Found old oil tank under floor -- Can I just cut it out and remove it????????

[Richard Holliingsworth]

Thanks for reading this.

I'm restoring my hardwood flooring and having to pull of the old carpet, padding, and plywood from the original hardwood pine floors.

In doing so, we found an old oil burning heater's oil tank under the living room floor. It's mounted in a tin box under the floor and as far as I can tell only held in by two 6" tin trunk lines running off under the house.

Can I just take a recip saw with a metal blade and cut the tin trunk lines and pull the thing out of the hole?

It looks about 30 to 40 years old so I doubt very seriously if it has been used in the last 20 years or so.

What do you think? Sound doable???

Richard

[dadiOH]

Be *VERY* careful. Do *NOT* do *anything* to make a spark.

A number of years ago a guy at a Honolulu marina across from my boat was = cutting into an old barrel that had at one time held diesel fuel. = Hadn't had any in it for a long time and the barrel had been filled with = sea water after. Nevertheless, when he cut through there were enough = vapors left to ignite. Made a hell of an explosion and killed him.

--=20 dadiOH _____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.0... ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at

[bill]

There is no basement or other access to this tank? Sounds like this tank was just stuck in a hole in the ground lined with tin. Pretty strange.

You should assume there is still something in the tank, as they are not made to pull the oil out of the very bottom of the tank. (Crud builds up in the tank.) Eventually, the tank will leak, if it has not done so already.

If the tank has not leaked, you could have it emptied and removed. Or have it emptied and filled with pea gravel along with the hole.

If the has leaked ... check if your home insurance covers remediation of environmental issues. There is a possibility you should be compensated by the sellers of the home (and maybe the sales agent). In some jurisdictions, they are required to tell you about a buried oil tank.

Bill

[HeatMan]

Are you sure it's an oil tank and not the expansion tank for your boiler?

Some of the older expansion tanks were like you describe....

[Richard Holliingsworth]

Hello: Thanks for all the replys.

If it is just an expansion tank as HeatMan suggests, can I just cut it out and pull it out of the floor? I assume it would not be dangerous to saw, blowtorch, weld or anything else on a water container.

Because of the 2 6" pipes connected to the tank, I believe HeatMan is right on. I'll open the tank tonight and smell. If I don't smell any fumes, I'll probably just go ahead and put the sazall to it.

If you don't hear from me tommorrow, you'll know it was a bad idea!

Let's hope not.....

Later, Richard

Richard Holli> Thanks for reading this.

[HeatMan]

Just be sure it isn't still connected to your heating system.....

[Richard Holliingsworth]

Yes!!! It is an expansion tank. No fuel smell at all. AND......it was barely attached. I just moved it a little and it came right off of the

6" trunk lines and was totally free. I'll pull it out tonight and carry it outside.

Thanks to HeatMan for the help.....

Richard

>

[HeatMan]

You're welcome.