Oil Tank Sweeps in East Hartford, CT
FIND A BURIED OIL TANK BEFORE IT BECOMES YOURS
An underground oil tank is easy to miss. It sits a few feet under the lawn, the house may have switched to gas years ago, and nobody mentions it at the showing. If it is still there when you buy, it is your responsibility.
JFM Home Inspections offers underground tank sweeps from our base in East Hartford and across Connecticut. Using magnetic locator technology, we scan the property for an existing underground storage tank or the remnants of a past installation, then report exactly what we found and where.
WHY CONNECTICUT HOMES HAVE BURIED TANKS
DECADES OF OIL HEAT
Heating oil has long been one of the most common ways to heat a Connecticut home. In the mid-1900s many tanks were buried in the yard instead of placed in the basement. When owners later moved the tank indoors or converted to natural gas, the old tank was often left in the ground, sometimes still holding oil.
WHY IT MATTERS TO A BUYER
Bare steel tanks rust from the outside in. A tank that leaks can contaminate the soil and groundwater around it, and cleanup can be expensive, especially when it is discovered after closing. Finding the tank during your inspection period gives you time to get it checked and to negotiate with the seller.
SIGNS A HOUSE MAY HAVE HAD A BURIED TANK
During a home inspection we note visible clues like these. Any one of them is a good reason for a sweep:
- A fill pipe or vent pipe sticking out of the ground or the side of the house with no tank attached
- Copper or steel supply lines that come through the basement wall and stop, or holes in the foundation that were patched
- A furnace or boiler that now runs on gas, or a newer oil tank in the basement, in a house that is decades older
- A patch of lawn, garden or driveway near the house where nothing grows well or the ground has settled
HOW THE SWEEP WORKS
For more background, read our post on underground oil tank detection in Connecticut.
Scan
We walk the yard with a magnetic locator, which responds to buried steel. We focus on the areas closest to the house, where heating oil tanks were usually placed, and anywhere a fill or vent pipe points to.
Pinpoint
When the locator picks up a strong signal, we narrow down its location so you know exactly where a tank, or the remains of one, is likely to be.
Report
You receive a report of what we found, with the locations marked, so you and your agent can decide on next steps before the inspection contingency runs out.
Other buried metal, such as old pipes or debris, can also produce a signal, so a strong reading is a reason to dig deeper, not proof of a tank. Looking at an older home in Hartford or New Haven? A sweep is often worth adding to your list.
OIL TANK SWEEP FAQ
Do I need an oil tank sweep?
If the house is older, or was ever heated with oil, a sweep is worth considering. Many Connecticut homes that heat with gas or have a basement oil tank today once had a buried tank outside, and it was often left in the ground when the heating system changed.
Can a sweep tell me if a tank has leaked?
No. A sweep tells you whether a tank or its remains are likely buried on the property and where. Whether a tank leaked is answered by a licensed tank removal or environmental contractor, usually with soil samples.
What happens if you find a tank?
We mark the location in the report. The usual next step is to have a licensed tank contractor confirm it, and to ask the town (often the fire marshal) what is required for removal or abandonment. Many buyers raise it with the seller before closing.
Do you do oil tank sweeps outside East Hartford?
Yes. We are based in East Hartford and serve all of Connecticut, including Hartford, Manchester, Glastonbury and New Haven. Call (860) 502-4583 or use the contact page to schedule.
Also see our mold testing and additional services and radon testing.