Oil Tank Sweep in Bergen County, NJ

Oil Tank Issues in Bergen County

The problem is that, with time, these idle buried oil tanks start to oxidize and rust, which means that oil can leak out causing an oil spill in your backyard. It can flow onto your neighbor’s property, and waterways, resulting in soil and water contamination. Additionally, an underground oil tank represents a major expense in Bergen County, and you will need to remove the oil tank along with any contamination cleanup. 

The homeowner (seller) faces financial risk as having an oil tank can adversely impact the price of that particular property, and the owner can face substantial legal liability under various New Jersey laws for environmental damage.

EPA and NJDEP regulations made homeowners responsible for any leakage, thus making underground oil tanks a liability to both sellers and buyers. Like other home maintenance and improvement services, an oil tank sweep in Bergen County, NJ homes can help in preserving the value of your home. Also, it is advised that the home buyers include the possibility of the existence of oil tanks on their due diligence list when looking to buy a home.  

How Do I Get to Know That I Have an Oil Tank On My Property?

Many homeowners aren’t aware of the presence of the oil tank on their property until they go to sell their homes or if they need a certification for insurance purposes. So, how to tell if you have an oil tank? The most reliable way to determine is by ordering an oil tank sweep in Bergen County, NJ from a qualified company. If your home was built before 1975, there is a good chance that there is an oil tank present, but don’t just rely on this. 

Here are a few ways things in addition to advanced scanning technology that your oil tank sweep technician will look for:

Filler pipes sticking out of the ground – Filler pipes were used to add fuel to the oil tanks when they were in use. These pipes can be found at the exterior of the home and sometimes these pipes will go through the foundation walls of the home. When oil tanks are removed the fill pipes are removed or cut off and filled with concrete. If you find pipes sticking out of the ground, it means that either the tank is there or was removed by a hack. 

Vent pipe at the side of the house – Vent pipes were used to vent excess vapors from the interior of the tank lowering the risk of explosion. Vent pipes are usually attached to the house vertically on the outer wall, look for it carefully. Many homeowners do not know what these pipes are for, they paint over them when painting the exterior of the house. If the vent pipe is painted the same color as the exterior, it may go unnoticed for years.

Emergency oil burner shut off switch – This is another sign to look for. This emergency switch can be located near the staircase and says ‘Emergency’ and have a toggle feature. This was used when the tank was refilled as well as shut it off in the event of a fire, flood or earthquake. 

A sunken area in the lawn or backyard – Over time the oil tank on your property can collapse from years of deterioration and the weight of the soil. However, finding a sunken area on your property doesn’t necessarily mean there is an oil tank. If you notice a depression that happened recently or has consistently sunken over time, you may want to have an oil tank sweep in Bergen County, NJ. 

Signs of oil in the basement – It is not common for an oil tank to leak into your basement, however, as oil tank is located very close to the home, there is always a risk that this may happen. The first sign of this would be a sudden odor of fuel oil in the basement, oil leaking through the cracks. 

If any of the above-mentioned things are on your property, this could specify that you have or earlier had an fuel tank buried on your property. A professional oil tank sweep in Bergen County, NJ homes will determine this with certainty. 

What Happens If You Have an Oil Tank on Your Property?

You need to be proactive in managing the situation, whether you want to sell the property soon or down the years. As a property owner, you are responsible for maintaining, repairing, upgrading, and removing the oils tank as well as paying for any contamination cleanup. You also need to get it removed by a reliable oil tank sweep  or oil tank removal services provider in Bergen County, NJ as removing the underground oil tank is dangerous and requires highly trained and certified companies with the right expertise and equipment.

Get an Oil Tank Sweep and Protect Your Investment

In Bergen County, NJ, the seller will provide a buyer with the Property Disclosure Statement (PDS) mentioning the number of potential defects on the property including the presence of an underground oil tank. You should check to see if the seller has any record of an oil tank sweep and/or removal that was done in the past. If the seller states that the property is free of any underground oil tank and/or is not contaminated, which later proves to be incorrect, then the seller is liable for the wrong statement.  

If there is a suspicion that there may be an underground oil tank, and the seller is not able to confirm that, the buyer is advised to make oil tank sweep in Bergen County, NJ homes to satisfy themselves that there is no oil tank buried and the property is not contaminated.