A key point that people overlook if any oil is found at the burial depth of a tank the tank is leaking.
Is my underground oil tank leaking.
The first clue that a homeowner has in discerning if their oil tank is leaking is a sudden change in the heating bill.
Outdoor oil tank leak.
The risks of an underground oil tank range from environmental and legal to financial and health related.
If you have an underground oil tank your risk of having an oil leak is high and whether you have one now or end up having one later the cost of cleaning up contaminated soil and water sources ranges from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Even larger tanks that were specifically designed for underground use will leak if they are not protected from corrosion.
How do you address an oil tank leak.
If you smell oil and you see it on the floor near or beneath the tank during a visual inspection you know you have a leak.
Risks of buried oil tanks.
There are dead plants above your oil tank.
Oil tanks can be found underground or above the ground.
It is relatively easy to detect an indoor oil tank leak.
If your neighbor s well or water supply becomes contaminated there is an oil tank leak affecting the water table.
If an underground oil tank at a property is 15 20 years old the chances of a leak are high and you need to have the tank tested.
First if your oil tank sprouts a leak the cost of cleaning the contaminated soil and water can stretch into thousands of dollars.
A typical leaking underground storage tank lust scenario involves the release of a fuel product from an underground storage tank ust that can contaminate surrounding soil groundwater or surface waters or affect indoor air spaces.
Indoor oil tank leak.
If the weather has not undergone extreme changes yet the heating bill has begun to rise it is possible that oil is beginning to seep from the tank.
Insurance may only cover a portion of these costs further increasing your risk.
Even if the tank is not leaking now and has not already leaked if there is an old buried steel tank at a property you should plan on replacing it before it leaks not afterwards.
A good indication of an oil tank leak is if the vegetation over your oil tank is dying.
If you notice a pronounced smell of oil in your home or around your property it is a good indication that you have an underground oil tank leak.
These tanks were not designed to be buried and if left in place will eventually corrode and leak.
If you notice this smell it is of the utmost importance that you address the leak as soon as possible because if it continues it could affect the health and well being of you and your family.
Soil sampling around an oil tank is one of if not the most reliable way to evaluate an oil tank for leaks.
Kind of like pregnant not pregnant.