September 25th, 2020
Around 5.5 million households throughout the United States are reliant on heating oil to heat their homes. Whether your current home uses heating oil, or you’re looking into a new home that has an oil tank, there are a few things you should know about oil tank removal. While heating oil tanks do typically last peacefully for several years, these tanks will degrade over time. Through moisture and shifting soils, heating oil tanks can rust and disintegrate, causing the heating oil to leak out into the surrounding soil. When this oil comes into contact with the soil, it not only contaminates the soil but may leak into the groundwater supplying fresh water to homes and wildlife throughout your area.
The life expectancy of the average underground heating oil tank is around 20 years, but this isn’t a steadfast rule. An underground oil tank may last for as many as 30 years before rusting, or it may begin to fail in as little as 15. The bottom line is that, due to the oil tank’s location in the ground, you may not know the exact state your oil tank is in at any given time. If a heating oil tank is suspected of leaking, it needs to be removed promptly and the surrounding soil tested and treated without delay.
Questions About Oil Tank Removal
For homeowners who have never had to deal with the removal of an oil tank before, a lot of questions surround the process. Some frequently asked underground oil tank removal questions answered are:
Why does corrosion occur? – Most heating oil tanks are made from strong iron based metals. While these metals are a safe and sturdy option at first, they’re prone to corrosion due to rust as they are exposed to the elements. As the oil tank rests in the ground, it’s constantly exposed to the very elements and conditions that cause corrosion in the first place.
How are tanks and soil tested? – Soil borings are pulled from the ground around the heating oil tank, and then tested for the presence of petroleum. If oil is found to be in the surrounding soil, a complete oil tank removal and soil remediation process will be the next steps.
What is the cost? – The cost of removing an underground oil tank will vary depending on the size of the tank, if a leak has been detected, and the location of the tank itself. A small tank that is located under lawn that is easy to dig will be more affordable to remove than a larger tank located under what is now a driveway or patio.
Safe And Efficient Removal
The only way to clear yourself from any risk of oil tank leak or damage is to have the oil tank removed. If you’re looking for a professional service that can safely remove your oil tank, or test your surrounding soil, contact us at Meridian Environmental Services Inc today.
