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Author:
elvis20051 (CT)
Hello,
Does anyone know what these two copper tubes may be? These copper tubes come out of the wall, adjacent to one another, each about 1/4 inch in diameter, coming out of the basement wall, from the front of the house, then going straight down into the cement floor. The old owners stated that there is no in ground oil tank on the property and did not know what these pipes were either. They had lived there for over 45 years.
Currently, the home is fueled by oil. However, there is an old natural gas meter on the side of the home, on the other side of the front of the home.
I will upload a picture of these pipes as soon as I could visit the property, hopefully within 24 hours of this post.
Thank you for the help.
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Author:
m & m (MD)
...The old owners stated that there is no in ground oil tank on the property..."
There may not be a tank now (removed), but there could well have been a tank underground at one time. Your description is that of supply and return oil lines to an oil burner but the photos may show otherwise.
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Author:
Paul48 (CT)
Time to get a metal detector. As said...there is, or was a buried tank. and if they stated there wasn't, they may have a problem.
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Author:
hj (AZ)
IF there is a buried tank, they may NOT want to know it. Otherwise, the EPA may get involved with a hazmat situation in case it is, or has, leaked.
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Author:
Paul48 (CT)
Around here, banks won't give you a mortgage on a house if there's a buried tank. Once the EPA gets involved, they'll bankrupt you. If the tank is leaking, they start removing soil (hazardous waste), and testing until it's all removed.
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Author:
packy (MA)
you should see what they do here to waterfront property and oil tank/s.
oil delivery had a tank give out when filling. house was one home away from the atlantic. 11 feet deep to make sure all possibly tainted soil was removed and carried away. 6 inch test wells so they can come back and check.
talk obout overkill....the poor people had to move out of their property while all this was going on.
good thing they were not around when i was working in the navy yard in the 60's. nuff said..
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Author:
elvis20051 (CT)
Thank you everyone, I'm looking into the law to see who will be financially responsible if there happens to be an oil tank in the ground and the old owners stated that there was not.
Here is the link to the photos of the two copper tubes.
[s1064.photobucket.com]
Edited 1 times.
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Author:
ev607797 (NC)
Those sure look like abandoned oil lines to me as well. They come in through the wall from the buried tank (or what was one) and go into the slab over to where the original burner was.
---Ed---
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Author:
bernabeu (SC)
Quote
IF there is a buried tank, they may NOT want to know it. Otherwise, the EPA may get involved with a hazmat situation in case it is, or has, leaked.
Now they DO know there is (or, if very lucky WAS) a buried tank
If it were me:
Locate it (metal detector)
Check for oil, pump out as/if necessary
Fill with cat litter, no matter what the cost
wait 1 week
Cut out the visible lines and patch the holes in concrete - have a pro do that to make them 'invisible'
==============================================
"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638
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