Is There Sand In your Underground Oil Tank?
If you reside in New Jersey, you likely have an oil tank on your property if you are a homeowner. Oil tanks require regular maintenance, and you will need to follow specific underground oil tank regulations to ensure that your tank is not emitting toxins into your soil or onto your property. The tank should only contain safe substances that will benefit you and your loved ones. Even if you are not using the oil tank, oil maintenance is necessary if the container remains on your property.
Why Is There Sand In the Oil Tank?
When a homeowner decides to switch to natural gas instead of using traditional gas methods for heating, the homeowner may choose to fill the oil tank with sand. Foam is often used to fill inactive oil tanks as well. These materials are inert and will not cause damage to the container or to the soil where it is buried. If the tank is no longer a heating oil tank, the sand can keep the tank stable and prevent rust and corrosion.
Should The Oil Tank Be Removed?
Underground oil tank removal is necessary when the oil tank is no longer in use and may be leaking petroleum or hazardous gases into the soil. According to construction codes, a closed tank is best. Some oil tanks are buried beneath homes or structures like patios, driveways, or decks. When a container is in an inconvenient location, some construction codes will allow homeowners to excavate part of the tank, remove the oil from the tank, and fill the tank with sand.
The oil that is old and rusted can pose a severe safety and health hazard, and if you smell oil or toxic gas on your property, it is essential to call an oil tank removal company right away. There are financial, legal consequences to not tending to an oil tank as soon as possible if there is an oil leak.
Oil can move from the tank shell into the soil where it becomes an environmental hazard.
The Oil Tank Removal Process
The first part of the process is the tank location, which happens before removal. Metal detectors are often used to find oil tanks on the residential and commercial property. Oil tank removal professionals may also inspect your basement for broken pipes, the smell of gas or oil stains on the basement floor.
Once specialists find the tank, special tools are used to remove the tank. Oil or toxic gases are vacuumed and removed from your property after removing the tank. The vacuuming process ensures that these dangerous materials are not ingested and will not come in contact with the skin. Toxic gases and oils can sometimes leak into the soil and affect your crops and garden plants, so removing an oil tank reduces the chances that your family will become sick from toxin exposure.
Contact All American Environmental, located in Lake Hopatcong, NJ servicing Morris County, Sussex County as well as the surrounding counties. Our expert team is happy to answer your questions and explain the proper procedures for oil tank cleaning services. We work according to state mandates, so you can be sure that your oil tank is repaired according to authorized standards. Get in touch with us today to set up your consultation and appointment.
