How To Safely Dispose Of Your Old Oil Tank
There are many reasons why you might want to have an oil tank removed from your property, from your current tank being old and needing replacing to changing how you source energy for your home.
One thing that will remain consistent is the need to safely dispose of your oil tank. You should not try this yourself; always hire professionals to remove and ensure proper disposal of your oil tank.
THE OIL TANK REMOVAL PROCESS
A registered OFTEC engineer should remove an old oil tank. The process is straightforward, and the fully qualified engineer will attend to your property with all the necessary pumps, storage facilities, and licenses to dispose of any contaminated oil. Nine times out of ten, the materials the tank is made of can be recycled, and it is a good idea to find a company with a recycling policy.
Here is a step-by-step guide to what happens during the removal process:
- Oil measuring and testing: The engineer will test how much oil is left in the tank and how much is sitting on the bottom. This will help determine what tools are needed for pumping out the oil and ensure that any contaminated oil is separated for proper disposal.
- Pumping out the oil: The clean oil will then be pumped into a holding tank. This oil can still be used and will be put into the new oil tank if a new one is installed.
- Dealing with any contaminated oil: Any contaminated oil on the bottom of the tank will be pumped out and transferred to a waste oil container ready for proper disposal at a licensed site.
- Cleaning the oil tank: Once the oil has been removed, the tank is then cleaned and removed from the site supply.
- Removing the oil tank: If access is sufficient, the tank will be removed whole. If this is not possible, it will be cut up on-site to avoid damaging the property.
After this, the engineers will take the tank and any old contaminated oil away for proper disposal at a licenced facility to ensure no environmental harm.
THE COST OF REMOVING AN OLD OIL TANK
Removing an old oil tank from a domestic property costs around £600 – £1,200. This will cover any assessment, drainage, dismantling, removal and disposal of your oil tank.
There are a few factors that might affect pricing for you to be aware of:
- Access to the tank – If the tank is difficult to access, for example, if specialist equipment is needed to access or remove your tank, this can affect pricing.
- Size of the tank – The larger your tank, the more expensive the removal process can be. This is because larger tanks might require additional equipment to remove, and there may be larger disposal or recycling costs.
OIL TANK REMOVAL FAQs
CAN I REMOVE AN OLD OIL TANK MYSELF?
No, licensed professionals should always remove old oil tanks. Attempting to do so yourself can damage your property and the environment.
WHAT HAPPENS TO MY OLD TANK AFTER IT IS REMOVED
Once the tank has been removed, it will be taken to a licensed disposal facility or recycling centre, where it will be properly broken down, recycled, or disposed of as appropriate.
CAN I SELL MY OLD OIL TANK?
If your tank is in good condition, you can look to sell it. If you want to do this, you must declare its age, maintenance and inspection history and any damage it may have. If you have been advised by an OFTEC engineer that the tank is not in a resale-able condition, then you need to get the tank properly disposed of.