Oil Tank Removal Before Closing in PA

The usual order of steps

Confirm the tank. No records on an older oil-heat home? A sweep finds buried steel without digging⁵.
Decide: remove or abandon in place. Lenders treat abandoned and properly closed tanks differently⁴.
Remove and sample. Soil samples, typically 2–3 at about $220 each, plus a written report⁶.
Hand over the paperwork. Give the lender the closure certificate or contractor report it asks for⁴.

Who usually raises it

Seller: must disclose known material defects⁷.
Appraiser: notes a known hazard and makes the appraisal subject to inspection³.
Lender: may condition the loan on testing or closure documentation⁴.

If the soil isn't clean

The job becomes a cleanup, which is a separate and larger project⁶^,8. Buried heating oil tanks of 3,000 gallons or less may qualify for DEP reimbursement⁹.

Cost

Job	Published figure	Source
Above-ground / basement tank removal	$500–$1,500	⁸
Above-ground tank removal	average $1,100	⁶
Underground heating-oil tank removal	$1,000–$3,000+	⁸
Underground heating-oil tank removal	average $1,900	⁶
Soil sample lab analysis	about $220 each, typically 2–3 samples	⁶
Tank sweep (magnetometry), residential lot	$250–$500 (Philadelphia source)	⁵

Leaks change the picture: cleanup is a separate, larger project⁶^,8. Figures are published ranges, not quotes.

Lehigh Valley towns with the most oil-heated homes

Municipalities we cover where at least 30% of occupied homes are heated mainly by fuel oil or kerosene, estimated by the Census¹⁰:

Town	Fuel-oil share	Homes (± margin of error)
Upper Mount Bethel Township	55.9%	1,475 ± 243
Lower Mount Bethel Township	53.5%	634 ± 117
Washington Township (Northampton)	53.2%	1,030 ± 207
Portland borough	53.2%	125 ± 48
Roseto borough	52.1%	295 ± 68
Stockertown borough	50.7%	149 ± 46
Lehigh Township	47.0%	2,021 ± 304
Tatamy borough	44.0%	199 ± 51
Walnutport borough	43.6%	354 ± 77
Lower Milford Township	42.4%	616 ± 132
Plainfield Township	41.6%	1,045 ± 282
Coopersburg	40.3%	442 ± 96
Wind Gap	39.9%	603 ± 142
Bushkill Township	39.5%	1,255 ± 210
Pen Argyl	39.2%	545 ± 184
Heidelberg Township	38.8%	503 ± 118
Washington Township (Lehigh)	37.5%	1,020 ± 207
North Whitehall Township	33.6%	2,017 ± 298
East Bangor borough	32.7%	144 ± 49
Lynn Township	32.3%	551 ± 135
Moore Township	32.2%	1,113 ± 208
Bangor	31.7%	630 ± 197
Williams Township	31.2%	818 ± 215
Nazareth	30.3%	908 ± 208

For comparison: Allentown 14.1%, Easton 8.6%¹⁰. These are 5-year survey estimates; small towns have wide margins of error.

FAQ

Does PA DEP require me to remove my home heating oil tank?

No. Pennsylvania's storage tank law doesn't regulate most home heating oil tanks used on the premises: tanks storing heating oil for use where it is stored are excluded, and DEP lists home heating oil tanks as not regulated²^,1. Local rules, lenders and buyers may still require action, such as a permit, testing or removal before a sale. Owners usually act because of a sale, a lender, an insurer, or leak risk.

Can the closing go ahead with the tank still in the ground?

It depends on the buyer and the lender. Disclose what the seller knows⁷; the lender may still require inspection, testing or closure paperwork³^,4.

Get a free quote

Tell us where the tank is (basement, side yard, buried, or unknown) and whether you're buying, selling, or refinancing. Allentown Tanks will connect you with a qualified local tank contractor. (215) 434-1322 · Request a quote

Sources

Sources accessed 2026-10-25 by TANKER Traffic.

Oil Tank Removal Before Closing