Moving Out? – Make Sure You Check Your Oil Tank First

If you’re in the process of putting your property up for sale and you’re wondering whether or not you’ve covered all the necessary requirements, make sure you include an oil tank check on your list of things to do. Whilst many of us don’t rely on oil heating, many properties do have oil tanks that require attention should you plan on selling your home.

What’s more, property owners are unaware of old or abandoned oil tanks in some cases, so you might even need to do a thorough check for your property to ensure any disused oil tanks are accounted for. If you’re wondering what steps to take when it comes to dealing with oil tanks before moving out, here’s a checklist for you to follow.

If you’re one hundred per cent sure that your property is currently reliant on oil heating, you need to address the oil tank that’s on the property. Start by making sure that there is no damage to the tank and check for any signs of a leak.

It’s also vitally important to check for any evidence of previous oil spillage around the tank, as you can be held responsible for past damages to the property as a result of an oil leak.

You’ll need to check the tank itself and possibly the soil in the surrounding area. You can hire a licensed service provider to check this for you. If you’re not aware of any oil tanks on the property you own after checking for one, you don’t have to worry.

If you’re aware that your home was previously reliant on oil heating, you must identify the location of the tank and subsequently ensure that the tank is completely empty.

Once you’ve done this, get hold of the legal documentation that proves you have checked you oil tank and emptied it. If you find an abandoned tank on the property, you can decommission it if this hasn’t already been carried out.

If you are unaware of an abandoned tank on the property but suspect that oil was used at some stage in the past, you should thoroughly check your property for an oil tank before you decide to make it available for purchase.

There are a number of ways you can find evidence of an oil tank on your property. The oil fill pipe should be visible in your home and you can follow this pipe to the oil tank. In addition, vent pipes may run along the side of your home. Vent pipes are reasonably thin and have vent caps on them.

If you’re still unable to locate the tank, you can hire someone to carry out a detailed search of the property. It may even be underground, so make sure you consider getting a professional in to help before you decide to list your property.

It is advised that you carry out a thorough search of your property before putting it up for sale. Remember that oil tanks must be completely emptied before the property can be sold and buyers must be made aware of oil tanks on the property. Many buyers will ask for a search to be carried out if you haven’t done so already, so you can save time by getting it done beforehand.

Edward Barry began his career as an installation engineer and currently writes about issues concerning the oil tanks industry for SG Tanks.