The importance of a oil tank sweep

Getting an oil tank sweep done before purchasing a home is crucial for several reasons:

1. **Environmental Risk**: Underground oil tanks can leak over time, leading to soil and groundwater contamination. Cleaning up environmental hazards caused by leaking tanks is costly and may even involve state or federal environmental agencies.

2. **Legal Liability**: As the homeowner, you could be held responsible for any environmental damage caused by a leaking oil tank, even if the issue began before you owned the home.

3. **Health and Safety**: Leaking oil tanks can pose health risks, including contaminated drinking water, and create fire hazards due to the presence of flammable materials in the ground.

4. **Property Value**: The presence of an old or leaking oil tank can reduce the home's value and make it harder to sell in the future. Mortgage lenders and insurers may also refuse to approve loans or policies for homes with unresolved oil tank issues.

5. **Expensive Remediation**: If an oil tank is found and is leaking, removing the tank and remediating the site can be very expensive, sometimes costing tens of thousands of dollars.

A tank sweep helps identify the presence of any underground oil tanks so you can negotiate for their removal or remediation as part of the purchase.