project.
When soil testing is used for oil tank leaks, normally a hole is drilled in the ground next to the tank and away from the likely location of the oil lines. A sample of soil is removed from the bottom of this hole and sent for laboratory testing.
It’s common for oil tanks to be installed before a home is completed, because it makes installation faster and more efficient. Since they don’t fit through remaining openings, removal often requires professional skills and equipment.
Not sure how often your oil storage tank needs to be filled? It’s recommended that you check and monitor your oil tank on a regular basis. The general rule of thumb is to not allow your storage tank to dip below a quarter of a tank.
What happens to your old oil tank once it’s removed? Because the tank has been pumped dry and the interior has been cleaned, the tank shell can be transported to a recycling center where the metal can be processed and reclaimed.
In order to make sure that there are no pollution problems, both the tank and the excavation will be thoroughly inspected after the tank is removed. This will spot any signs of problematic leaks, such as oil in the soil or holes in the tank.
Did you know that most home inspection reports do not cover underground oil tanks? When the tank is included on the inspection, in most cases this type of inspection only covers a minimal surface inspection for obvious signs of leaks.
A Lithuanian company recently developed a new, chemical-free soil cleaning technique to remove oil contamination. They have naturally cleaned over 22,000 tons of soil so far! In the future we too may be able to utilize this technique.
What does UST mean? The acronym stands for underground storage tank. It’s used by state and federal environmental agencies, tank manufacturers, and oil tank removal experts as a convenient, shorthand description for oil tanks.
When it comes down to it, there are significant advantages offered by above ground oil storage tanks. This includes ease of installation as well as an added level of convenience when it comes to inspection, maintenance, repair, and removal.
If you notice the odor of oil in areas other than near the oil burner, it can signal a problem. Typically it indicates a small leak or failing connection, but it’s important to have the tank and system thoroughly inspected.
Above-ground tanks tend to be smaller, generally around 275 or 300 gallons, which allows them more versatility in placement. Buried tanks, on the other hand, can be much large, and tend to be from 500 to 1,000 gallons in size.
According to the US government, steel, stainless steel, lead, iron, and copper are the most recycled metals. Most oil tanks are made of steel, which means after they’re cleaned and removed, most are recycled and put to new uses.
Sorbents, or materials used to absorb oil spills must be collected and treated after being used, so they are only utilized on small spills, or to clean up any remaining amounts of oil after other methods have been used.
Soil testing around a buried oil tank is one of the surest ways to determine if there is a leak present. In fact, independent testing is best done by an oil tank removal company, who have access to state of the art equipment as well as years of experience in knowing what to look for.
While the basement may have been a major selling feature for you when you bought your home, those old oil tanks in it can take up a considerable amount of space. If you’re ready to finally finish that basement, we’re always here to help you safely clear out the oil tanks in your way.
What is the lifespan of an unprotected steel oil tank? About 20 years. This is why it is so important to maintain and replace old oil tanks and to remove unused oil tanks which are left on business and residential properties.
Did you know that 25 percent of homes heated with oil may currently have leaking tanks? Older oil tanks have a tendency to corrode, leaking their contents into the soil and even ground water in some cases.
Are you considering just letting your oil tank sit abandoned on an unused part of your property? Let’s talk about the issues this can cause and ways that we can remove it with the least inconvenience to your home and family.
Often your first clue that there may be an abandoned oil tank on your property is a visual sign such as an abandoned oil pipe, a copper fuel line in your basement, or even marks on the foundation where such a line could have once been installed.
Do you know that you have an oil tank, but not sure where it is on your property? Oil tank specialists can help. They can do a full property scan to not only find the oil tank, but also determine the type of oil tank.
Did you know that 25 percent of homes heated with oil may currently have leaking tanks? Older oil tanks have a tendency to corrode, leaking their contents into the soil and even ground water in some cases.
Are you considering just letting your oil tank sit abandoned on an unused part of your property? Let’s talk about the issues this can cause and ways that we can remove it with the least inconvenience to your home and family.
Until an underground oil tank is removed, it will corrode and remain a danger to ground soil and water tables. This corrosion is problematic in the case of either selling or buying the property upon which it sits. Often times, a borrower and his or her lending institution will need proof that the tank has been removed.
If your tank does leak, many homeowner’s insurance policies may provide coverage for the cleanup. If you have an oil tank, check with your insurance company to find out if they will cover it, in the event of a leak.
Often your first clue that there may be an abandoned oil tank on your property is a visual sign such as an abandoned oil pipe, a copper fuel line in your basement, or even marks on the foundation where such a line could have once been installed.
Do you know that you have an oil tank, but not sure where it is on your property? Oil tank specialists can help. They can do a full property scan to not only find the oil tank, but also determine the type of oil tank.
Did you know that 25 percent of homes heated with oil may currently have leaking tanks? Older oil tanks have a tendency to corrode, leaking their contents into the soil and even ground water in some cases.
Are you considering just letting your oil tank sit abandoned on an unused part of your property? Let’s talk about the issues this can cause and ways that we can remove it with the least inconvenience to your home and family.
A old oil tank can cause a variety of problems from being a fire hazard to a source of pollution and toxic leaks. So it’s no wonder that many home insurance policies will require the removal of old oil tanks.
Until an underground oil tank is removed, it will corrode and remain a danger to ground soil and water tables. This corrosion is problematic in the case of either selling or buying the property upon which it sits. Often times, a borrower and his or her lending institution will need proof that the tank has been removed.
If your tank does leak, many homeowner’s insurance policies may provide coverage for the cleanup. If you have an oil tank, check with your insurance company to find out if they will cover it, in the event of a leak.
Often your first clue that there may be an abandoned oil tank on your property is a visual sign such as an abandoned oil pipe, a copper fuel line in your basement, or even marks on the foundation where such a line could have once been installed.
Do you know that you have an oil tank, but not sure where it is on your property? Oil tank specialists can help. They can do a full property scan to not only find the oil tank, but also determine the type of oil tank.
Did you know that 25 percent of homes heated with oil may currently have leaking tanks? Older oil tanks have a tendency to corrode, leaking their contents into the soil and even ground water in some cases.