Tank is in the open without obstructions
Residential customers seeking to replace their underground oil tank with a new aboveground oil tank compromise a large component of our customer base. Since no two sites are identical, we offer FREE site visits to prospective client’s homes or businesses. The complexity of the project will impact the cost.
We have the people, technology, and processes to be your environmental services partner when you need help the most. We can help you meet environmental regulations while protecting the environment, safeguard your financial interest, remove environmental liabilities, and aid in the environmental decision making process. Our commitment to you is to combine professional excellence with an innovative, common sense approach to environmental, emergency response, and production challenges.
Why the concern with an underground oil tank?
Underground storage tanks continue to be a concern due to the environmental damage they can cause when they leak and the expense associated with cleaning up the spill. Most residential underground storage tanks are single wall tanks and have been buried longer than their expected life span which averages 20-25 years. A tank can leak for years before it is discovered. For people selling their home an inground oil tank can limit the pool of prospective buyers; while buyers may discover their lenders or insurers aren’t willing to finance or insure a home with an inground tank.
Even if you’re not currently selling your property it’s only a matter of time before the tank will leak so addressing it now, before it does, will always be a better financial outcome for the homeowner. In the event a spill is discovered the property owner will learn that most homeowner insurance policies contain a “pollution exclusion” clause which means that the insurer won’t cover the cost of the clean-up.
The many financial headaches a leaking tank can cause include:
• Contamination of any nearby well/s
• Harming the local ecosystem
• Ruining the building’s heating system
• Negatively affecting the value of the property
Not sure how old the tank is? In the absence of a clear answer assume the tank dates to when the house was constructed.
Tank partially under building
Tank under deck
Removal vs. Abandonment
Once a decision is made to take the buried oil tank out of service the next decision will be to have the tank either removed or abandoned. The primary difference is that a removal involves using machinery to excavate and remove the tank from the ground; while with an abandonment the tank will remain in the ground after the job is completed. Either option is allowed. An abandoned tank will remain in the ground so to properly abandon it the tank should be completely emptied of its contents, cut open and thoroughly cleaned out prior to being filled with an inert material (stone, sand, etc). Although legal, NYSDEC does not recommend this practice and states:
…the best option is to remove the tank. In addition, should you decide to sell your home, a bank or the buyer may ask for environmental testing or the removal of the tank, which could make leaving your tank in place costlier than taking it out of the ground at the start.
Who To Hire
When considering who to hire keep in mind that the lowest price doesn’t often mean the best result. Many contractors and landscapers who offer to remove buried tanks do not have the correct insurance, experience or disposal permits required to do the job correctly. The term “legally abandoned” is widely used, however legal abandonment does not address existing or potential liabilities from leakage. We have found many instances where individuals have been given assurances that their tanks had been “legally abandoned” but during the course of investigation prior leakage is discovered. Once title is transferred, the property owner is responsible for the cleanup. Many attorneys will advise their clients to insist that the sellers have the tank removed in order for the sale to proceed. It is strongly advised that a reputable environmental company be hired to perform this type of work due to their expertise in providing the type of documentation that will be required to prove that the job was done correctly.
This homeowner had a certificate of “legal abandonment” but oil that was never removed from the tank is clearly visible. Left unaddressed the oil will eventually leak into the surrounding soil.
This homeowner had a certificate of “legal abandonment” but oil that was never removed from the tank is clearly visible. Left unaddressed the oil will eventually leak into the surrounding soil.
Cost
How much will this cost? It seems a simple enough question to anticipate and we do get asked it often so why can’t a quote be provided over the phone? The short answer is that it depends on job specific criteria. How much oil is left in the tank, what is the access to the tank, to the property, are there nearby utilities in the way, etc. all factor into the ultimate price. Although we will be always be happy to provide a rough idea as to price over the phone our goal is to provide as accurate an estimate as possible. To do so we will ask about performing a site visit. The site visit is FREE and comes with no high pressure “take it or lose it now” sales pitch. Following our site visit we will send via email a detailed proposal, typically within a day, for your consideration.
Some of our competitors would rather not take the time to conduct a site visit. Instead they will provide an unrealistically low number over the phone. Their proposals contains a bunch of “out of scope” costs that are buried in the fine print. Inevitably those extra costs end up making the price higher than what was provided. Still other companies will request the client to fill out an online questionnaire to get a quote. Those quotes are never guaranteed and contain subjective questions, such as “describe the access to the site”. Often these customers are told that they didn’t “accurately describe the site conditions” on the day the job is to begin. To start the job the customer will then be asked to sign a “change order” that authorizes higher prices for the “discrepancies”.
Aboveground Oil Tank Removal in Basement After
Aboveground Oil Tank Removal in Basement Before
Communication
Once hired the next question we are typically asked is “when can you do the job”? Most municipalities require a building permit be taken out prior to any work being performed. The length of time for the permit to be issued varies from one department to the next. After the permit is issued the schedule the project can then be scheduled. Often we will need to coordinate with the building department as they may request to be present to see the tank before it is removed from the property or filled in. Since the rules vary from department to department we will always call to ensure we are following their requirements.
Although we cannot control how long it will take for your permit to be issued we can promise that the paperwork will be sent out immediately upon receipt of a signed agreement and deposit.
Concurrently, we will file a Dig Safe request (https://www.digsafelyny.com) while we are waiting on the permit so no time is lost. Once the permit is issued we will schedule on a first come – first serve basis.