Underground Tank Tightness Test

Considering buying a home with an underground oil tank? If removal of the tank prior to the sale is not an option, or you wish to keep the tank in service, we recommend a tank tightness test.

A tank tightness test involves using a high-powered microphone and an acoustic signal processer to locate problems in the tank system.

The device is lowered into the tank through a direct fill pipe. The test is automated and the computer program will analyze the results and pass or fail the tank.

Results will be known upon completion of the test.

What can I do if my tank is not a direct fill?

Not every tank is a direct fill tank. Sometimes the fill pipe is angled and not directly above where the tank lies. There are a variety of reasons why this is done: to make the fill easily accessible for the fuel delivery driver, to move it away from a covered surface (driveway /sidewalk / porch), aesthetic reasons, or for easier lawncare.

In these scenarios the remedy is to uncover the top of the tank and remove the fill pipe and install a new direct fill pipe. This work is typically quoted on a time and material basis as the depth of the tank and other factors make quoting an exact price difficult.

The photos below show the steps involved in replumbing a tank for a tank test.