are professionally abandoned oil tanks common and safe? (houses, purchase)

[AmpoLitit]

I am looking to purchase a house built in the 1940s on the north shore of LI with my family. The current home owners do a complete interior renovation and professionally extended the back of the house out to give more interior space.
We had a home inspector check out everything and he said there were no red flags. He took us around the home to show us the minor findings. In the basement, he said "there are 2 lines here that were professionally capped, meaning they had an underground oil tank and either had it professionally abandoned or removed. You want to ask for the certificate of abandonment, so just make sure you ask for that"

I was unsure of what this was so I've done a lot of research the last few days. I found the house on the county website search and it shows that it was "abandoned with foam" by Windmill Oil Tank company ( https://www.windmilloiltank.net/services.html ) in August 2011, which was right before the current owners bought it in September 2011. Is this fairly common? It seemed most blocks I looked up had about half the houses done this way. It seems like it's only "removed" if the house is already being demolished and rebuilt. Just looking for more info since I have a young son and want to make sure it's safe.

[twingles]

Yes it is common, safe and in line with health department guidelines. Windmill is probably the biggest company in the business on LI.

[nuts2uiam]

Any home owner that has abandoned a tank will file a form with the Dept of Health of intent to do so and the contractor will also file a form. It is all very safe and legal.

[Elke Mariotti]

If it were me, I wouldn't be concerned.
It has become quite common on Long Island, as the tanks are generally older (unless they were replaced with fiberglass in recent years, before local laws changed). It also happens when homeowners switch over to gas.

Windmill, and more recently G2G, are highly experienced and well respected companies who know what they're doing and will file the proper documents with local authorities.
The tanks are thoroughly cleaned (scrubbed!) before they're filled with either foam or sand. Removal indeed only happens in extreme cases or if demolition takes place.

[AmpoLitit]

Thanks Elke. My agent said if I check on the county records ( https://apex5.nassaucountyny.gov/ords/f?p=340:97:::::: ) for the address , I can print the county report and that is the "Certificate of Abandonment". Is that the official certificate I will need to hold on to for when I sell or is it something else? I told her I thought the certificate was something I get from Windmill and she said "no, the county record is the certificate. Windmill might have some paper work on it if they keep records back from 2011 but that is really not what anyone is concerned with -- it's the record the county that the work was completed is what is important"

[Elke Mariotti]

Originally Posted by AmpoLitit

Thanks Elke. My agent said if I check on the county records ( https://apex5.nassaucountyny.gov/ords/f?p=340:97:::::: ) for the address , I can print the county report and that is the "Certificate of Abandonment". Is that the official certificate I will need to hold on to for when I sell or is it something else? I told her I thought the certificate was something I get from Windmill and she said "no, the county record is the certificate. Windmill might have some paper work on it if they keep records back from 2011 but that is really not what anyone is concerned with -- it's the record the county that the work was completed is what is important"

Your agent is correct - print out the County report and keep it with the rest of your home purchase records.

[suzook]

Strange how there is no official website for Suffolk. We suck.

[Goodnight]

I had a 1,000 gallon underground tank remediated by Milro, dug down cut out an opening, drained the oil and filled with sand. They provided a certificate of remediation.