I asked my oil company if they could measure to see how much heating oil I
have left in my underground 550 gallon tank. And they said they couldnt
measure it because it was right next to the house and the pipes bend around
and cant be checked. I believe the home inspector who inspected my house
before I got it said the same thing.

How could this be possible? What about if someone tried using a retractable
measuring stick..maybe that would work? I find it so stupid that the
original owner of the house would want an underground oil tank like this
that cant be measured. Or maybe it was just an installation error?

That's a normal way to install an underground tank. What isn't normal
is to need to know how much oil is in the tank. Why do you care?
Most of the time you go on an automatic fill program and let the oil
company worry about it.

I had an old tank like that and tried to use a cable snake to measure
it. Even that wouldn't navigate the bends in the pipe. Had to dig it
up and cut it open to find out it was completely full of water.



On Nov 23, 11:58 am, "john"
wrote:
I asked my oil company if they could measure to see how much heating oil I
have left in my underground 550 gallon tank. And they said they couldnt
measure it because it was right next to the house and the pipes bend around
and cant be checked. I believe the home inspector who inspected my house
before I got it said the same thing.

How could this be possible? What about if someone tried using a retractable
measuring stick..maybe that would work? I find it so stupid that the
original owner of the house would want an underground oil tank like this
that cant be measured. Or maybe it was just an installation error?

john wrote:
I asked my oil company if they could measure to see how much heating oil
I have left in my underground 550 gallon tank. And they said they
couldnt measure it because it was right next to the house and the pipes
bend around and cant be checked. I believe the home inspector who
inspected my house before I got it said the same thing.

How could this be possible? What about if someone tried using a
retractable measuring stick..maybe that would work? I find it so
stupid that the original owner of the house would want an underground
oil tank like this that cant be measured. Or maybe it was just an
installation error?

Normally, a separate riser pipe from the tank is used
for a "stick well". This 2" pipe rises vertically and
terminates in a special brass plug which can be unscrewed with
a tool to permit dropping a measuring stick down.

Your tank may already have one but has been covered over by
lawn growth, etc. You might find it with a metal detector.

Jim

"The Reverend Natural Light" wrote in message
...

That's a normal way to install an underground tank. What isn't normal
is to need to know how much oil is in the tank. Why do you care?
Most of the time you go on an automatic fill program and let the oil
company worry about it.

Some of us like to know what we have and buy oil on our own terms and times
that we choose. IMO, wanting to know how much oil you have is very normal.

On Nov 23, 2:09 pm, The Reverend Natural Light
wrote:
That's a normal way to install an underground tank. What isn't normal
is to need to know how much oil is in the tank. Why do you care?
Most of the time you go on an automatic fill program and let the oil
company worry about it.

I had an old tank like that and tried to use a cable snake to measure
it. Even that wouldn't navigate the bends in the pipe. Had to dig it
up and cut it open to find out it was completely full of water.

On Nov 23, 11:58 am, "john"
wrote:



I asked my oil company if they could measure to see how much heating oil I
have left in my underground 550 gallon tank. And they said they couldnt
measure it because it was right next to the house and the pipes bend around
and cant be checked. I believe the home inspector who inspected my house
before I got it said the same thing.

How could this be possible? What about if someone tried using a retractable
measuring stick..maybe that would work? I find it so stupid that the
original owner of the house would want an underground oil tank like this
that cant be measured. Or maybe it was just an installation error?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Its not a bad idea to mesure your tanks level. Your tank (especially
if underground) might be leaking. If it is, how would you know? Other
than the neighbors tree dying or that you seem to be burning twice as
much oil than before.
Measuring it is not a bad idea. Automatic program or not!
Wouldn't want to see the enviromental bills! Prevention is the key

On Fri, 23 Nov 2007 19:07:48 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:


"The Reverend Natural Light" wrote in message
...

That's a normal way to install an underground tank. What isn't normal
is to need to know how much oil is in the tank. Why do you care?
Most of the time you go on an automatic fill program and let the oil
company worry about it.

Some of us like to know what we have and buy oil on our own terms and times
that we choose. IMO, wanting to know how much oil you have is very normal.


Owned one home with an oil tank. The seller couldn't measure the tank,
so he had it filled and I reimbursed him at closing.

Measuring it is not a bad idea. Automatic program or not!
Wouldn't want to see the enviromental bills! Prevention is the key

I upgraded my home insurance to make sure it included the Oil Tank. I hear
that enviromental leaks / crap like that could cost more then $100,000 to
clean up. and if it isnt covered by home insurance, its coming out of your
pocket.

On Fri, 23 Nov 2007 15:43:10 -0500, "john"
wrote:


Measuring it is not a bad idea. Automatic program or not!
Wouldn't want to see the enviromental bills! Prevention is the key

I upgraded my home insurance to make sure it included the Oil Tank. I hear
that enviromental leaks / crap like that could cost more then $100,000 to
clean up. and if it isnt covered by home insurance, its coming out of your
pocket.

Many years ago folks were buying former gas/filling station (s)
property.

The ones you might have stopped at driving in Florida... post 50's.
The buyers soon found out the property was a toxic dump. Fuel tanks
had collapsed... Those investors, I suspect lost plenty of money.

If you want to build a gas station today, you need to be a corporation
with money to get permits and the EPA microscope.

This sucks...

my house was built in 1993. So the tank is about 14 years old... with intent
to sell it in a few years.. I know this would be a big issue with the Buyer
if he were to buy a house with an underground oil tank 15+ years old... with
no way to test it to see if its leaking or not. Like u guys said, pressure
testing could make things worse....and the only other alternative is to dig
and take things apart.

Even if it was finally determined that it was not leaking....just for them
to know the tank is 15+ years old could be a turn off aswell.

I know alot of people say that tanks could last 50 years or longer without
leaking...but most online literature I can find says that leaks start as
early as 15 to 20 years. Why cant we find a material yet that will
guaruntee atleast 50 years of no leaking? 15 to 20 years seems like such a
small amount of time for something that should be permanent with the house.

john wrote:

SNIP
Why cant we find a material yet that
will guaruntee atleast 50 years of no leaking? 15 to 20 years seems
like such a small amount of time for something that should be permanent
with the house.


Bingo!
http://www.oilheatamerica.com/index.mv?screen=tanks