For home buyers

Check for an oil tank before you close

If the house was built before the 1970s, there's a real chance it was heated with oil at some point. A standard home inspection may note a fill pipe, but most inspectors don't scan the yard for a buried tank. If your inspection report already mentions one, read what to do next.

Why it matters to you as the buyer

Once you own the property, an old tank in the ground is your problem. If it leaks, the cleanup is on you, and the state no longer reimburses homeowners for leaks discovered after October 1, 2015. Removing it later also means digging up a yard you've just landscaped.

What a tank check involves

• A walk-around. Looking for fill and vent pipes, cut-off copper lines in the crawlspace, and an old chimney flue that served an oil furnace.
• A metal-detector sweep. A technician sweeps the yard around the house to locate a buried tank.
• Soil sampling, if a tank is found. Samples near the tank show whether it has leaked.

What to ask the seller

1. Was the house ever heated with oil?
2. Is there a tank on the property now, and where?
3. If one was removed, is there a disposal certificate or closure report?
4. Will the seller remove the tank, or credit the cost, before closing?

Talk with your agent about how to handle a tank in your offer and inspection period. This page is general information, not legal advice.