Underground OIL TANKS - particularly in New Jersey

[Zing]

Before posting this , I did a search for "oil tanks" in this group. I got 84 results that ended up getting OFF TOPIC.

I saw some stupid advice, about "playing stupid" or "claiming ignorance" of the EXISTENCE of an underground tank. I thougth I could get away with this.

That no longer works.

Here in NJ, my next door neighbor is selling his house. He had ( for whatever reason ) NOT ONE BUT TWO tank detection companies come down and wave their magic wands looking for a tank. The act of "playing dumb" about the existence of a tank won't work here.

My neighbor and I got into a discussion about locating our tanks. I plan on having a company come in and check and sand or remove it and hope for no MAJOR $$$$ problems with contaminated soil.

My neighbor ended up sucking out sludge and sanding his tank HIMSELF. He has NO paperwork and NO inspection was done when he cut the top open. Half his tank is under an extension on the house and the other half is in the yard.

He tells me it is about 4 FEET to the top of the tank. My tank then is about 4 FEET deep and under a 4 inch patio slab - more work and $$ to remove and replace the patio in order to work on the tank.

The MAGIC WAND that the tank detector companies use >>>

How deep can they detect a tank ??? Do they detect straight down or can they detect tanks on an angle such as under edge of a foundation ??? I say concrete is NO barrier to them. My neighbor thinks they may NOT detect my tank. I disagree.

I found no posts on any of the above.

TIA

[George Eberhardt]

I know that both solutions are legal in NJ, but if I wanted to purchase your house you would HAVE to remove your tank before I would part with a dime, even if you had legal paperwork for a sanded tank. The chance of concealed contamination is just not worth it to me, and I suspect many lawyers would have the same reaction.

And I am now in the process of digging up my tank, so I know just how expensive it is.

[Vic Dura]

Don't think of it as an expense. Think of it as an investment in the environment.

[sleepdog]

Maybe his efforts give him piece of mind but they won't amount to squat if he tries to sell his home. Its not what was or is in the tank that counts. What counts is that an EPA certified professional signs off on a piece of paper certifying that there is no soil contamination from the tank. Did your neighbor check or any leaks or cracks in/around the tank?

Your neighbor is lucky that his tank had no combustible material in it or didn't create enough spark while cutting through the metal to ignite anything that would have blown up in his face. Before or after sucking out the sludge.

A friend of mine in NJ did tank remediation for a number of years before moving to FL. The professionals that work on underground tank remediation, at least in NJ, are trained in hazmat and fire/explosion prevention for good reason.

Do you feel lucky?

[sleepdog]

Of course there are.

Then let's assume the OP's neighbor is one of these people. Let him respond to the OP's questions and make sure he is doing any inspecting, venting, sucking and cutting safely.

Because I don't think anyone on this forum would want to empower the OP with enough information to properly blow himself up.

After all, what are neighbors for besides using your front lawn as their pet's toilet? He must be getting the help and instruction he needs if he's posting on this forum.

[sleepdog]

That is in the ballpark for excavation, removal and containment of contaminated soil, etc.

[sleepdog]

Actually these are the pets people walk on leashes required by town ordinance. They owners actually witness and ignore the mess they leave on other people's property. If you catch them they can be fined $100.

I know because when I walk my dog I sometimes get "looks" from people on the other streets. I just hold up exhibit A in my plastic bag for them to see.

[G Henslee]

Knowing you, you're lucky SHE doesn't being her whole family to shit in your yard.

[G Henslee]

Are you licensed and bonded? Or just certifiable?

[G Henslee]

What I know is there is no possible way around the fact that you are completely devoid of a sense of humor. However you are fun to play fetch with sometimes.

Let us know when the neighbor comes back and chucks a big bag of dog shit on your porch.

- woosh - go get the ball skippy.

[sleepdog]

You ain't seen nothin until a human being actually s**ts on your property. Happened to me once very recently.

One of the guys on the old lawn crew dropped trou underneath the forsythias in my backyard. He left the poop and threw the butt wipes in my neighbors yard, I suppose to help me feel better about what happened should I discover it (???). My dog found it instead. I had to wash the dog, clean the area under the bushes, bleach the area, my shoes and the rake to restore calm.

I complained to their management and the guy actually owned up to it. They offered not to charge me for the cut but instead I have a new lawn crew.

[Vic Dura]

NJ is a great state. You are not even allowed to pump your own gas. It must be pumped by a station employee. Too dangerous for a citizen to handle. Just about everyone there has a scam going.

[G Henslee]

Some guy s**ts in his yard, and he goes through all that hell and you find that humorous and themnn post some bullshit response, what you consider to be a funny, yet you squawl like a raped cat when a dog lays a turd and it's owner picks it up on your yard. You are a f****ng hypocrite Kanter.

[G Henslee]

There is no possible way around this logic. You know that.

[sleepdog]

I'm imagining total squalor in some third-world country South of the border.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Why do you think luck has anything to do with it? Just because the guy did it himself does not mean he did not have the proper knowledge to do it correctly. There are many competent welders and metal fabricators that have the ability to work on tanks that contained flammable products.

[FDR]

I got a buddy of mine that specializes in ground water remediation due to leaking in-ground oli tanks in NJ. Cleanup can be costly; I've heard him quote some sites as going to $50,000.

[Gort]

I'm going to hate myself for this, but I agree with you. So very many people are only interested in what they want, with no regard for what it causes to others.

[Doug Kanter]

Uh oh. Sounds like you've got a dog catcher just like mine. Defines "animal control" as "sitting in the office watching soap operas all day", and getting in the truck only if someone reports a giraffe on the loose. In Rochester NY. :-)

[FDR]

What's wrong with that? Geez, I wish I could get my gas pumped for me here when it's 5F out.