Written on: March 6, 2023
When it comes to replacing your heating oil tank, early is much better and less expensive than too late.
Last year, a couple near Boston faced a six-figure bill for remediation costs after their basement heating oil tank failed.
Kimlin Energy is here to help with expert heating oil tank installation and removal services. We also offer wireless tank monitoring so you never need to worry about having enough heating oil in the winter again.
Today’s heating oil tanks that we install are light years ahead of tanks from a few decades ago. They’re double-walled, with a seamless interior tank and exterior outer tank designed to hold more than the capacity of the interior tank. These advances among others help tanks last longer while protecting your home from damage caused by tank failure.
The average life expectancy for an aboveground or basement heating oil tank is 25 years. It’s imperative to regularly inspect your heating oil tank. If you discover any irregularities, get in touch with Kimlin Energy promptly so we can review the tank and start making plans for a replacement if necessary.
To keep your heating oil tank in good condition, it is wise to keep it full during the spring and summer months. If there is too much empty space when temperatures warm up, condensation will occur which then results in sediment accumulation that corrodes the tank from within.
The answer to this depends on whether the tank is aboveground, in your basement, or underground.
Underground tanks. Before an underground oil tank is removed, any residual oil must be removed, and the interior of the tank adequately cleaned. Upon completion of those tanks, the professionals will detach the tank from its site with specialized tools before towing it away on a trailer. Subsequently, the tank will be disposed of according to state and local regulations.
Aboveground and basement tanks. The first step is to use a specialized hose to extract the remaining salvageable oil from your tank. From there, the technician cuts the tank open and carefully removes the accumulated sludge inside it. Once the oil is drained and sediment cleared, it’s time to sever the pipes. After they are taken away from their base, then the tank will either be further cut up and removed or removed whole.
Removing your home’s heating oil tank is most emphatically not a do-it-yourself project.
Local and state regulations mandate that this project is done by a trained professional. In many municipalities, not only are permits (often, building and plumbing) required for heating oil tank removal, but there is also a required inspection once the tank is removed.
Doing it yourself can lead to spills that require costly cleanups and potential fines.
Ready to replace your heating oil tank? Contact the pros at Kimlin Energy today to get started!