Aside from saying goodbye to exorbitantly high heating bills and wrangling oil deliveries over the phone, one of the most satisfying parts of ditching fuel oil is getting rid of the rusty 275-gallon oil tank in your basement. In addition to taking up valuable space and generally being an eyesore, those hulking storage tanks are potential environmental hazards. A leaky tank can wind up causing serious ecological damage and cost you thousands of dollars. Here is what every homeowner looking to upgrade to a cleaner, more efficient, and cost-effective heating system should know about safely disposing of those old, rusted oil storage behemoths lurking in their basements.
Removing Storage Tanks
- Contact your local removal contractor
The first thing a removal contractor will do is extract the reusable oil from your tank using a special explosion-proof pump. If you heat your home with oil, you know how expensive every gallon is, so instead of letting it go to waste, that oil can be filtered and reused. Some contractors will pay you for the oil or reimburse you for it by taking the value of it off of your bill. - Get rid of the oil & sludge
Over time, rust, water, bacteria, and other refuse will settle into a thick sludge at the bottom of your tank. After professionals pump out the salvageable oil, they cut open the tank with a metal blade. They then carefully clean out the remaining sludge inside. Workers usually scrape the sludge out by hand and remove it in buckets to a sealed drum. That thick slurry can then be recycled for heavy industrial use. - Detach the pipes from the foundation
After workers remove the oil and clean out the sludge, they cut the pipes and take them out of the foundation. Next, they either cut the oil tank into smaller pieces or carry it out whole. - Discard your oil tank
Even after a thorough cleaning, the tank remains contaminated. You cannot take it to a standard solid waste station. Qualified contractors haul old storage tanks to approved hazardous waste sites. There, the tanks are treated and eventually sold for scrap.
Hazards & Costs of Removing Storage Tanks
Underground Storage Tanks
Underground oil tanks, also called underground storage tanks (USTs), pose a major environmental hazard. A certified professional must remove them. In many states, officials directly supervise the removal process.
While the cost of excavating an underground storage tank varies depending on the degree of contamination and your local clean-up standards, the EPA estimates that UST removal will run you anywhere from $10,000 to over $1 million, with an average cost of $130,000. Most states require underground storage tanks to be registered and homeowners are required to disclose their presence when selling the house. If you think your home may have one, you should reach out to a professional as soon as possible. The longer underground storage tanks remain buried the more likely they are to leak and the worse, and more expensive, those leaks will become.
Aboveground Storage Tanks
By keeping your fuel oil above the board, homeowners can ostensibly see signs of corrosion or even oil leaks before they become major hazards. Some more modern tanks even come with leak detection systems, UV-resistant coating, and different designs to prevent condensation that can lead to rusting.
Some states and municipalities require homeowners to register aboveground storage tanks. They also enforce regular inspections by a qualified professional to ensure the tanks are safely sealed. In most places, however, storage tanks under 1,100 gallons aren’t regulated. Homeowners must check for leaks or corrosion on their own. Regardless of the regulation, it’s a good idea to have your oil tanks inspected at least once a year. If you’re already getting your oil furnace serviced annually, it’s easy enough to ask the technician to give your tanks a once-over.
The average cost of removing an aboveground storage tank in New York State is around $2,600. As we’ve pointed out, fuel oil is extremely toxic and highly flammable, so only professionals should remove it. A permitted firm in your area must handle storage tank removal. Be sure to confirm that they carry pollution liability insurance. In many cases, the easiest step is to call your local fire department. They usually issue permits and can recommend qualified contractors.
The Cleaner Alternative to Replacing Your Oil Tank
Homeowners with compromised or aging tanks who stay with fuel oil can spend up to $3,800 on a new tank. On top of that, they face sky-high heating bills. It’s no surprise that more homeowners are switching to cleaner, more efficient systems like geothermal. Geothermal uses renewable energy beneath your lawn. It provides heating in the winter and hyper-efficient central AC in the summer.
Dandelion Geothermal Systems are the most high-performing and energy-efficient HVAC geothermal systems available. In a typical 2,500-square-foot home, homeowners can look forward to a 53% reduction in annual heating & cooling costs and up to a 75% reduction in their home’s CO2 emissions. You can install a Dandelion system with no money down and start seeing big savings from day one.
Make the switch to Geothermal for $0 down financing.
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