Help with oil smell in basement!

We just closed on a rowhouse in park slope this week and all of a sudden there is strong oil smell in the garden level (we have no true basement) near the wall on one side of the house. We didn’t smell anything during inspection or multiple walkthroughs. We have gas, not oil, heat, but are told the neighbor on that side of the house converted from oil to gas several years ago. Is it her old oil storage tank? Any other possible sources? Who do we call? Thanks!!

ooutside

in Heating 11 years and 2 months ago

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Augustiner | 11 years and 2 months ago

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This is most likely an older spill. Be careful with calling someone. Oil spells need to be reported and home inspectors or engineers will report because they are required to do so by law. Cleanup with permits will cost you a lower six figures amount.

catbk | 11 years and 2 months ago

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We converted from oil to gas about 6 years ago. One of the reasons we converted was a couple of overfilled tanks, which resulted in oil spills in our cellar (I refer to the actual cellar, which is below grade, not the habitable ground-floor basement). The spills were cleaned up and the odor was eliminated after a while. Normally, there would be no oil smell whatsoever. However, when there is a combination of extremely hot weather combined sometimes with a large amount of rain or other runoff, the fuel oil smells in the cellar can be reactivated. We smell it only in the cellar, and it dissipates rapidly. (We use big fans and open ventilation in the cellar). It could be in your house. Try a big fan and open whatever ventilation you can.

resident2 | 11 years and 2 months ago

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First you introduce yourself to your new neighbor and ask them about the issue. You cannot always go by what you heard, maybe they do still have oil heat, maybe they still have an oil tank. But that is your first call and go from their. If they are elderly they may have lost their sense of smell and so your help in bringing this to their attention may be helpful.