
Why Oil Tanks Leak and How to Deal With Them
Like any other manufactured good, residential underground oil tanks have a limited operational service life of 15-20 Years. Regardless of how a tank is made and what materials are used, it is only a matter of time before it leaks. Even the strongest materials and best designs cannot overcome the test of time. It doesn’t take much, sometimes only a small patch of corrosion, before a tank can leak, but even the smallest of leaks can carry large environmental and economic consequences.
Why Oil Tanks Fail?
There are a number of reasons and issues that could cause your heating oil tank to fail. However, there are four primary reasons that affect homeowners the most. Those four reasons include sludge, the thickness of the steel, condensation of water and organic materials. Among these, water condensation is seen more frequently than the others. Lastly, When you consider the causes, the thickness of the steel, which is attributed to the design of the heating oil tank itself can compromise the tank and cause early failure.
While steel is one of the more durable and long-lasting materials available, it can still corrode, rust and wear out over time. When corrosion creates tiny holes and pits inside the shell of the tank, heating oil has the potential to leach out into the surrounding earth and make its way into the local community environment.
Most underground oil tank removals today are replaced with above ground oil tanks. Give us a call and we are happy to discuss oil tank removal and installation with you.
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(914) 352-0500