Cutting fill pipe to oil tank?

[RacerRick]

Is there a way to safely cut the fill pipe to a fuel oil tank for an oil burning furnace? The pipe is cemented into the wall and can't be unscrewed because of this.

Sawzall with cutting fluid so it doesn't spark?

 

[WJW]

I have done it with a sawzall with no trouble. Remember that the oil in the tank and the vapors are a LOT less flammable than gasoline. I have seen dry ice in the tank to reduce the possibility a flame up.
Try to light a soda cap of oil with a match. man you just cant do it.

 

[RacerRick]

The tank has been drained and is completely empty except for fumes.

 

[Mike007]

The tank has been drained and is completely empty except for fumes.

Ive done it many, many times without issue.

 

[rlitman]

I'm surprised there's no union between the tank and the wall. A pipe cutter would work, as would a hacksaw. Sawzall too if you like noise.

If you're removing the tank and fill, be sure you seal up the hole permanently.
Best bet is to fill in the remaining stub of pipe with cement.

I read about a house that converted to natural gas. The contractor removed the tank, but didn't mess with the fill neck. An oil delivery company showed up while nobody was at home, and flooded the basement.

 

[Rookie2]

I read about a house that converted to natural gas. The contractor removed the tank, but didn't mess with the fill neck. An oil delivery company showed up while nobody was at home, and flooded the basement.

A friend of mine did this on the first and last week he worked for a fuel oil company.

 

[Caddybill]

no problem using a saws all. we do it like that all the time at work. I've never worried about #2 oil fumes.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... A sawsall will be just fine, No worries 'bout the oil fumes, they won't light,....

I've torch cut up fuel tanks, 'n don't get much of any fires,....
Some, but it's flame cuttin', so it's expected,...

 

[toplessHO]

A friend of mine did this on the first and last week he worked for a fuel oil company.

so that would be a legit story going around

 

[jonjon1]

You would have to have a pretty high ambiant to get them fumes to ignite. We cut many tanks with the portable band saw, same as sawzall, just less vibration and noise...

Be ready to move the tank out though or plug it off because your house will stik in short order, we set up fans when we do our cutting to cut down on the odor complaints.

PS you can get the pipe out of the cement after with a pipe wrench and hammer, you get it to turn after its cut and then give it a few pops, they come right out, then we use hydraulic cement to seal the holes...

 

[patrickoneal]

FWIW...

I've got an abandoned underground heating oil tank on my property. I got the soil tested for free, and unfortunately it wasn't leaking(if it was leaking, Virginia has a fund set up to cover removal and abatement with a $500 deductible).

I paid a company to pump it out and fill it with concrete slurry. They pumped it out, then used a sawzall to cut the filler neck off and to cut a hole in the top of the tank, poured in oil dry, then vacuumed it out, before pouring in the concrete slurry.

These guys do this all the time, so I assume what everyone else is saying is true about the low risk of ignition of fuel oil vapors.

 

[CNGsaves]

OP . . . Why are you cutting off the heating oil fill pipe ??

You abandoning use of heating oil ?? Going to Propane or NG ???

 

[NUTTSGT]

so that would be a legit story going around

It wouldn't be the first time that an attempted tank fill was done.

The tell tale sign of filling the tank is the whistle coming from the vent. If there's no whistle, that should be a indicator of something wrong.

 

[zak77]

Yeah, deffinately remove the fill neck before removing/disconnecting the tank. I've talked to homeowners who this happened to and about 300 gallons of oil later their house wasn't habitable for years, took at least $500K to abate all the contamination and they're still required to do soil tests 10 years later. Basically ,it was absolute and total hell for them.

There was another time when a contractor was building a house and apparently pissed off the wrong guy cause "someone" went in during the night and cut the fill pipe to the oil tank. Before the contractor knew it happened the oil truck showed up and dumped a lot of oil in the basement. I believe they had to tear the house down and completely remove the foundation to remove all contaminated soil and concrete.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

It wouldn't be the first time that an attempted tank fill was done.

The tell tale sign of filling the tank is the whistle coming from the vent. If there's no whistle, that should be a indicator of something wrong.

No whistle is a good sign something is wrong, but not a definite one. Many tanks, especially older ones, don't have a whistle...

Tommy

 

[rlitman]

No whistle is a good sign something is wrong, but not a definite one. Many tanks, especially older ones, don't have a whistle...

Tommy

There's still a vent, and there should still be a whooshing sound. Now if the vent is far away from the fill...

 

[RacerRick]

Thanks, the tank has been removed. I just cut it with a sawzall.

I had to cut the pipe because it was cemented in and could not be unscrewed from the tank. Now the tank is gone, I will see if I can get the pipe removed. I removed the outside vertical portion of the pipe, and all that is left is the section that goes through the wall.