Underground Tank Removal from Under a Deck

This picture shows the limited access to the backyard patio where the customer has a pool.

This photo shows the area under the deck where the underground oil tank is located.

A view of the space under the deck before it has been cleared for access to the oil tank.

CommTank's crew has excavated to the top of the underground oil tank, cut it, and cleaned the interior.

The oil tank has been removed. The crew is now back filling and compacting the soil.

The area has been filled with new soil to replace the space occupied by the underground oil tank. It is level and compact.

Previous



Next

On July 21, 2015 CommTank removed a 300-gallon underground oil tank for the Drosopoulos family in Marshfield Ma. This underground oil tank project was different than our typical job because of the limited access to the backyard. The customer had a fenced in pool and the underground tank was located under the deck. CommTank usually brings an excavation machine and dump truck to do this work in one day but the crew had to excavate by hand. The tank was also installed 4 feet down from the surface which is not common for residential oil tanks. 

Before the project started CommTank obtained the necessary permits (FP-292 Underground Tank Removal Permit) and provided a Dig Safe utility clearance for the property. The crew then excavated to the top of the oil tank and moved the soil by hand. The tank was cut open and cleaned so that the Marshfield Fire Department could inspect it. The Fire Department then gave approval to cut the tank in place so the crew could remove it from the ground in pieces. The soil below the tank is then screened for fuel vapor using an organic vapor meter (OVM). The Fire Department inspected the soil and provided the okay to start back filling the excavation. 

CommTank’s crew filled the excavation with clean sand/stone and compacted the area so that it will not settle. The crew transported the underground oil tank and the piping to a licensed tank yard for disposal. The project manager sent the homeowner an Underground Storage Tank Closure Report that includes an environmental assessment which the homeowner will keep for his records.  

About the Author: Dan Hoag

Dan Hoag has worked in the environmental and tank storage industry for 16 years. Dan’s range of expertise includes designing systems for oil spill clean-ups, treating soil contamination through "in situ" oxidation and testing, and inspecting underground storage tank systems. As head of Marketing and Information Technologies at CommTank, Dan draws from field experience to write about fuel, water and chemical storage technologies, and the regulations that affect them. He has developed training courses in home inspection, underground storage tank operator, ultrasonic thickness and tank tightness testing. Over the past decade, Dan has published over 60 articles about industry trends and has documented commercial, residential, and environmental projects through illustration, videos, and photography. When Dan unplugs from technology, he spends his time backyard farming, hiking, and kayaking, while masquerading as a hockey player during the wee hours of the morning.