Do you have one lurking in your backyard?

Have you ever looked a home or, do you see one or two metal tubes extending from the ground in your yard? Then there are good odds that there is an under ground storage tank buried on the property. Not let me say it's an easy yet expensive problem to over come. I have had quotes from $1,200 to $2,000 to either fill or remove the tank.

However, there are some unknowns that may creep up and make the ordeal a lot more expensive. So here are some questions to ask if you are going to have one removed/filled.

What do you fill the tank with? - From my experience when they fill a tank, they cut the caps off and suck out the remaining oil/water and fill it through the same hole. If they are going to use sand which is acceptable then they need to cut the entire length of the tank to ensure an even spread. If they are going to use a sludge (cement mixture) then it is OK to use the same holes that are there, because the sludge will get to every open space.

How much does it cost if the tank is leaking? - Obviously they can not know if the tank is or has been leaking unless they take it out. Recently I had a tank removed and the tank was leaking. They charged me $85 per 55 gallon bucket of contaminated soil. I had to end up getting 6 barrels filled and hauled off. A cost that my clients were not expecting to pay.

Is it better to fill it or remove it? - It actually cost my clients less to have it removed than filled. As far as I know there is nothing wrong with filling and leaving it. Just remember that if you fill it with sludge and then you have to remove it, then you will be removing and solid barrel of cement. You will not be able to build over it, if you ever decide to do an addition. I would think that removing it would be better if you can. Sure you might have some different looking soil in the yard for a bit but you won't have a solid barrel of cement to deal with down the road.

Variables - There are several factors that go into a price to get a tank removed. Here are some...
1) Can they get their vacuum truck (the size of a garbage truck), to the area or close to it?
2) Are there any obstructions around the tank? i.e. trees, decks, patios, HVAC units.
3) How full is the tank? They will suck out all of the oil but they have to pay by the gallon to have it recycled.
4) How large the tank is. Obviously the larger the more expensive.
5) What you want to fill it with. Sand or Sludge?


An underground storage tank is one of those things that you just inherit with an older house. Fortunately for those people buying homes with FHA or VA loans, the government requires the seller to remove them. For the rest of us it's all part of the fun negotiation process. Keep in mind its quick(takes about a day) and simple, it just cost a little money.

Let us know if you have any questions or if you need the name and number of a good under ground tank specialist.

This entry was written by Brad and all misspellings and lack of grammatical structure are a direct reflection of his intelligence not the "Teams".