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Get Rid of Indoor Oil Tanks Safely and Easily With Expert Help

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Mariano Smith
Get Rid of Indoor Oil Tanks Safely and Easily With Expert Help

Oil tanks can pose a threat to the safety of both your home and your family, so it's important to ensure that they are properly disposed of. Hiring an expert can help make sure that the process is handled properly and efficiently. This article will go over the steps to take when getting rid of an indoor oil tank and the benefits of hiring a professional for the job.

Understand the Risks of Having an Indoor Oil Tank


When considering home oil tank options, most experts agree that an indoor tank is usually a better choice than an outdoor tank. However, the risks associated with having an indoor oil tank should not be overlooked. Long-term exposure to fuel oil odors in the home can cause serious health problems, such as liver and kidney damage, increased blood pressure, other blood problems, and, in some cases, even cancer. In addition, if an indoor oil tank were to rupture or leak, it could contaminate the soil around your house, as well as your drinking water. This kind of contamination can be extremely expensive to clean up, sometimes costing tens of thousands of dollars. Furthermore, underground oil tanks present a higher risk of contamination compared to above-ground storage tanks.

Realtors often advise clients to remove an underground oil tank before listing due to the risks associated with them and the fact that buyers are often unwilling to take on those risks. Purchasing a home with an underground oil tank is a risky move, as the complete decommissioning and remediation of the tank could end up costing a lot of money. Fortunately, underground oil tanks are becoming increasingly rare, as more homeowners are removing or filling them in.

It’s important to understand the ages and types of oil tanks used in homes. Before natural gas lines were installed, most home furnaces used fuel oil stored in a tank. Underground oil tanks were common from the 1930s to the 1980s. They were usually buried because of their size and unsightliness, as well as the risk of vandalism and theft. Over time, these tanks can corrode or become damaged, resulting in leaks that can contaminate the soil and ground water. Even a slow leak can spread from the soil into ground water and then into surface water, impacting not just your home but those around you. Leaks from underground oil tanks can create environmental hazards, such as unusable ground water for irrigation, public health issues, and harm to wildlife.

The laws regarding oil tank removal vary from state to state. For example, Michigan requires all underground oil tanks be properly closed and removed within one year of its last use. It's important to keep an eye out for signs that your oil tank may be leaking or otherwise compromised, as this can have serious consequences. Some signs you should look out for include: fuel odors in the basement, wet spots or rust on the tank’s outer surface, poor condition of oil lines, and an unexplained decrease in the amount of oil being used by the home.

Identify the Type and Size of Your Indoor Oil Tank

Identifying the type and size of your indoor oil tank is an important step in getting rid of it safely and easily with expert help. While newer residential oil tanks will have a nameplate that provides this information, older tanks may not be so obvious. Fortunately, there are some key things to look for when measuring your oil tank size.

Standard residential oil tanks installed above ground are usually 275-gallon capacity with a horizontal or vertical orientation and dimensions of 44" x 60" x 27". However, heating oil tanks can come in other sizes, including 288, 340, 420, 518, 550, 555, and 675-gallon capacities. Below-ground tanks also come in even larger sizes.

When selecting the right heating oil tank size for your home, the general rule of thumb is to have a 275-gallon tank if you have a one or two-bedroom home. If you have a three or four-bedroom home you will need a 300 or 500-gallon tank. If your home is bigger than this, use the above estimate and multiply it by the number of rooms in your house. Be sure to also factor in other considerations like the space you need to heat and its duration.

Knowing the size of your oil tank is important because it affects the amount of fuel it can store. That’s why it’s important to accurately measure the width, height, and depth of your tank. At the bottom of each column, there is a total the tank can hold. Additionally, if you have an older tank, you should estimate its capacity based on the tank’s dimensions.

In conclusion, determining the size of the oil tank and the amount of oil in the tank is relatively easy. However, oil tank removal requires specialized knowledge and experience to meet oil tank installation code and removal regulations. Homeowners should turn to oil tank replacement professionals for safe and efficient removal and disposal of their old heating systems.

Research Local Regulations Around Removing an Indoor Oil Tank

It is important to research the local regulations around removing an indoor oil tank before beginning the process. In New Jersey, the Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has established a Unregulated Heating Oil Tank (UHOT) program that allows pre-qualified environmental professionals to investigate and remediate discharges from unregulated heating oil tanks, including all residential fuel oil underground storage tanks.

The UHOT program requires that the homeowner contact a qualified technician to identify environmental and fire risks associated with the new positioning of the tank. The technician must assess the tank prior to changing any existing installation, and the tank must adhere to certain standards. According to the NJDEP, the tank should be no higher than 3m, and its total height should not exceed 2.5m if it is within 2m of a boundary. It should also not be located in an area that has more than half the area around the original house covered by additions or other buildings.

In addition, a permit from the municipality is required for removal, and the contractor will excavate any soils believed to be contaminated above the DEP’s cleanup criteria. If the tank was previously abandoned, there has been an increase in previously abandoned tanks being removed due to insurance and mortgage companies not wanting the liability that these underground heating oil tanks may pose.

To make sure all regulations are followed, it is important to require that documentation for the oil tank be provided. If local officials are not cooperating, it might be helpful to consult with an attorney. Additionally, homeowners should refer to the NJDEP's Homeowner's Guide to the Unregulated Heating Oil Tank Program for more information on the requirements and regulations.

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