Underground Storage Tanks

The inspector shall "Report any evidence that indicates the possible presence of an underground storage tank. "

Part of the process with having the inspectors go through a licensing process is that we now have more consistency in the reports that get generated. That quote above right from the new Washington State Standards of Practice for licensed home inspectors.

Tracking these down can be tough though. Underground tanks were often placed by the side of the home and, in the forty or fifty years since they were used, those areas were converted to flower beds or shrubbery.

Normally, I'll look for a vent for the tank or the fill tube - though I had one newer house in Pullman that had a fill tube (it was even marked "Heating Oil" on the cap) with a house that never had an oil furnace.

The other place that needs to be checked is the area around the furnace. Is there an old copper line, probably crimped? If so, where does it go? Through the foundation wall? If it's there, I need to trace it as far as I can. Having an old oil tank isn't a disaster for the transaction (though it doesn't help). Most can be safely de-commissioned.