Closing soon? Call early.
In Nassau, the county Health Department inspection has to be scheduled at least 7 days in advance. Add the time to get an estimate and a spot on our calendar, and "the week before closing" gets tight fast. Call as soon as you know there's a tank.
Remove or abandon?
"Abandonment" sounds like walking away from it. It isn't. It's a proper closure of a buried tank, done in place instead of digging it out.
Removal
The tank is dug up, cleaned, lifted out, and hauled away.
- NYS DEC says removal is generally preferred where it's practical
- Nothing left in the ground for a future buyer to ask about
- More digging, bigger hole to backfill
- Best when the tank is in open ground a machine can reach
Abandonment
Also called in-place closure. The tank is emptied, cleaned, and filled solid.
- Less digging, less disruption
- Makes sense under a driveway, deck, patio, or addition
- Makes sense close to the foundation or where a machine can't get in
- Lenders and buyers commonly accept it with proper paperwork, but ask first
Still not sure? Answer five quick questions and we'll tell you which way we'd lean. We confirm on site either way.
What abandonment actually involves
NYS DEC guidance describes in-place closure like this: the tank is emptied, cleaned, purged of vapors, and filled with an inert solid material such as sand. The fill line is removed or capped. That's the job. Anyone who describes it as just "filling the tank" is skipping the parts that matter.
Here's how we do it. We cut the tank open with a reciprocating saw, pump it out completely, and clean it. Then we fill it with sand. Sand only. Most abandonments take less than a day.
Step by step
The work itself is the same in both counties. The county process and paperwork are different. Pick yours.
Nassau County
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Day 1
Call and free estimate
We look at where the tank is, how we'd get to it, and whether removal or abandonment makes more sense. Then we call you with a price.
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At least 7 days before the work
Book the county inspection
Small residential tanks go through the Nassau County Health Department's small tank program. The inspection must be scheduled at least 7 days in advance. The county fee for an abandonment is $70. The fee is set by the county and can change.
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Check with your town
Your town's building department may have its own requirements. We'll tell you what we know for your town.
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Job day
Close the tank
- Utilities marked and the top of the tank exposed
- Tank cut open with a reciprocating saw
- Pumped out completely; leftover oil goes to a certified oil recycling company
- Tank cleaned
- County inspector checks for evidence of a release and that the piping was removed or sealed
- Tank filled with sand
- Fill and vent lines removed or capped
- Ground backfilled and cleaned up
We'll walk you through the order for your job before it starts.
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After the inspection
Paperwork
We file everything with the county. You get a receipt from us showing it was filed. One to two weeks later, the completed work shows up in the county's online records, where you, your attorney, or your buyer can look it up. The county also issues a verification letter after the inspection. Those are what your attorney, lender, or insurer will want to see.
Suffolk County
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Day 1
Call and free estimate
We look at where the tank is, how we'd get to it, and whether removal or abandonment makes more sense. Then we call you with a price.
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County requirements
In Suffolk, closure of residential underground tanks up to 1,100 gallons is governed by county code together with Article 12 of the Suffolk County Sanitary Code. We'll tell you what applies to your tank before the job is scheduled.
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Check with your town
Your town's building department may have its own requirements. We'll tell you what we know for your town.
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Job day
Close the tank
- Utilities marked and the top of the tank exposed
- Tank cut open with a reciprocating saw
- Pumped out completely; leftover oil goes to a certified oil recycling company
- Tank cleaned
- Tank filled with sand
- Fill and vent lines removed or capped
- Ground backfilled and cleaned up
We'll walk you through the order for your job before it starts.
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After the work
Paperwork
We file everything with the county. Written proof of closure goes on file with the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, and you get a receipt from us showing it was filed. One to two weeks later, the completed work shows up in the county's online records, where you, your attorney, or your buyer can look it up. Keep your receipt with your house records.
What lenders, insurers, and attorneys commonly ask for
No law says you need tank paperwork to sell a house. But buyers' attorneys, lenders, title companies, and insurers commonly ask for proof that an old tank was properly closed. When the paperwork isn't there, closings stall.
What they usually want to see:
- The county document. In Nassau, the verification letter from the Health Department. In Suffolk, the proof of closure filed with the Department of Health Services.
- Proof it was filed. Our receipt showing the work was filed with the county, and the county's online record once it posts, usually one to two weeks after the job.
- Sometimes more. Some buyers or lenders ask for extra steps, such as a soil test. If yours does, find out early. That's a separate service from ours.
If you're selling, ask your attorney what the buyer's side will want before you book the work. It's a two-minute phone call that can save you a redo. More on this in selling a house with an oil tank.
The paperwork you walk away with
With tank work, the paperwork matters as much as the work. When the job is done you should have:
- The county paperwork: Nassau's verification letter, or Suffolk's proof of closure on file with the Department of Health Services.
- Our receipt showing the job was filed with the county. One to two weeks after the work, the completed job shows up in the county's online records, which you or your attorney can look up any time.
- A place to keep them. Put them with the deed. The next person to ask for them may be your buyer's attorney twenty years from now.
Missing paperwork from an old job
This one comes up a lot. The tank was abandoned years ago, maybe by a previous owner, and nobody can find the letter. Here's where to start:
- Check your own closing file from when you bought the house.
- Ask the previous owner or their attorney, if you can reach them.
- Ask the county Health Department whether they have a record for the address.
- Call us. We can look at what's in the ground and tell you what we see.
If the tank leaked
If there's evidence of a leak, the county inspector makes the call on whether the NYS DEC gets involved. We don't do cleanup. We'll tell you what the county said and what the next step is. For reference, the NYS DEC Spill Hotline is 1-800-457-7362. We have no stake in finding a problem.