A follw up on oil tank questions

[Dan Mages]

Hi all.

Everything is now official with our move to Connecticut. We visited the Westville neighborhood of New Haven and are quite happy with it. I have a few more questions about oil tanks.

One person said that I should not allow a pressure test on the tank since it may cause a failure in the tank. What type of tank should I ask for?

What concerns should I be aware of or look for with above-ground tanks?

Dan

[Mitchell Andrus]

I worked for a company for 8 years.. all we did was remove oil tanks and clean up the mess they made.

Assuming you mean an in-ground tank... I recommend that you perform a test that will comply with the state's requirements, that will not harm the tank nor agravate any existing condition and provide immediate results. There's only one.... Hire a company that will hand drill two small borings next to the tank. Collect a soil sample from a depth equal to the bottom of the tank plus a foot or two.

If there's oil leaking from it, you'll know. It'll smell. If it doesn't smell, send the sample to a lab for third party proof of a tight condition.

On the day you close on the house, pull the tank out of the ground. No kidding. I've $een too many home$ torn down becau$e of a few gallon$ $oaking into the ground, following the footing and seeping into the basement. That's nearly impossible to clean up without jacking the house up or tearing it down and.... well..... How about a back yard with 150 gallons of oil which leaked into the basement and then ejected by the sump pump on a very rainy weekend. Five neighbor's properties were affected as were two miles of storm drains, a small stream.....

Everybody with an underground oil tank, check your homeowner's policy.

Above ground tanks are now typically double hulled. You'd be nuts not to spend a few extra bucks for one of these whether out in the yard or in the basement.

[Peter Stahl]

I didn't know what to ask for I just needed a tank because the one in the ground had leaked water into it. It appeared to have been the fill tube but didn't want to mess with it. Before I move I had it pulled from the groung by a certified contractor. Go to a good Plumbing and Heating supply and ask questions. Don't think there are that many different choices for oil tanks. Ask before you buy the house that they don't have a tank in the ground, get it out if they do as they can cost a lot of money down the road.

Just did a Google search, lot of different tanks out there. Fiberglass, Oblong, Round, Single wall, Double Wall, sizes 137, 275, 300 and 330 gallon capacities. Go with what you feel safe with. If you're in a cold climate paint it a dark color.

Here's a link www.gov.ns.ca/enla/petroleum/docs/OilTankGuide.pdf with lots of good info, it's from Canada ah. They know about heating a house with oil up there, that's for sure.

[Rob Russell]

If the tank is above ground (in my part of CT, they are almost always in the basement) - I'd think a rust check is enough. You could have one of those pressure tested and, if it leaks, require that it be replaced and that would cost a whole lot less than an inground tank cleanup.