How To Know If A Property Has An Oil Tank

Q: What’s the best way to find out if a property has an oil tank before you buy it? Randy, Hackensack, NJ

A: Sometimes you can actually see an oil tank if it’s above ground like in a property’s basement. You can also contact the town where the property is located or the department of environmental protection to find out if there are any records of oil tanks being removed. Oil tanks are often underground, so the safest way to proceed is to hire a specialist to do a tank scan of the property–normally using a metal detector to locate underground tanks. If they find a tank, you’ll need someone to test the ground for contamination and worst case scenario do remediation if there is ground contamination. Thanks for your question, Randy.

For more real estate tips and information visit my blog at geraldlucas.com.