Underground Oil Tank in PA (bucks county) (for sale, houses)

[mackie2215]

I am hoping someone may be able to help us!
We have been in the market for our first home for about four months, we've found a house we both love and were gearing up to put in an offer, when we found out about an underground oil tank that is not in service, nor has it been remediated, etc.

Does anyone know if this should be a concern of ours? We had thought that any tank that was taken out of service (when a new above ground tank was installed) had to be tested and filled or remediated.

Any help would be much appreciated, as we are getting very frustrated!!

Thank you!

[ki0eh]

Is this a heating oil tank, or is it for an emergency generator, or even worse, an old gasoline service station converted into a home?

If it's either of the last two, you would need to get a DEP certified handler to remove it (see link in middle of page at Installer/Inspector Certification ), which is probably a good idea for the first one too.

Costs could range from the low four figures to the high six (I was once involved in a residential heating oil remediation that went well over $100k) so this is not to be taken lightly.

[ooodsie]

Underground tanks that are no longer working technically do need to be capped off and filed with the EPA... If they did not do so, you may want to make this a request prior to settlement (as a result of your home inspection reply perhaps)

[actank]

You should be concerned about the underground storage tank (UST) that is no longer being used. Ther are no requirements to test the tank when taking it out of service and 99% of the time when an UST is replace with an above ground tank there is something wrong with the UST other wise they would have continued to use it.
Try and get the seller to remove the UST before you take title. Do not take a sum of money in lieu of removal or closure because if the tank has leaked, and contamination exist, it could cost $100,000 to clean it up although most clean-ups cost in the area of $15,000.
If the seller refuses to do anything and you still want this house hire a company like mine to take soil samples from the tank area. Make sure the company you hire to do an evaluation sends at least 4 samples (one from each side of the tank) to a laboratory for analysis, do not accept a field analysis. If the soil comes back contaminated and exceeds the PA standards for soil contamination have it reported to the PADEP as a spill and the current owner will be responsible to clean up the contamination.

[Honest Bob]

Run - do not walk, do not pass GO, do not collect Two Hundred Dollars.
There are plenty of houses for sale out there and there is no reason to set your sites on any one house - unless the world was coming to a end and you had to have a nice place to die.
It's bad enough when there is visible deficiencies let alone hidden ones under ground that could cost you more then the house.

Let some other sucker buy it and pay to have it removed.
Chances are - unless they are millionaire's - in a couple of years - the house will be for sale again anyways - because once they get stuck paying for all the mistakes the builder and previous owners made - they usually run out of money and has to give it up anyways...