Oil tank leaks are extremely damaging. They can cause environmental damage and put your family’s health at risk. Recognizing an oil tank leak is difficult when your oil tank is located underground. However, there are some obvious signs that your underground oil tank is leaking. Knowing these signs can help you identify a leak before it becomes a massive problem. Here are five signs your oil tank may be leaking.
Your Heating Bill Is Increasing
If your heating costs are slowly becoming more expensive or you’ve even noticed an extreme spike, it could be due to an underground oil tank leak. This is a great sign if there are no other contributing factors like you’ve increased the temperature on your thermostat. Review your heating bill and check the costs, if there’s something amiss, it’s likely an oil tank leak and you need to call a professional.
You Can Smell Oil
Oil vapors have a very distinct smell. A fully contained underground oil tank will protect against the smell of oil. If you notice that in your home or around your property, you can suddenly smell the oil, it may be a leak. Sometimes you can get used to the smell, so it’s a good idea to leave your property for a few hours, come back, and give it a sniff test to make sure there are no issues.
Dead Grass Or Plants
One of the best signs of an underground oil tank leak is the presence of dead vegetation above the oil tank. Plants do not thrive when there is oil in the soil. So they will begin dying. If you notice dead plants, you need to call an oil tank specialist immediately to do a soil test and check for any leaks. If a leak is causing vegetation to die, you may need to have full soil remediation done.
There’s A Sheen On Your Groundwater
Whenever it rains or you irrigate your lawn, check the standing water and puddles. If there is an oil sheen on the water, it’s possible you have a leak. An oil sheen often appears iridescent and catches the light, leaving a multicolor rainbow effect. If you notice a sheen on your groundwater, it’s a sign that oil has gotten into your soil.
Stains On Your Property
Another obvious sign is stain spots. These stain spots are usually golden to black brown and smell like oil. These stains often appear out of nowhere and in usual places. They don’t necessarily appear above or around the tank. If you notice these stains, you should call an oil tank specialist immediately.
At Meridian Environmental Services Inc., we can help you identify if your oil tank is leaking. We have a full panel of tests we run and can fix any oil tank issue. Give us a call if you’ve noticed any of these signs and we’ll help diagnose and repair the problem, keeping your family and your property safe.
