Fuel Quality
Do you have an old, underground oil tank? Wondering how to replace that tank? Give Bantam Fuel a call. We have the expertise to assist you in replacing your underground tank with a modern, clean system that best fits your needs.
Here are a few myths and facts that will help you make an educated decision about your oil tank.
· Myth #1: "A leaking oil tank will always have dead plants and grass above it." We have excavated many leaking tanks beneath lush, green grass and bushes!
· Myth #2 "A leaking tank will use more oil than it used to." Most tanks begin with just a pinhole leak, and seep a few gallons a year into the surrounding soil. Ten gallons of oil leaked over 3 or 4 years can contaminate quite a lot of soil… but you wouldn't notice a ten gallon difference in a household using 1,000 gallons per year.
· Myth #3 "Underground tanks leak only rarely; it's all a bunch of media hype." The fact is, almost half the underground tanks we take out are leakers (compared with only about 25% ten years ago).
· Myth #4 "A new tank could never fit through the door of my house, and there's no room for it in my basement". Basement tanks come in all shapes and sizes, including shapes specifically designed to fit through doorways and down stairs! Once installed, they take up only two feet of space against an outside wall, and they still give you plenty of storage capacity.
· Myth #5 "Oil tanks in the basement smell strongly of oil, especially when a delivery is made." The truth is that no basement tank should ever smell like oil, even during a delivery. Even old tanks can be cleaned up, and the pipes can be tightened up, so that there is never a whiff of oil.
· Myth #6 "Since there is no basement in my house, I'm stuck with my old, buried tank". Actually, you have three choices in this situation. We can install a tank outdoors, behind the house in some discreet location, or we can bury a new, corrosion-resistant tank with a 30-year warranty. Remember, there's no rule that says you can't bury a tank.. it's that old, rusting one you need to worry about. Finally, you can easily convert your oil furnace to propane, which is much more flexible when it comes to tank location.
We recommend the following steps for tank replacement:
1. Call us for a tank inspection and site survey by one of our technicians. We will provide you with a written proposal to complete the work and it will include everything you need, with nothing left out. We can even discuss financing options with you.
2. We will install a new, sturdy clean tank that is sealed airtight and piped to the outside of your house.
3. We will pump out the clean oil from the old tank and transfer it to the new tank so you don’t lose the value of the oil you already paid for. If there is sludge in the old tank, we will remove it and dispose of it as waste oil.
4. We will excavate the old tank and take it away. Additionally we will take a soil sample to test for contamination.
5. If the soil test comes back from the lab clean, we will fill the hole with clean dirt, put down fresh topsoil and seed the area to restore it to its natural look.
6. If the soil sample determines that the tank leaked, we will remove and legally dispose of the contaminated soil, then re-take the tests to confirm that the ground is now clean.
7. Finally, we will provide you with clear, detailed, legal documentation of the tank removal and the soil testing to show that the site is safe and clean.
The next step is up to you. Contact us today to schedule a tank inspection! We have successfully removed hundreds of buried oil tanks, and those customers now enjoy higher property values and peace of mind. If you wish to have us inspect your tank and discuss your options with you, call or email us. We look forward to answering any questions you may have.