How to Remove a Residential Oil Tank?
If you are a homeowner that has an underground storage tank, you are probably already aware of the circumstances if it leaks, its unfortunate when it does happen, and it can seriously be an issue for not only the environment but your bank account because it costs a lot of money for a situation like this. When you have an underground tank that has leaking pipes, the cleanup for something like this can be quite expensive. Unfortunately as well, not all homeowner’s insurance plans cover this, especially if it has a pollution exclusion cause, which means you get stuck with the bill and they don’t have to help at all. One of the best ways to keep all of this from happening is to either remove it entirely or remove it and get a brand new one installed elsewhere above ground such as the basement, shed or even the garage. if you’re interested in something like this, you probably have a lot of questions and concerns so that is why you will find a little collective guide below to help walk you through the process and try to answer any questions you might have. If you live in New Jersey and need to install a new above ground oil tank or remove an underground oil tank you should contact a company that specializes in oil tank installation and removal in NJ. Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Fire Services In this section, you will find information given by the DEP and the DFS. DEP are the ones that usually regulate, install and maintain, as well as remove any underground tanks in your state. This is an agency that relies on local fire departments to make sure that the work, including the removal, is done within the confines of the law. But, the fire departments also can help set up any permits necessary for the job or can help determine if the area and the situation is safe for a removal or an excavation for that matter. They also respond to any emergencies while the removal is being done. When a tank is leaky or has leaked more work would need to be completed in order to determine what cleanup if any would need to be done, any precautions that would need
to be administered, etc. contamination of the area around the home would be reported to the DEP and the local fire department. Why Should I Consider Removing An Underground Oil Tank? Most of the underground storage tanks today are all the same; 275 gallon steel tanks. These are not meant to actually be installed below ground, but many have. If left in place underground these will eventually rust, corrode and of course leak. Even some of those bigger tanks that were meant for underground use can also leak if they are not adequately protected by corrosion protection and they are not meant to last forever, which means eventually down the line, they will leak. There are certain ways to tell if the tank is already leaking, though; for one if you notice an increase in your heating oil consumption, chances are the tank is leaking. Even if your tank is not leaking right this minute, doesn’t mean that it won’t. As time goes on and the older the tank gets the increase of danger becomes more and more prevalent. How Much Does It Cost? The cost is going to depend on a bunch of variables such as the tank size, the condition of the tank, and of course how easy it is to get the tank out of the ground. But, once you figure these variables out, you are looking at around $1000 to $2000 for a removal contractor. It’s safe to say that these numbers do not include things like sampling and testing, clean up, or a replacement tank - those items would be extra. The most important thing is to shop around and find the best price according to your needs and what they offer. Make sure that when you finally hire someone that they give you a cost estimate and give you a written cost estimate that way they can’t come in and bamboozle you and say it’s actually $2500 when they said $700 to $1200. Always look for reviews,
testimonials, and references from the companies you are looking at as well. Just because a company has an overall professional look, doesn't mean they do a good job or do what they said they are going to do so look on sites like yelp and Google to see how they actually perform in terms of what the clients thought of them and the work they did. Emptying Tank Oil Versus Removing It Entirely Some people want to know if emptying the tank could be an option versus removing it entirely. Honestly, the only reason you should leave a tank underground or the only way the fire department and environmental services will allow you to is if the removal of it would cause upheaval of the area around it i.e.; the upheaval of a house, other than that its suggested and recommended that you just remove it as soon as possible. if the fire department permits you to leave it there, there will still need to be tests done, the area would need to be cleaned and then only after the fire department says that's good enough can it be filled with sand or concrete, but this can become a very costly process and its actually cheaper to just have it removed altogether than to go through all of that. One thing to remember is that each state is different, has its own regulations, is stricter than others, etc. So the guide above is more generalized, but if you want more information on your specific state visit the Energy and Environmental Affairs website, find your state and there are heaps of information about this topic.