What To Do About Abandoned Oil Tanks



Posted: Saturday, May 13, 2006

by
Accurate Inspections, Inc

If you suspect an underground fuel tank that is no longer in use exists you must take action before you purchase the home. State regulations generally require the proper abandonment or removal of underground fuel storage tanks that are no longer in use. The existence of the tank must be verified and addressed prior to expiration of your inspection contingency. Discuss the implications of such a tank with your Attorney. In New Jersey the Department of Community Affairs, Construction Code Element, CN 816, Trenton, NJ 08625-0816 (609) 984-3156. DCA Bulletins 95-1B & 95-1D provide information that may pertain to this situation.

If heating fuels have been changed, the chimney must be cleaned (to determine if damage to the chimney interior has occurred), inspected and repaired or lined if necessary by a chimney sweep prior to expiration of your inspection contingency to avoid a potentially hazardous condition. The result of not having a safe chimeny can be fatal!





Michael Del Greco is President of Accurate Inspections, Inc. A New Jersey home inspection firm. He has performed thousands of home inspections in New Jersey since 1993. He has taught the New Jersey Home Inspector Licensing classes and New Jersey Home Inspector CEU classes as well as participated in developing questions for the National Home Inspector Exam. Michael's home inspector resume may be viewed at http://www.mdelgreco.com

Visit http://home-inspector.NewJerseyHomeInspection.com for a list of home inspectors in New Jersey.

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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)
» left by Anonymous 5 years 236 days ago.
We are interested in purchasing a home in New Jersey with an "abandoned" underground oil tank. The township has no record on file of the tank in question being properly shut down. The only soil test the seller has is from 1988 and was passed on to him from the original owner. How long is a soil test good for?
» left by M.DelGreco Home Inspector
from West Paterson, NJ 5 years 233 days ago.
There is simply no way I would accept a 18 year old document that I can not authenticate. Bottom line is pay $400 for new soil test that are yours and you will have a peson responsible to you perform the test.
» left by Janine from Oakland, NJ 1 year 173 days ago.
We are in the process of purchasing a house with an abandoned oil tank. The current home owners have documentation from the town dated 1999 which is when they closed. HOwever, the town no longer has records of the abandonment or soil samples as their records do not pre-date 1995. The current homeowners also claim they do not know where the tank is burried. We are concerned it might be burried under an addition which is now the master bedroom. Can you build on top of an abandoned oil tank? Other than the town is there any place else we can go to find out where the tank is and when it was abandoned?
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