Oil Tank Removal
In the late 1960s and early 1970, many homes and businesses around the Vancouver area had aboveground and underground storage tanks installed on their properties. The aboveground tanks were cheaper than underground tanks and tend to be more prevalent in the area. The primary function of both types of tanks was to hold fuel to heat homes or as backup generators for commercial businesses. As urban growth in the region increased, outlying natural gas pipelines were laid and the use of aboveground and underground oil storage tanks decreased dramatically.
Today, laws have been implemented that state if a storage tank has not been functioning in the past two years then it needs to be removed from the property. Most underground and aboveground oil storage tanks only have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years, so many tanks in the region have reached and passed their heyday. They are now eroding, cracking and breaking which allows oil to sink into the surrounding soil.
Common Reasons for Oil Tank Removal
Many owners must have the tanks removed before they can sell the property, obtain a mortgage, or renew their homeowner’s insurance. Some people just opt to have the tanks removed in order to comply with local laws and to prevent potential leaks that might contaminate the area from occurring.
Environmental Dangers of Oil Tanks
Both above and underground oil tanks pose an environmental threat as they age. The chances of a tank leaking into the surrounding soil increase dramatically with each year that passes. At Tanktech Systems, we have found that approximately one in five underground tanks has started to leak at the time of removal. When a tank has started to leak, a property owner might notice a foul odour at the location of the tank, visible oil in the sumps, drains, or surrounding ditches.
Oil Tank Removal Quotes
At Tanktech Systems we take the process of oil tank removal very seriously. We have safely extracted thousands of aboveground and underground tanks. Generally, the oil tank removal process takes only one day to safely complete. Our trained professionals are willing to meet with the property owner free of cost and with no obligation to discuss the removal process. No job is too big or small for our team of professionals.
Certificate of Metal Detection for Oil Tank Removal
If a property owner is unsure if an underground tank exists on their property then we will be more than happy to send out one of our trained technicians to perform a scan to determine if there is a tank on the premises. If our technician does not locate a tank, then they will be more than happy to issue a Certificate of Metal Detection that states there is no tank on the property.
When a tank is detected on the property, our technician will provide the property owner with a quote stating how much the tank will cost to safely remove. If the property owner decides to have the tank removed then we will credit the cost of the metal detection towards the cost of the removal.
Oil Tank Removal Cost
The cost of oil tank removal varies from job to job. Generally, a property owner will be faced with spending approximately $1,100 to $2,500 for an underground storage tank. However, the exact cost will depend on the location of the tank, the tank’s overall size, condition, on the access of the tank, and the added cost of the landscaping to be re-established.
At Tanktech Environmental we take oil tank removal seriously. We are here to answer all of your questions.
Leave a Reply