Advice for Underground Oil Tanks in Ann Arbor

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What do you do if you have purchased a house with an underground oil tank?

• You may have a newer gas furnace which gives no hint that there was an oil tank.
• You can examine the sellers disclosure or the tax records may show there was an oil furnace and underground tank at one time.
• Your inspector may provide insight during the inspection too.
• Historical information about the site may be collected.
• Oil company records may be checked for indications of deliveries or of prior tank service or removal.
• Ground scanning radar may be employed to locate large buried metal objects. Common sense observation of details, such as the location and placement of oil tank fill and vent piping, if present, can indicate the probable size and type of tanks in some cases.
• Building interior inspection for abandoned oil piping or fuel lines, or patch-marks on foundation walls where such lines may have been removed.
• An examination of the history of the property's heating systems - what equipment has been present, removed, changed can be done.

How do you make sure the tank was decommissioned?

• The tank may have been removed by previous owners and sellers have no knowledge. If the sellers did have it removed, they should provide (if available) a statement from the excavator as to the condition of the tank. Residential oil tanks usually have a capacity of 1000 gallons and are filled to 80 percent capacity, so leaking is not a catastrophe by comparison.
• If the seller is aware of an old tank not in use, we suggest that it be air compressed to determine no evidence of leaking and removal with the excavator inspecting and attesting to no evidence of leaks. Pictures are important during the excavation to show future buyers that there were no leaks. The tank can be filled in-place. If leaking was evident, the DEQ should be consulted to determine the course of action.

What if the house is still fueled by oil?

• You can continue to use the existing tank.
• You can consider installing a tank above ground, however, a new tank can involve significant expense.

All options can be explored during the due diligence from the buyer and the Seller should investigate before putting the property on the market. Every property is different, and each client has different needs. Washtenaw County Health Department is a good source of information and can be contacted at 734-222-3800.

Kathy Toth & Team
http://www.kathytoth.com