If you have an underground oil tank on your property, you already know it’s an issue you’ll have to grapple with sooner or later. When the day finally comes when you hire a New Jersey oil tank removal service, how will the work be conducted? What will it mean for you, your property, and your family?
Though the work itself cannot be done by a layman, the process is surprisingly easy.
When your chosen New Jersey oil tank removal contractors arrive, the first thing they will do is to locate the oil tank. That will be simple enough if it is clearly marked on site plans or has already been flagged by surveyors, but may take a little more work if that step hasn’t been completed. On older properties and/or properties for which the paperwork is incomplete, the exact location may not be known, requiring surveying and possibly digging.
Once located, the removal service will determine whether or not they can use a backhoe in the removal process. If the answer is yes, the job should be swift and painless. Unfortunately, trees, nearby structures, underground lines, lack of access, and other issues might make using a backhoe difficult. If access is too tight or limited, the tank will be dug up by hand. That is as labor-intensive as it sounds, and means your job might be more expensive.
Once the service you have hired has located the tank and determined how they will remove it, you’ll have to file for permits with your town for removal. The cost can vary. Better contractors will help you with this part of the process, filling out and filing the paperwork for you. The length of time it takes for approval by the town will vary. Unfortunately your only option here is to sit tight and wait.
In addition, depending on the property, utility companies may need to be notified of the removal, too, so that local water, power, and sewer lines are identified and avoided.
Only after all this is done will your New Jersey oil tank removal company begin work.
The actual remove process itself can tank about three to four hours, provided manual digging is not required.
First, a pump truck either owned by your contractor or a subcontractor will be used to remove any remaining oil from the tank.
After that, the crew will begin work. A handful of workers will use a backhoe or shovels to remove the soil from the top of the tank. Expect this to take two to three hours longer than expected if it will all be done by hand.
Once exposed, the crew will cut a hole in the top of the tank in order to thoroughly clean the inside, then the tank will be hoisted from the ground. Depending on your community, a township official may need to inspect the tank before it can be completely removed from the property. If given the okay, the oil tank will be hauled off and removed from your life forever.
Not counting paperwork, this entire process can be done in a single afternoon. All in all, pretty painless.