So help me ID this tank cap.

[Dmarkland]

So I tripped over this cap in the backyard of a house I'm buying. I'm having a hard time identifying this cap and more importantly, what's in it and how much there is. I'm concerned that it's a underground gas tank. Apparently, this house used to be a old post office back in the 40's then converted to a home in 1950. It has an old garage where I think they kept the mail cars. Thoughts?

 

[cowboy73]

How close is it to the house? It looks like it might be a cleanout plug in a cast iron sewer line.

 

[69gp]

looks as if it is for an underground oil tank. there is a tool that fits into that configuration so you apply even pressure all away around to make for an easier removal.

 

[southalabama]

Open it up.

See what's in it.

Then see how big the tank or pipe is.

 

[69gp]

Open it up.

See what's in it.

Then see how big the tank or pipe is.

if it is that old and leaking it could be trouble. I would check inside the house on the floor or through a wall for 2 copper lines. Most likely a 500 or 1000 gallon tank. Don't let the city or FD find our or you could be in for some big cleanup cost.

I would tell you how to take care of it but not out in the public here.

 

[Dmarkland]

How close is it to the house? It looks like it might be a cleanout plug in a cast iron sewer line.

Yeah it might be that, but the sewer line is on the other end of the house. It might be a French drain clean out? It's about ten feet from the house.

 

[Dmarkland]

Open it up.

See what's in it.

Then see how big the tank or pipe is.

I would but where the heck do I find a wrench to open it ?

 

[Dmarkland]

if it is that old and leaking it could be trouble. I would check inside the house on the floor or through a wall for 2 copper lines. Most likely a 500 or 1000 gallon tank. Don't let the city or FD find our or you could be in for some big cleanup cost.



I would tell you how to take care of it but not out in the public here.

::gulp::

 

[Paul808]

Looks a lot like an underground oil tank and judging from the standards used back in the 40's, possibly 1000 gallons.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I would stop the deal until the cap is identified. If it is a gas tank, an expensive removal process is necessary. If it didn't leak, fine, it won't be terribly expensive other than disposing of the tank and the fill dirt, but let the seller pay that.

Charles

 

[Caddybill]

Probably a stick well for an underground oil tank.

 

[southalabama]

In your initial post you said a house you are buying.

I'm with Charles, better find out what you are buying. It could be costly to clean up or even remove.

A hammer and a big flat chisel should be enough to break it lose and turn.

 

[FJ 432]

I would stop the deal until the cap is identified. If it is a gas tank, an expensive removal process is necessary. If it didn't leak, fine, it won't be terribly expensive other than disposing of the tank and the fill dirt, but let the seller pay that.

Charles

X2. Should have been disclosed.

 

[volleyball]

The PO may not even know what it is, but it is their problem until you purchase. Unless you got to have it no matter what, then get others involved. Once you do, and it goes public, it could get expensive.

 

[billp603]

http://blog.historian4hire.net/2010/12/21/jennerstown/

Scroll about 30% down page length for description of the following picture

http://blog.historian4hire.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/fuel-fill.jpg

Found a picture of a matching cap, which goes to a gasoline tank

 

[Dmarkland]

Thanks guys for all the great thoughts here. There is also a oil tank that i know is on site just like ten feet from where this is located but as this picture shows, its definitely newer.

[/IMG]

Can i just leave it there and fill it in with sand if its empty?

 

[G_P]

Looks like its an underground gas tank likeky used to fuel the mail trucks. Bad news. Very bad news.
If that was found here, the tank would be required to be removed and soil testing done to determine if there is contamination. If it had leaked it would turn into a nightmare of digging up the property until clean soil was found.
Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

 

[southalabama]

Gas tank could get costly to properly dig, remediate and test the soil.

Some states will offer assistance and pay for it. In others you are on your own.

 

[Rookie2]

oil or gasoline ! common. I think by law (EPA) it has to be cleaned out and filled with sand or dirt. Seller's responsibility! . call your local fuel oil supplier ,they will know the laws since they are not allowed to fill underground tanks in certain cases.

 

[southalabama]

Www.deq.virginia.gov

Laws in various states different and terms of sales contracts vary.

 

[Stash]

The picture of the white pipe near the dwelling is the vent for an underground heating oil tank

 

[G_P]

Thanks guys for all the great thoughts here. There is also a oil tank that i know is on site just like ten feet from where this is located but as this picture shows, its definitely newer.

[/IMG]

Can i just leave it there and fill it in with sand if its empty?

I think what you have in your picture may very well be the vent pipe for the mystery tank under that cap. If it was for an underground oil tank there should be a fill pipe next to it.

 

[the gypsy]

I wouldn't touch the home with a ten foot pole unless the owner cleans it all up and gets all the appropriate documents guaranteeing that the soil is decontaminated.

 

[the gypsy]

Some banks may not finance you if the property is contaminated.

 

[keelan]

Look around your town for fenced-off vacant gravel lots with small test wells scattered over them. I can think of three in the nearby city (two gas stations and one old electrical substation) that have been vacant for over 10 years, and every once in a while I see people pulling samples out of the test wells. Somebody is paying for that. You don't want to mess around with a house that has a potentially leaky tank in the back yard.

My late father-in-laws place was oil heated, and the insurance company refused insure the place until we removed and properly disposed of the above ground oil tank. He also had a couple empty oil tanks in his junk pike, they had to go too, and we had to send the insurance company photos of the tanks loaded on a truck for the scrapper. They don't mess around when it comes to oil tanks.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Definitely heating oil tank. Vent is by the gutter, fill is the cap you tripped on. If the previous owner won't test/remove/certify, run, don't walk, away...

Tommy

 

[2drx4]

I had a fuel oil tank turn up while excavating for my shop. It wound up being about another $3500 to have it removed. It had not leaked. Actually, it was in great shape other than where they raked it with the bucket on the excavator. I'm not sure if the previous owners knew it was there and just didn't disclose it, or not... I should have asked more questions because the copper fuel lines were still in the basement.

Anyways, don't buy a place with a buried fuel oil tank.