As the leading authority for oil tank removal in Montgomery County, Professional Tank & Environmental is all too familiar with the implications of a leaking underground oil tank. Just because the root of such a problem is buried deep underground, that does not mean the issue will stay there. If you ignore the warning signs of a leaking underground oil tank for long enough, you may find yourself facing extremely expensive consequences in the future. Let’s take a closer look:
The Costly Consequences of Ignoring a Leaking Oil Tank
Soil Contamination
Think about it — your oil tank is underground. If the tank is leaking, it’s going to seep straight into the surrounding soil. If you find yourself in a situation like that, you will be forced to foot the cleanup bill, which won’t be cheap. Even if you have homeowner’s insurance, there’s a good chance that the insurance company will refuse to cover remediation costs, depending on your policy. Plus, soil contamination is likely to lead to another costly consequence — groundwater contamination.
Groundwater Contamination
If the soil surrounding your oil tank is contaminated, the groundwater may be contaminated too. Like soil contamination, the process of cleaning up groundwater contamination can be very expensive. But if your groundwater is contaminated, you could be putting your family’s health at risk — it’s not uncommon for contaminated groundwater to seep into basements and plumbing systems. Even if the oil has all leaked out and the tank is empty, and no one has said anything to you about contaminated soil or groundwater, you still may be dealing with a fire hazard.
Potential Fire Hazard
If your underground oil tank is empty, you are dealing with what many environmental experts would refer to as a fire hazard. In some cases, you may be able to solve the problem by filling the tank with sand or concrete, but local environmental agencies typically recommend or require you to completely remove the tank. So, it stands to reason that your best course of action would be to schedule an inspection, and if you need to, arrange for the tank to be removed completely.
If you opt for oil tank removal, that won’t exactly be a cheap expense either. However, it won’t cost nearly as much as cleanup and remediation. With that being said, Professional Tank & Environmental provides underground oil tank removal services to Morrisville, PA, and the surrounding communities. If that sounds like something you need, don’t hesitate to let us know — we’ll send someone out to your location for an inspection ASAP.