Getting ready to sell an old house. It used to be heated by fuel oil.
Now it's gas forced air, but the old 100 gallon tank remains in the
dirt basement. (At least I think it's 100 gallon - I don't know how to
measure volume in an oval container.)

My realtor says I need to remove it. I used a sawzall to open up a
small hole in the top to see how much oil is left inside. I would
guess about 25 gallons.

I called a waste removal company to get a quote. Yikes! $2000. I'd
like to tackle this job myself.

I figure I can cut open the entire top with my sawzall to get at the
oil. But then I'm not sure where to go from there. And even if I'm
able to pump or hand-bucket carry the oil to a 55 gallon drum, what do
I do with the stuff?

I can probably cut up the tank into pieces and put them on the curb
for garbage pick-up one piece at a time.

Ideas? What would you do? Is $2000 a fair price?

46erjoe wrote:
Getting ready to sell an old house. It used to be heated by fuel oil.
Now it's gas forced air, but the old 100 gallon tank remains in the
dirt basement. (At least I think it's 100 gallon - I don't know how to
measure volume in an oval container.)

My realtor says I need to remove it. I used a sawzall to open up a
small hole in the top to see how much oil is left inside. I would
guess about 25 gallons.

I called a waste removal company to get a quote. Yikes! $2000. I'd
like to tackle this job myself.

I figure I can cut open the entire top with my sawzall to get at the
oil. But then I'm not sure where to go from there. And even if I'm
able to pump or hand-bucket carry the oil to a 55 gallon drum, what do
I do with the stuff?

I can probably cut up the tank into pieces and put them on the curb
for garbage pick-up one piece at a time.

Ideas? What would you do? Is $2000 a fair price?

Check local ordinances. You may need paperwork to prove the tank was
removed properly. A quick call to the town should get an answer to
that question.

If there are no regulatory concerns I would:
Drain the tank (hot filings from the sawzall could be a bad thing)
Cut it up- have fire extinguisher handy
Call the local junk man to take it away free of charge
Your town should have a location to take the leftover oil

In article , on Mon, 24 Jul
2006 14:32:14 GMT, 46erjoe wrote:

Getting ready to sell an old house. It used to be heated by fuel oil.
Now it's gas forced air, but the old 100 gallon tank remains in the
dirt basement. (At least I think it's 100 gallon - I don't know how to
measure volume in an oval container.)

My realtor says I need to remove it. I used a sawzall to open up a
small hole in the top to see how much oil is left inside. I would
guess about 25 gallons.

I called a waste removal company to get a quote. Yikes! $2000. I'd
like to tackle this job myself.

I figure I can cut open the entire top with my sawzall to get at the
oil. But then I'm not sure where to go from there. And even if I'm
able to pump or hand-bucket carry the oil to a 55 gallon drum, what do
I do with the stuff?

I can probably cut up the tank into pieces and put them on the curb
for garbage pick-up one piece at a time.

Ideas? What would you do? Is $2000 a fair price?


In all probability, your state (ostensibly, PA) has strict laws about
oil tanks. In MA, where I live, oil tank removal needs a permit, and
*several* inspections along the way, if it has to be cut up to be
removed. The old oil and the tank must be disposed of legally. Try to
do this on your own, and you're just asking for trouble. A dirt basement
makes this even riskier. If the guys in the space suits have to come to
your house, it's *big* bucks.

BTW, I doubt your tank is 100 gallons. That's tiny. The standard home
oil tank is 275 gallons. The capacity should be stamped someplace on the
tank.

I paid $1500 two years ago to remove and replace an old tank in my
basement. $150 of that was just to legally dispose of the oil tank.
$2,000 sounds high just to have the tank removed and disposed of. I'd
get more estimates.

--
Seth Goodman

46erjoe wrote:
Getting ready to sell an old house. It used to be heated by fuel oil.
Now it's gas forced air, but the old 100 gallon tank remains in the
dirt basement. (At least I think it's 100 gallon - I don't know how to
measure volume in an oval container.)

My realtor says I need to remove it. I used a sawzall to open up a
small hole in the top to see how much oil is left inside. I would
guess about 25 gallons.

....

That sawzall was not a good idea. Sparks, oil .... Not good.

Most everywhere has regulations about oil tanks. I understand some
require inspections at the time of a transfer and having the remains of a
tank without the paperwork might end up being far more expensive than having
it done properly.



--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

Here's how one guy did it.

http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/hvac/index.htm

Many areas (such as mine) have quite strict regulations regarding the
disposal of oil and/or tanks, and you can find yourself on the wrong
end of a REALLY BIG fine for violating them - this is definitely a case
where you want to check with your local building department to find out
what is required, and who is allowed to do it.

Michael Thomas
Paragon Home Inpsection, LLC
Chicago, IL
mdtATparagonspectsDOTcom
847-475-568

You do realise I hope fuel oil is flamable and that a Sawsall is not
safe. Cutting up an old tank is not easy, Ive heard you pour in Dry Ice
let it melt then it is not going to burn, but get pro advise before you
blow yourself up.

http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/hvac/index.htm

And just to make it clear, I'm NOT recommending that you try these
techniques, just trying to point out that removing the oil and the task
is a considerable effort, and probably beyond the capabilities of most
homeowners even if they can discover the procedures and obtain the
equipment to do it safely and in compliance with local requirements.

Michael Thomas
Paragon Home Inspection, LLC
Chicago, IL
mdtATparagoninspectsDOTcom
847-475-5668

I took mine out, I opened the wall where a window was as I was diging
out the basement anyway , A neighboor wanted the tank for a BBQ fire
pit.

"46erjoe" wrote in message
...
Getting ready to sell an old house. It used to be heated by fuel oil.
Now it's gas forced air, but the old 100 gallon tank remains in the
dirt basement. (At least I think it's 100 gallon - I don't know how to
measure volume in an oval container.)

My realtor says I need to remove it. I used a sawzall to open up a
small hole in the top to see how much oil is left inside. I would
guess about 25 gallons.

The oil can be pumped out or drained out. Why not call the local oil
company and ask them? They may have the information you need to do it at
reasonable cost.

Check around. When I had my fuel oil tank removed for natural gas, there was
a charitable organization that arranged to have the fuel oil pumped out
providing you donated the fuel oil to them. It was used to help out people
who could not afford to buy fuel oil for their house, sort of a "Food Bank"
type of "Fuel Bank". When the tank was empty the heating installer came and
carried the empty tank out the basement and took it away, as part of the
contract to install the new furnace.



"46erjoe" wrote in message
...
Getting ready to sell an old house. It used to be heated by fuel oil.
Now it's gas forced air, but the old 100 gallon tank remains in the
dirt basement. (At least I think it's 100 gallon - I don't know how to
measure volume in an oval container.)

My realtor says I need to remove it. I used a sawzall to open up a
small hole in the top to see how much oil is left inside. I would
guess about 25 gallons.

I called a waste removal company to get a quote. Yikes! $2000. I'd
like to tackle this job myself.

I figure I can cut open the entire top with my sawzall to get at the
oil. But then I'm not sure where to go from there. And even if I'm
able to pump or hand-bucket carry the oil to a 55 gallon drum, what do
I do with the stuff?

I can probably cut up the tank into pieces and put them on the curb
for garbage pick-up one piece at a time.

Ideas? What would you do? Is $2000 a fair price?

On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 12:35:02 -0500, (m Ransley)
wrotF:

The oil is worth money, someone will take it no charge. Your problem is
the tank.

There are no local ordinances. The state (NY) has some very strict
ordinances and paperwork but they apply only to larger volumes. There
are no EPA funds available for such an undertaking, although NY EPA
told me there may be a tax deductibe write-off.

Youre right... it's a 275 gallon. It's about one-third full so I would
need 2 50-gallon drums to cart it away.

No fear of fire. You can throw a lit match into fuel oil and it will
go out (except in Clint Eastwood movies).

It has to be cut in pieces because I built a new floor over floor with
a smaller trap-door. Duh -- I should have realized that I would
eventually have to remove the tank.

I don't think anyone would be interested in 20-year old fuel oil, even
if it's free, so I would have to take it to a company that uses waste
oil to fire its furnaces. But that would entail getting the drums
(where do you get them anyway?), buying a pump, renting a truck with a
lift on the back, buying tie-down straps, etc etc. And probably
enlisting the help of one or two other guys.

Gee. $2000 is starting to sound reasobable.

46erjoe wrote:
...

No fear of fire. You can throw a lit match into fuel oil and it will
go out (except in Clint Eastwood movies).


You are a scary dude.


I don't think anyone would be interested in 20-year old fuel oil,

Oil is thousands of years old. There are people who would be
interested.

20 year old gasoline would be one thing, but heating oil ....


--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

46erjoe wrote:

I don't think anyone would be interested in 20-year old fuel oil, even
if it's free, so I would have to take it to a company that uses waste
oil to fire its furnaces. But that would entail getting the drums
(where do you get them anyway?), buying a pump, renting a truck with a
lift on the back, buying tie-down straps, etc etc.


There are companies that do that. It's cheap and easy. They'll run a
hose down into your basement and all the oil will go away.

-rev

No fear of fire you say, that you can throw in a lit match and it goes
out, you can throw a lit cigarette in a bucket of gasolene and it goes
out. Because it is the FUMES that ignite. Your sawsall idea is dumb, dry
ice is the best way.

Finding the keyboard operational
46erjoe entered:

Getting ready to sell an old house. It used to be heated by fuel oil.
Now it's gas forced air, but the old 100 gallon tank remains in the
dirt basement. (At least I think it's 100 gallon - I don't know how to
measure volume in an oval container.)

My realtor says I need to remove it. I used a sawzall to open up a
small hole in the top to see how much oil is left inside. I would
guess about 25 gallons.

I called a waste removal company to get a quote. Yikes! $2000. I'd
like to tackle this job myself.

I figure I can cut open the entire top with my sawzall to get at the
oil. But then I'm not sure where to go from there. And even if I'm
able to pump or hand-bucket carry the oil to a 55 gallon drum, what do
I do with the stuff?

I can probably cut up the tank into pieces and put them on the curb
for garbage pick-up one piece at a time.

Ideas? What would you do? Is $2000 a fair price?

Local and state laws are going to determine what you need to do. Cutting a
hole in the tank may have been a big no-no. If you have a "full disclosure"
law where you are, you are going to have to show that the tank was removed
properly. You may even have to show that the ground under the tank isn't
contaminated.
Get a few more quotes but $2K may be a lot cheaper then defending yourself
in a ground water pollution case.
Bob

--?
--?
Coffee worth staying up for - NY Times
www.moondoggiecoffee.com

be certain to remove all traces of the oil plumbing, there have been
cases of oil delivery to wrong home pumping oil into a old unused fill
fitting....

you dont want your basement full of oil.........

whatever you do, don't dump the oil onto the ground or throw it away
somewhere. It'll get into underground water. It needs to go to a place
that accepts chemicals for disposal. Probably cost nothing or little to
nothing. You can sell the metal from the tank to a place that buys scrap
metal. Scrap metal is worth more nowadays.


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"46erjoe" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 12:35:02 -0500, (m Ransley)
wrotF:

The oil is worth money, someone will take it no charge. Your problem is
the tank.

There are no local ordinances. The state (NY) has some very strict
ordinances and paperwork but they apply only to larger volumes. There
are no EPA funds available for such an undertaking, although NY EPA
told me there may be a tax deductibe write-off.

Youre right... it's a 275 gallon. It's about one-third full so I would
need 2 50-gallon drums to cart it away.

No fear of fire. You can throw a lit match into fuel oil and it will
go out (except in Clint Eastwood movies).

It has to be cut in pieces because I built a new floor over floor with
a smaller trap-door. Duh -- I should have realized that I would
eventually have to remove the tank.

I don't think anyone would be interested in 20-year old fuel oil, even
if it's free, so I would have to take it to a company that uses waste
oil to fire its furnaces. But that would entail getting the drums
(where do you get them anyway?), buying a pump, renting a truck with a
lift on the back, buying tie-down straps, etc etc. And probably
enlisting the help of one or two other guys.

Gee. $2000 is starting to sound reasobable.

Check with the local recycle center. I took about 50 gal there one time and
they said to dump it in with the used oil. Sounds like you could probably
get the oil out DIY style for a few hundred. Then rent a sawsall to cut up
the tank .I would think the max it could be would be $500. Northern tool or
harbor freight would sell most of the stuff you need. If you are lucky
straps would come with a truck rental