For as many folks that have gone ahead and taken their underground heating oil tank out of the ground and brought them into their basements and garages (or at least above ground) there is at least that many, if not more that still remain under the soil. The ones that pose the biggest threat are the ones that have gone undetected the longest. Homes from the 60’s and 70’s seem to be the ones that homeowners and contractors alike are remodeling for either quick turnarounds or a substantial increase living space and comfort. However in doing so an important part of the process often gets over looked and that’s the place where residential homes store their heating oil. They say “out of sight, out of mind” and that’s where the problem is. You can’t fix, what you can’t see. Any steel surface that has been buried underground is subject to constant moisture, freezing, thawing, and if it goes beyond fifteen years, it is more susceptible to issues. The biggest question for home-owners with tanks that have been underground for decades being is there a hole in the tank? If so, heating oil can leach into the soil and in worst-case scenario pollute nearby water sheds, and if this is the case how long has that been going on? The NYS DEC website says “a leak could be very unfortunate, not only for the environment, but for your pocketbook, too. When an underground tank or pipe leaks, the cleanup can cost tens of thousands of dollars and, if your homeowner's insurance policy contains a "pollution exclusion" clause--which many do--you could get stuck with the bill.” Even homes built in the 80s / 90s are still subject to these issues and an ounce of prevention is always worth a pound of cure. Find out if your heating oil tank is still underground and if it is, don’t wait until a problem is eminent, remove it today and bring it above ground to save yourself both money and anguish in the long run.