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Oil Tank Inspections - A Heating Oil Company's Oil Tank Inspection Checklist for residential home heating oil tanks InspectAPedia®  -   Oil Tank Inspection Checklist for home owners and building inspectors List of common oil tank defects discoverable by visual inspection

This document provides a checklist for visual inspection of oil storage tanks. It was provided by an experienced oil heat distributor who also offers oil heat service and other plumbing services in New York's Hudson Valley area. Oil companies who sell and deliver oil to commercial and private residential oil storage tanks issue warnings to their clients about possible oil tank leakage and offer some advice. This information is quoted from an information sheet and "checklist" provided by a New York heating oil contractor. Readers should see ABOVE GROUND OIL TANK INSPECTIONS.

Oil company service employees are using this checklist to perform a field check of residential heating oil tanks. The item(s) which the inspector feels are pertinent to the homeowner are simply circled, and the sheet is provided (in carbon copy form) to the homeowner.[Your attention is directed to item 5, in particular. It is possible that the chief function of this "inspection" is to attempt to reduce the liability of the oil company for future spills.

Note that at one installation, where two new oil tanks were installed and where there are no leaks, item 1 of the form below had *not* been marked.] Also see Visual Inspection of Above Ground Residential Heating Oil Storage Tanks - ASTs for photos and details of visibly detectable oil tank defects.

© Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

Buried or Above-Ground OIL TANK INSPECTION CHECKLIST

"In an effort to better serve our customers, we are telling you about the New York State Department of Environmental Law.

You, the customer, are legally responsible for your oil tank and connections.

An oil spill occurring because of an old and rotted tank, fill or vent pipes, could cause you a good deal of aggravation and possibly a great deal of money for a clean up.

Starting this year [ca 1995 or earlier-DJF.], in the course of our cleanings, we will inspect your fuel tank (for tanks which can be seen and gotten to) for any telltale signs of deterioration, and make our recommendation to you.

We highly suggest that you follow our recommendations!"

1. __ At this time the tank appears solid and leak free

2. __ Tank solid but showing signs of rust

3. __ Tank has extended rust and should be replaced

4. __ Tank is very rusted & pitted, metal getting thin. Should be replaced as soon as possible.

5.__ Tank is over 18 years, recommend replacement

6. __ You have an in ground tank between 10 and 18 years old, tank should be pressure tested. [Note: DJF disagrees. If you're going to test a tank, a soil test, which costs about the same as a pressure test, will be more definitive. A tank could have leaked previously, had piping repairs, and a leak could go undetected by pressure testing]

7. __ Your in ground tank has water in it. Tank should be pressure tested to find out why.

8. __ You have an in ground oil tank more than 18 years. Tank should be replaced with either an in ground fiberglass tank or a 275 gallon in house tank.

9. __ Pipe joint compound on fill or vent pipes dried out. Piping should be ���reworked.

10. __ Needs fill cap(s)

11. __ Fill piping pitched wrong way

12. __ Vent piping pitched wrong way

13. __ Vent too small

14. __ Vent plugged or improper venting

I _____________ have inspected the oil tank at this house and recommend the following
___________________(numbers from above entered here).

Comments:______________________________________________________

Age of tanks unknown __________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

I __________________________(homeowner name) residing at __________________

______________________________________________________________________

have read the above tank inspection report. The mechanic has explained his findings to me and made his recommendations to me.

Tank size_________________� Date____________

Location__________________��Signed___________________

(Thanks to Bob Juliano of Juliano Heating & Plumbing, Poughkeepsie, NY whose form is quoted.)

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Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

ABOVE GROUND OIL TANK INSPECTIONS
  INSPECT VISIBLE OIL TANKS
  OIL FILL & VENT
  OIL TANK SUPPORT
  ABANDONED INDOORS
  ABOVE GROUND OUTDOOR OIL TANKS
  OIL TANK HISTORY REVIEW
  OIL TANK CHECKLIST

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• National Association of Oil Heat Service Managers, PO Box 380, Elmwood Park, NJ 07407
• Oil Tanks - The Oil Storage Tank Information Website: Buried or Above Ground Oil Tank Inspection, Testing, Cleanup, Abandonment of Oil Tanks
• Abandon a Buried Oil Tank, How To - Abandoning Commercial Underground Tanks, Russ Brauksieck, ASHI Tech. Journal, Vol.3 No.1 Spring 1993, P. 40-41 [Reprint]
• Above Ground Oil Tanks: Visual Inspection of Oil Storage Tanks for evidence of leaks, damage, improper piping - photos and text
• Above Ground Oil Tanks Checklist, an Oil Company's advice
• Above Ground Tanks UL Standards, UL Tank Listing Standards, guidance for home owners, buyers, and inspectors
• Buried Oil Tanks - Finding How to Find Buried Oil Tanks and "Nearly Hidden" and Leaky Oil Tanks - photos and text.
• Buried Fuel tank - Advice - Buried FUEL Tank - GAS or OIL advice for home buyers, inspection report language
• Environmental Issues & Regulations for Oil Tanks, Registration, Abandonment, Leak Reporting
• Home Inspection Report Language Library: Buried Oil Tanks, Basic home buyer advice - home inspection report language suggestions
• Home Inspection Report Language Library: Visible Defects in Oil Tank Installations, Tanks, and Heating Oil Piping
• Home Inspection Report Language Library: Gas Fuel Piping or Tank Faults Basic advice - home inspection report language suggestions
• Home Inspection Report Language Library: Oil Tanks text file list © Oil and Other Storage Tank Leaks, Testing, Abandonment, Inspection - UST home inspection report language files - Reference List
• Indoor Environment Website Indoor Building Environmental Hazard Detection, Testing, Repair, & Prevention - Main Web Page
• Leaky Heating Oil Tanks - Advice for Home Owners or Buyers: caused of leaks in oil tanks, oil tank testing alternatives, what to do about leaky tanks: D.J. Friedman, ASHI Tech. Journal, Vol.2 No.1, Winter, 1992 p. 42-43 Illus
• Leak or Failure Rates for Home Heating Oil Tanks
• Legal Issues Regarding Buried Oil Storage Tanks K.S. Rea, Attorney, summary from ASHI Chapter Seminar.
• Primer on Petroleum Bulk Storage Tanks & Petroleum Contamination of Property Paul H. Ciminello, ASHI Tech. Journal, Vol.3 No.1 Spring 1993, p 35-39
• Petroleum Bulk Storage J. Sibblies, NY State DEC, Advice to Home Owners and Home Inspectors about Oil Storage Tanks - summary from ASHI Chapter Seminar.
• Septic Tank inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair
• OIL TANK FAILURE CAUSES - Oil Tank Failure Causes - oil tank leaks are caused by corrosion, damage, soil conditions, other factors
• OIL TANK TESTING - How Oil Tanks are Tested for Evidence Leaks, of Current or Previous Oil Spills
• TANK FAILURE RATES - Oil Tank Failure Rates - Oil Tank Leak Probability as a Function of Tank Age, Location, Condition, Soil Conditions and Other Factors
• Web Link Exchange: Contact Us to list your website or contact information for oil tank testing, tank corrosion research, oil industry experts
• "Homeowners Guide to Fuel Storage," Agway Energy Products, Verbank, NY, November 1990
• Web Link Exchange: Contact Us to list your website or contact information for oil tank testing, tank corrosion research, oil industry experts

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