The upstate NY "summer house" currently uses a propane hot air furnace. The previous furnace used heating oil, with the 275 gallon tank enclosed in the front part of the basement, under the porch. The tank has now started to weep with 1/4 tank of oil left in it. I've placed a tarp and some sacrificial cardboard on the tarp to help prevent oil from getting onto the soil and concrete below the tank. But would like to address immediately.

I'm brainstorming alternatives, from: getting an empty oil drum (or two) and a Harbor Freight pump to empty the tank immediately, and then cut up and remove the tank to the option of contacting a firm to do the work for me - but I have not started that process yet. I recall a member here (whom I found searching the forums for "oil tank") was in the business for years - apf383, Master-at-Arms, are you out there?

Has anyone tackled a similar problem? Any advice to resolve? Thanks in advance!

No personal experience, but I saw it on This Old House. They drained the tank, then cut it up with a Sawzall. It was surprisingly thin and cut quickly. I don't recall them taking any particular precautions against spark/ignition, but might be worth a bit more research.

Your first option sounds like the best plan. Pump it out into a 55 gallon drum. Might be some sludge in the bottom. Fuel oil does not have the flammability issues of gasoline, so sparks really aren’t an issue. If at all possible I would remove the tank whole. Legs unscrew, fittings on top unscrew. Screw in pipe plugs to seal things up (after emptying). Push it on its side or balance it standing up, and drag out on a tarp. While big, they aren’t exceptionally heavy. Cutting up in place can be done but expect it to be messy. In that case I would have something to soak up the spills that are likely. Maybe sawdust or newspaper. Then burn that in an outside burn pile when done. Dish soap and water to further clean up.

If you hire somebody it may get complicated . It might require a permit and an inspection and there could be environmental issues that will need to be taken care of to THEIR satisfaction , etc. Do it yourself if at all possible .

Been there, done that.

Oil company wanted $1000 to come down and pump out the old tank into a new tank...after I installed a new tank!!!

Talked to a local furnace/oilburner guy, I bought a new tank and got it into the basement, he loaned me his transfer pump, I transferred the oil and cut up/removed the old tank, he plumbed up the new one for $250 including materials.

All good suggestions above NM, especially what selogic said. Do not get an outside company involved. It will cost you more than necessary, and if any oil is spilled, they will remediate it, but it will most likely (it should be anyway) be reported to the DEC, and perhaps the local Fire Marshall as well. That is if oil makes it into the soil, then they are required to notify, if less than 5g. lands on a surface like concrete, and its cleaned right away, no reporting necessary. Either way, it's an easy enough job to do yourself, but it will be messy as suggested.

Pump out the remaining oil using a pump and a 55g drum as suggested. How you dispose of that is up to you, but I would probably just bring it to a gas station and tell them its old motor oil. Either way there will be sludge to deal with on the bottom of the tank and you will have to dispose of the tank itself. I don't know who would take it up there, but since it contained oil, I would expect it to be a pita to pawn off on someone else. I wish I could help with a suggestion. Usually when buried tanks are abandoned, they get cleaned, foamed, capped, and left in the ground. You can cut yours up, or just take it out of there whole which would be a lot cleaner for you, but I don't know where you can take it for disposal. You're going to need to make a few calls I guess. Sorry, good luck though.

quote:

Originally posted by selogic:
If you hire somebody it may get complicated . It might require a permit and an inspection and there could be environmental issues that will need to be taken care of to THEIR satisfaction , etc. Do it yourself if at all possible .

The Op said he is in New York so you KNOW it will require all types of permits, delays, inspections, cost if he hires a "professional".....Hence, pump it out, cut it up and throw it away. The is not a complicated, expensive or labor intensive task.

Thanks all, it looks like I'm going to tackle this on my own.

My immediate concern is to stave off any further sweating off of oil from bottom of the tank so I'm going to see what my local Harbor Freight has for an oil pump...

Remember that home heating oil is only a step away from diesel fuel.... if you know someone with a vehicle/implement that runs on diesel they'll likely take it off your hands for free.

After that, I'd saw it half, scrub it out good with newspaper and paper towels, burn them, and toss it at the metal recycling co. Or cut it lengthwise and make a really big bbq out of it.

If you are planning to pump that into one or more 55 gallon drums, you need to plan and prepare to move the filled drum out of the area.

According to the web, a gallon of #2 fuel oil weighs a bit over 7 lbs X 50 gallons... a bit over 400 lbs!!

Can you get close enough with a pickup and empty drum to pump it directly into that for disposal without having to hand truck it out and get it in your truck?

quote:

Originally posted by motor59:
Remember that home heating oil is only a step away from diesel fuel.... if you know someone with a vehicle/implement that runs on diesel they'll likely take it off your hands for free.

You're making two assumptions here that may have implications.

The sulfur content of the leftovers in OP's fuel oil tank.

The age of the diesel engines the OP owns.

Modern diesel is ultra low sulfur (less than 15 ppm sulfur) and modern heating oil is also ultra low sulfur. NY state went to ULSD in 2006 and ULSHO in 2012. However, the stuff in the bottom of the tank is the leftovers from many, many years so no telling what the sulfur content is. A modern diesel engine will likely shit itself (technical term) if given the bottom of a fuel oil tank. However, blending with diesel and using in an oil diesel farm tractor would be a better gamble and likely will produce a pretty good winter blend as old school heating old contained up to 20% kerosene (kerosene gels 57 deg F lower than diesel).

BTW, heating oil is also dyed like off-road diesel because there is no "road tax" on it. Don't put in a vehicle driven on public roads as the dye lasts a long, long time and getting caught with dye in an on-road vehicle has hefty fines.

---

Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.

You might even consider using a chisel to cut the thing apart. I've cut a lot of barrel tops off with a chisel. If you have access to an air chisel or nibbles even better. Cut both ends out, mash it flat like a tin can.

Once out in the open cut it up into handy pieces and throw one in the trash every week. Everyone has questions when it comes to a tank.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:

quote:

Originally posted by motor59:
Remember that home heating oil is only a step away from diesel fuel.... if you know someone with a vehicle/implement that runs on diesel they'll likely take it off your hands for free.

You're making two assumptions here that may have implications.

The sulfur content of the leftovers in OP's fuel oil tank.

The age of the diesel engines the OP owns.

Modern diesel is ultra low sulfur (less than 15 ppm sulfur) and modern heating oil is also ultra low sulfur. NY state went to ULSD in 2006 and ULSHO in 2012. However, the stuff in the bottom of the tank is the leftovers from many, many years so no telling what the sulfur content is. A modern diesel engine will likely shit itself (technical term) if given the bottom of a fuel oil tank. However, blending with diesel and using in an oil diesel farm tractor would be a better gamble and likely will produce a pretty good winter blend as old school heating old contained up to 20% kerosene (kerosene gels 57 deg F lower than diesel).

BTW, heating oil is also dyed like off-road diesel because there is no "road tax" on it. Don't put in a vehicle driven on public roads as the dye lasts a long, long time and getting caught with dye in an on-road vehicle has hefty fines.

True. Back when people were running ancient Cats (and other tractors), they could almost burn tar.
New stuff is much more finicky.

Another thought: I don't know if they have them around there, but we had a shop heater that we used to use when working on projects in the barn in winter. I think it came out of Harbor Freight. It burned diesel with an electric blower that sounded like a jet engine when running. I think I remember it being something like 35,000 BTU, but you needed well ventilated space. I'm sure it would have burned waste oil without noticing, and it would have positively loved your heating oil. If you know anyone with one of those, they'd probably be happy to have your old heating oil.

Heck, for that matter, if you have any neighbors with an oil-fired furnace, how 'bout transferring into the 55 gallon drum(s), wheeling them over to their place, then transferring into their tank? They might even be happy to buy the transfer pump in exchange for the free heating oil...

Get some Speedi Dri to put under the tank. It looks like kitty litter. It will absorb any oil that seeps through. If there is any oil spilled on the concrete under the tank, cover it with Speedi Dri for a couple days then sweep it hard with a push broom. That should take care of it. You can cut the tank with a Sawzall. It can be messy and there will be some sludge. Lastly, be sure to remove the fill pipe from the outside of the house. Last thing you need is some one accidentally trying to make a delivery. Removing the fill pipe is also generally part of code compliance.

Any idea where it's come from? Meaning leaking from a spot, or is the whole thing shot and weeping from a large area?

The fuel tank at my grandfather's cabin developed a leak in the 70's and my father patched it wit a gas tank patch from NAPA. That lasted to the early-mid 90's when I did it again. Lasted until swapped it out for a smaller tank in the early 2000's.

quote:

Originally posted by Cousin Vinnie:

quote:

Originally posted by selogic:
If you hire somebody it may get complicated . It might require a permit and an inspection and there could be environmental issues that will need to be taken care of to THEIR satisfaction , etc. Do it yourself if at all possible .

The Op said he is in New York so you KNOW it will require all types of permits, delays, inspections, cost if he hires a "professional".....Hence, pump it out, cut it up and throw it away. The is not a complicated, expensive or labor intensive task.

I did this exact type of environmental work in NY. If you can do it yourself if really is for the best. I know we're talking diesel here, but see if you can rent a set of hydraulic shears to cut the tank with. Sawsalls are not known for being big spark producing tools, but better safe than sorry.

Water is heavier than oil. Water probably rusted through at the low point after many years.
Pump out any you can then raise the low end so you're sure no oil is there. drill a small hole at the place that had the leak, 1/4" should do it, put a pan under the hole and tip it back up so the hole is the low point to get any residual out.
Get the tank outside and maybe take to a scrap metal place for disposal. Clean up any residue with speedy dry or kitty litter. Make sure there is no sign at all it was ever there in case you ever sell the place.

Do not do anything to alert the local bureaucrat government types or there will be endless crap (and expense) to deal with, especially somewhere like NY.

quote:

Another thought: I don't know if they have them around there, but we had a shop heater that we used to use when working on projects in the barn in winter. I think it came out of Harbor Freight. It burned diesel with an electric blower that sounded like a jet engine when running. I think I remember it being something like 35,000 BTU, but you needed well ventilated space. I'm sure it would have burned waste oil without noticing, and it would have positively loved your heating oil. If you know anyone with one of those, they'd probably be happy to have your old heating oil.

100%

My old shop had a waste oil furnace that would burn ANYTHING remotely flammable. All oil from oil changes/transfer cases/axles/transmissions, you name it went into that thing. See if any of the old time automotive shops around you heat with waste oil.

quote:

Originally posted by Rev. A. J. Forsyth:

quote:

Another thought: I don't know if they have them around there, but we had a shop heater that we used to use when working on projects in the barn in winter. I think it came out of Harbor Freight. It burned diesel with an electric blower that sounded like a jet engine when running. I think I remember it being something like 35,000 BTU, but you needed well ventilated space. I'm sure it would have burned waste oil without noticing, and it would have positively loved your heating oil. If you know anyone with one of those, they'd probably be happy to have your old heating oil.

100%

My old shop had a waste oil furnace that would burn ANYTHING remotely flammable. All oil from oil changes/transfer cases/axles/transmissions, you name it went into that thing. See if any of the old time automotive shops around you heat with waste oil.

This is what a friend of mine with an independent motorcycle shop has, his winter heater burns oil he saves all the oil from the changes he does during the year, and get some from others, he'd take the oil off your hands in a New York Second.

Check around in your area after you have the old tank out and the oil transferred to the drum... They might even come by and pick it up from you for free.

Thanks all. I've found a diesel fuel transfer pump at Harbor Freight and have an empty drum lined up through a friend.

https://www.harborfreight.com/...sfer-pump-66784.html

I realize if I fill it, it will be a monster to move so will plan accordingly. Also looking for Speedi Dri versus clumping cat litter, at the local home centers. Planning to give it a shot this weekend.