 Health Hazards
[ASBESTOS] [LEAD] [RADON] [VOCs] [FORMALDEHYDE] [MOLD & MILDEW] [ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS]
[INDOOR AIR QUALITY] [UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS] [LANDLORD TENNANT RESPONSIBILITIES]
hazards  underground storage tanks
Oil is one of the most common fuels for residential heating systems. The most common way to store and deliver the fuel oil to the furnace is by the use of an underground storage tank (UST) and a set of pipes which lead from the tank to the burner. The placing of metal USTs underground in a highly corrosive environment can lead to tank and/or piping failures and the leaking of fuel products into the soils and/or groundwater under the site. The clean-up costs and health effects associated with petroleum fuel tank leaks and resulting exposures can be very expensive and in some cases, dangerous.
Oil Tanks and Pipes Tend to Leak
The use of residential fuel oil tanks is very common in certain areas of the country while practically non-existent in other areas. In the northeast and midwest, the utilization of home fuel oil tanks is very common while in the south and west, the utilization of home fuel oil tanks is mainly a concern in the older residential areas. In some areas of the south, the utilization of pool heater fuel tanks is common as well as the installation of private marine fuel tanks adjacent to docks and sea walls.
Depending on your location, the possibility that a specific oil storage system is leaking ranges from very low to very high. Areas with highly corrosive soils and/or high groundwater tables tens to have very high leak potentials (50% or more) resulting from tank and piping metal failures. Areas with non-corrosive soils and/or deep groundwater tables tend to have leak potentials of 20% or less. But, it should also be noted that no area is immune to leaks due to the fact that many leaks occur as a result of poor workmanship when the tanks were originally installed. Poor pipe threading and leaking valves have been the cause of many of the contamination problems today. The problem of workmanship is so significant that it led many states to require training and licensing of UST installation contractors. Some of the factors which contribute to oil tank and oil line leaks are: the age of the tank, the quality of the installation work, and the condition of the soil. Well drained and sandy soil is conducive to long tank life. Wet and clay-like soils promote rust and leaking tanks. Finding water inside a tank can be a sign of leaking. However, it is not positive proof nor does it indicate how much oil has leaked out of the tank, or for how long.
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