oil tank - backyard or front yard?

Where are oil tanks normally located – the front of a house or backyard? Specifically, in Bay Ridge on a block of attached townhouses from early 1900s. Are there any clues to know if we still have one, or do we have to hire someone to come look? Our house was converted to gas sometime ago (I have know idea when, but the boiler is 40 or so years old), and the previous owner who lived here for 20 years didn’t have it removed, and she doesn’t know about the owner before her.

ps158

in Plumbers and Plumbing 10 years and 8 months ago

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alfredsutton | 10 years and 7 months ago

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I suggest that replace the old with the new ones and it would be good if you use it in the backyard. Take some suggestion from a professional plumber also.

alfredsutton | 10 years and 7 months ago

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One of the good option for an abandoned fuel oil tank is to stick it out in your front yard and paint it like a cow.

shahnandersen

in Plumbers and Plumbing 10 years and 8 months ago

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Unless you see some way that an oil truck could have access to your rear yard, I doubt very much that you could have an oil tank there.

ps158 | 10 years and 8 months ago

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Nalu & DIBS: we have a hole in the backyard and I was wondering if it could be a buried oil tank. But now we actually think it’s a rodent given that the hole angles off…

daveinbedstuy | 10 years and 8 months ago

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Why are you worrying about an oil tank that may not ever have existed other than in the basement?

nalusurf | 10 years and 8 months ago

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OP, are you buying this house or have you already purchased it? I cannot tell, and from your post it sounds as though you own it. If that is the case, what is your reasoning for searching the history of a possible tank removal that may have occurred WAY before any of the recent removal regulations? If you are trying to buy the house then your attorney should guide you through this, but in my experience, it is the seller who has the responsibility to provide required documentation of a tank removal. Not the buyer.

deano | 10 years and 8 months ago

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Inspector probably meant something like: “I dont see an oil tank – but you will want to find out that it was removed properly” …by which he means confirm that an affidavit was filed with the city (fire dept, i think?) certifying removal was done correctly by folks qualified to do so. . My understanding is that an oil tank that was “disappeared” on the down low is almost as big a headache as one that’s still there…

ps158 | 10 years and 8 months ago

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Now I’m confused because our home inspector, who I think was great, told us to find out if there was an oil tank that was disposed of properly. Wouldn’t he have seen this if it were in the cellar?

nalusurf | 10 years and 8 months ago

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As bobjbkln said, they are typically in the cellar. You can search for evidence of the tank having been installed in the cellar as well. It would have had to have had plumbing to fill the tank as well as a vent line. Both of these would typically exit your cellar from some point at the font/street side of the house. I can only speak to our removal, but the fill line and vent line were cut close to their exit points in the cellar and are visible if you look closely. Try looking for some cut/dead piping in the cellar.

ps158 | 10 years and 8 months ago

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We don’t see anything in the cellar. Is it possible it could have been buried in the backyard? I read somewhere on Brownstoner someone found one in their backyard.

shahnandersen

in Plumbers and Plumbing 10 years and 8 months ago

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Oil tanks are usually located in the cellar of the building. If you don’t see one, it’s probably been removed.