Any home built prior to 1975 should be suspected in having an underground oil tank. There are several clues that may tell you if you have one and where it’s located
Fill Pipe
This is a 2 inch steel pipe used to supply the tank with oil, and it normally has a cap on it. This pipe will be found sticking out of the ground 4-6 inches and will be in a close proximity of the tank itself. Look for the pipe 6-12 feet from the foundation.
Vent Pipe
This is a 1 inch steel pipe that sits next to the house foundation. As its name suggests, it’s a pipe that provides ventilation, allowing the pressure inside oil tank to remain the same as the outside. This pipe is usually 7-8 feet in length and has a small cap on top of it as well.
Two copper tubes in the basement.
Typically you will find two ¼ copper tubes cut off in the furnace area. These were used to supply the furnace with the oil from the tank, and will point you to a direction where the tank may be buried in your yard
Unfortunately, all too often these clues will have been removed by previous homeowners. If that is the case with you, in order to find if you still have a buried oil tank, as well as its location, you should consider hiring a company that has the required tools to scan the property for confirmation.
Hi,
I found this site to be more helpful than most but not really that helpful at the end of the day. What any concerned homeowner is really looking for is the exact description of the laws and what their responsibilities are in that regard. I realise that the laws if more the city of Vancouver’s concern, but it’s impossible to find any details on the City of Vancouver site at all.
I would have appreciated your site more if you had a simple link to the actual law, or a simple description of the actual law. Your company seem alike a good one from the information provided but only a fool would hire a company to do this stuff when they aren’t clear on what actually needs to be done. You should provide that information.
Thank you for your comment Jeremy.
Each area of Vancouver has its own rules and regulations regarding tank removal, and the authority for such rules falls on different governing bodies within the city. Also, as each case may be different, even within the same city, it’s probably best if you give us a call and we’ll answer any question you may have