Buried oil storage tank (UST) advice for building owners & buyers:

This article explains residential and light commercial buried oil tanks or other buried heating fuel tanks: environmental concerns, defects, inspection: basic advice for home buyers and home owners where a buried oil tank is or was installed.

We discuss the risks regarding buried oil storage tanks USTs or other buried tanks. We include photographs, a field report of a severe heating oil tank leak into the building, and commentary on detecting leaks or threats of leaks at buried oil storage tanks.

This document provides sample home inspection report language which may assist in advising home owners or home buyers about the risks associated with buried oil or other fuel storage tanks at their property, and which can help explain the need for action and where more information can be obtained.

The Buried Oil Tank RIsk: A Home Buyer's Guide to Buried Oil Tanks - The Risk of Oil Leaks Means Risk of Major Cleanup Costs

These questions & answers about buried oil storage tanks were posted originally

at OIL TANK, BURIED, ADVICE - be sure to review that information.

If you are purchasing a property where there is or was an oil storage tank that has been abandoned or removed, you should be sure to read HOME BUYERS GUIDE TO OIL TANKS.

[Click to enlarge any image]

On 2019-05-08 by (mod) - can one remove a buried fuel tank at a historical house

Marcy

"Can you" is of course a bit broad - of course you can = but we have no information about your historical house including its country, city, (thus regulations), construction, location of the oil tank, and difficulty of access to the site; special care may be needed to avoid damaging the foundation during tank removal.

And there may be additional site access restrictions for a historical site - adding to oil tank removal costs.

But, then, why are we removing the oil tank? If it has leaked it must be removed and the spill cleaned-up.

If the tank has not leaked (prove by testing) then it may make more sense to abandon the tank in place. See OIL TANK ABANDONING PROCEDURE in the INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES found at the end of this article .

On 2019-03-20 by Marcy

Can you remove a buried fuel tank in a historical house built in the 1600's? It is now a restaurant.

On 2019-02-23 by (mod) -

I would follow the advice in the article above

If the tank leaked you could face significant costs.

The tank should be properly abandoned

On 2019-02-21 by Marion

Looking at a 60 year old house with an empty oil tank under a paved carport. Natural gas conversion 30 years ago Is this an issue? What should I look out for? Most people say it was a 500 gallon and likely pumped for the cash. The house is a part of an estate

On 2018-12-09 by (mod) -

Underground,

In general I think you're absolutely correct that a buried oil tank needs a two-line oil delivery System bus including a return line.

I recall years ago servicing and oil burner that was fed by a single line from a buried oil tank. The total lift of the fuel unit was very close to the limit of what the pump could handle. I was having frequent service outages and ultimately traced the problem to the use of just a single oil line. When we converted the pump to a two lines sister we never had another problem.

On 2018-12-08 by Underground oil tank need return lin

Underground oil tank need return line

On 2018-03-24 by (mod) -

Dale there could be other site or piping requirements that would amend my opinion but basically the tank is buried deep enough that ground cover is deep enough to protect the tank top and to support growth of grass. So the tank top may be just 2 feet or more below the surface. This presumes we don't have a problem of exposing the tank to vehiclular traffic. If that were the case other measures would be needed to protect it from damage.

On 2018-03-24 by Dale

How deep does an oil tank have to be buried into the ground?

On 2018-03-24 by (mod) - How deep does an oil tank have to be buried

Dale there could be other site or piping requirements that would amend my opinion but basically the tank is buried deep enough that ground cover is deep enough to protect the tank top and to support growth of grass.

So the tank top may be just 2 feet or more below the surface.

This presumes we don't have a problem of exposing the tank to vehiclular traffic.

If that were the case other measures would be needed to protect it from damage.

On 2018-03-24 by Dale

How deep does an oil tank have to be buried into the ground?

On 2018-02-19 by (mod) - test and inspect before fooling with an old oil tank

Before touching the tank I would suggest having it inspected and having the soil tested to document that there have been no leaks or spills. That will avoid any encumbrance or delay when you are selling your property.

On 2018-02-18 by Stacey

our property has a disused above ground gas tank that we used to keep gas for our motor boats and cars in. It has not been used for around 40 years. We had the property appraised but the appraiser did not see the tank, I'm not sure how he missed it. What should we do from here.

On 2018-02-03 by (mod) -

The *potential* liability for you as a buyer of a property where there were buried fuel tanks and a welding shop is financial ruin from tremendous contaminated site cleanup costs IF in fact there were fuel leaks or chemical spills from the welding operation and products it used.

It would be reasonable for a seller to give to the buyer the results of oil tank removal documents, including proof that appropriate inspections and tests were performed to assure that there was no leakage and that the tank(s) were properly removed. You and your lawyer would review such documents for reliability and accountability before proceeding.

As for a more general "seller document removing you from future liability" I doubt that such a document is legally feasible nor viable.

Given my amateur familiarity with real estate law, no buyer should rely on a seller representation that a site is generically or totally free of such hazards and no seller's lawyer is likely to recommend such a warranty; from the buyers' view, if you faced a large expense you might never collect from the seller; from the seller's view they want to be free of risk and hazard once having sold the property rather than being tied to it forever.

A property buyer needs to do their own due diligence, including where appropriate, inspections and environmental investigations or tests.

On 2018-02-03 by Lou

Looking to purchase a property in PA, was a gas station in the early 70’s and converted to a welding shop in the late 70’s... the owner of the property removed the oil tank 10 years ago. What is the liability for me as a buyer if soil tests were not done when the tanks were removed ? Should I walk away or is there a document the seller can sign removing me from any current or future liability?
Thank you

On 2017-11-10 by Anna

I am selling a house which was a gas station 50-70 years ago. The gas tanks have been removed in the past and I have a letter from city detailing that. Do I need to disclose to new buyers that this was a gas station once before since there is no tanks in the ground???

On 2017-09-20 by (mod) -

Exo

If there had been a gas station at a property I were buying I would not consider proceeding without

- documentation that there have been no leak issues that have not been addressed to the satisfaction of your state or provincial authorities

- if necessary, added soil or other tests to confirm no leakage if your attorney is not 100% confident in the existing documentation

- if the tank is not to be used it needs to be abandoned properly and legally;

depending on tank type, size, history, leak history, and the local laws where you live, it may not be permitted to keep it in place - removal could be required. (some tanks can be emptied, cleaned, tested, filled, abandoned in place)

On 2017-09-20 18:49:42.698863 by Exondra

I'm looking at commercial property that had a gas station at one end. The underground oil tank is certified but the side of the building it's on would be good for a parking lot. Is it safe to cement over it, or should I just look into having the whole thing removed?

On 2017-08-20 by (mod) -

I'm left shooting in the dark, Mike with no idea of the age of the home itself nor any other useful information.

But in general I would want some assurance that a buried oil storage tank is intact and has not leaked or that there was prior testing and the tank was properly abandoned and that all of that was reliably documented before I'd buy a property.

The cost of having to clean up an oil leak can be substantial.

On 2017-08-18 by Mike

I am looking into buying a home but there is no information on age or quality of underground tank. Should I be concerned with this? Would I have to worry about a possible leak or damage in the future?

On 2017-07-16 by Harvey Sandler

I have owned a property for nearly 10 years. I am selling my property but the potential buyers want to do a soil test. A tank was pulled by the previous owners. If there was an oil spill, would I be liable for the cleanup?

On 2017-07-13 by (mod) -

Steph:

There are potential health risks to heating oil exposure, given in detail at

HEATING OIL EXPOSURE HAZARDS, LIMITS

(found by using the search box above to look for "heating oil hazards")

Depending on where you live, federal, state, or provincial regulations may require that abandoned oil tanks be emptied, cleaned and filled-in-place (to avoid another safety worry: a cave-in hazard) or removed. Oil spills or leaks that contaminated the soil are also removed by removing the oil-contained soil itself.

In addition most jurisdictions require that an oil spill or leak be reported to the proper authorities within 24 hours.

See OIL TANK LEAK & ABANDONMENT REGULATIONS

Check with your state or provincial department of environmental conservation or regulation to get some action.

On 2017-07-13 by (mod) -

Steph:

There are potential health risks to heating oil exposure, given in detail at

HEATING OIL EXPOSURE HAZARDS, LIMITS https://inspectapedia.com/oiltanks/Fuel_Oil_Exposure_Limits.php

(found by using the search box above to look for "heating oil hazards")

Depending on where you live, federal, state, or provincial regulations may require that abandoned oil tanks be emptied, cleaned and filled-in-place (to avoid another safety worry: a cave-in hazard) or removed. Oil spills or leaks that contaminated the soil are also removed by removing the oil-contained soil itself.

In addition most jurisdictions require that an oil spill or leak be reported to the proper authorities within 24 hours.

See OIL TANK REGULATIONS at https://inspectapedia.com/oiltanks/Oil_Tank_Regulations.php

Check with your state or provincial department of environmental conservation or regulation to get some action.

On 2017-07-13 by steph

we live right below an old prune dryer with at least 2 old tanks, you can see the oil in the soil and pavement,and in the water lines.Although one water line was replaced, the water lines to 4 trailers are right beside were the old crued oil is coming down hill.

THESE TANKS WERE PUMPED OR AT LEAST THEY TRIED TO PUMP THEM OUT SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WHAT IS ARE HEALTH RISK???we were told bye the man pumping them that the crued oil was to old to pump out..

On 2017-06-29 by denise

my old oil tank is in my basement not underground do I HAVE TO REMOVE IT TO PASS HOME INSPECTION I COVERTED TO GAS?

I converted from oil to gas must I remove old oil tank prior to home inspection?

On 2016-11-02 by Thelma

sold a home as is, after sell a tank was found, who is responsible for the tank

On 2016-10-03 by Meg

We bought a house a year ago and in addition to our standard inspection we hired a company to sweep for an oil tank prior to closing.

They did not find one and issued a certificate saying one was not there. We have now found a fill pipe and vent pipe in our yard.

The tank is apparently at least partially under a patio and they did not use GPR and say so in the cert.

But the vent pipe is clearly visible and the cert also says they checked for pipes. As an added detail, we specifically asked that this area be checked because there is an old pool buried in the yard and we wanted to make sure that's all there was.

What is the inspection company's liability?

Also, it seems we have grounds for negligence, but they have grounds for denial because of the patio, but considering no one would want to go to court, how would a tank inspection company likely respond when we bring this to their attention?

On 2016-09-24 by (mod) -

Winoka I cannot explain why a home is where it is by a simple e-text, but I can speculate that the property used to be a gas station or a gas depot.

You would not buy such a property without extensive investigation; an old gas tank, even empty, needs to be properly abandoned including testing for spills and proper tank fill-in if the tank is not required to be removed.

On 2016-09-22 by Winoka isom

Just a week from today I was in the process of purchasing a home when I found out by the appraisal that the house sits on top of a gas tank never heard of this. Please explain asap. Very Disappointed.

On 2016-09-05 by Daryl Long

Greetings,
Is there a way to find out if there is an oil tank buried under an asphalt parking lot, without the need to dig through the asphalt? If so, what is a reasonable expectation range of the cost? (I am working with a non-profit that needs to understand the status before purchasing the building.)

Thank you,
daryl

On 2016-05-30 by (mod) -

Anon:

Usually the air vent is piped up right next to the fill-pipe so that the oil delivery driver can listen at the vent to know when the tank is full. But sometimes some dope puts the air vent somewhere else, more remote, making life difficult. Look around for that second pipe near the oil tank itself or near the building wall.

On 2016-05-27 by Anonymous

Where is the air vent of an underground tank usually located?

On 2015-10-28 by Anonymous

WHAT ARE THE LAWS ON OLD UNDERGROUND OIL TANKS THAT NEED TO BE REMOVED BEFORE SELLING A HOUSE

Question: does a buried waste oil tank leak?

I'm interested in leasing an automotive shop. Does a buried waste oil tank leak? And what's the average life expectancy? According to landlord, he states it been there for about 20 years and can last 60 to 80 years because there is no evaporation...is it true? Thanks in advance for your help - M.M.

Reply:

A competent onsite inspection by an expert usually finds additional clues that help accurately assess the condition of an oil storage tank, and of course to know reliably what's going on you'd need to have soil testing performed.

And a Maryland study indeed reported leaks at waste oil storage tanks, though the leaks occurred more in oil piping & fittings than in the tanks themselves, and the leak rates depended also on where the tank was located (urban vs rural) and on soil conditions and other factors. [3]

That said, here are some things to consider:

• Steel underground storage tank life varies widely depending on variables such as soil conditions and care of installation. But your landlord's estimate of 80 years is in my opinion unjustified in its optimism. Details on typical oil tank life expectancy are at Oil Tank Failure Data but that data is for tanks storing home heating oil, not acidic,corrosive waste oil.
• The remark you report that the buried oil tank life would be expected to be 80 years because " there is no evaporation " is simply nonsense. Evaporation does not play any role that I've been able to find in the life of an oil tank, buried or above ground. In fact there are some reasons to expect that a buried tank has greater risk of water intrusion, an important source of corrosion and eventual perforation of and leaks out of the tank.
• Finally, as a non-expert but one familiar with the issues of buried oil tank leakage, it seems to me that waste oil - what you report as the contents of this tank, is likely to be more corrosive and still more of a serious contaminant if leaked into the environment than home heating oil or even new fresh motor oil.
  
  Waste oil removed from vehicles is higher in heavy metals and other contaminants and may also be more corrosive (because it has become more acidic) than fresh oil of other forms. Waste oil (used motor oil) is considered by the US EPA to be "a major source of oil contamination of waterways and can result in pollution of drinking water sources" [ref: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/usedoil/ ]
• http://www.epa.gov/wastes/inforesources/pubs/orientat/rom32.pdf from the US EPA includes waste oil as a "hazardous waste"
• http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/usedoil/usedoil.htm provides US EPA advice on defining "used oil", hazardous or contaminated used oil, and how used oil should be handled. Used oil can be recycled or it can be processed and burned for energy recovery.

Question: is it ok to build over a properly filled oil tank?

(Sept 1, 2014) ken said:
is it ok to build over a properly filled oil tank?

Reply:

Ken

You'd think so, if the tank was filled with a non-crushable material such as sand. However "build over" deserves some qualification.

1. I'd want documentation that the tank never leaked, including soil tests if necessary - to avoid a much more costly future requirement for an investigation and to avoid a resale obstacle

2. I'd not have a structure bear on the tank; and its location may interfere with piers or footings - facts that need to be taken into consideration during design

...

Continue reading at BURIED OIL TANKS, OUTDOOR CLUES or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Buried Oil Tank Articles

• BURIED OIL STORAGE TANKS (UST) GUIDE - home
• BURIED OIL TANK REPORTS
• OIL TANK, BURIED, FINDING
• BURIED OIL TANKS, INDOOR CLUES
• BURIED OIL TANKS, OUTDOOR CLUES
• BURIED OIL TANK REPORTS
• BURIED OIL TANKS, OUTDOOR CLUES
• OIL TANK HISTORY REVIEW
• SPHERICAL OIL STORAGE TANKS - the HORTON SPHERE
• OIL TANK WATER CONTAMINATION
• OIL or SEPTIC TANKS FLOATING UP

Suggested citation for this web page

OIL TANK, BURIED, FAQs at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to HEATING OIL, OIL BURNERS, OIL FIRED HEATERS, OIL TANKS

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