Oil Tank Removal in Lower Mount Bethel Township, PA
About Lower Mount Bethel Township
Lower Mount Bethel Township is a township in Northampton County, Pennsylvania.
Local facts
- Heating fuel, Lower Mount Bethel Township: fuel oil or kerosene heats an estimated 634 of 1,184 occupied homes (53.5%; margin of error ±117 homes); utility gas 2.4%, electricity 25.8%5.
- Housing age, Lower Mount Bethel Township: an estimated 43.9% of 1,345 housing units were built before 1960, and 26.1% in 1939 or earlier6.
- ZIP codes, Lower Mount Bethel Township (ZCTA approximation): 18013, 18040, 18063 — ZCTAs covering at least 1% of the municipality's land area; ZCTAs approximate, and do not exactly match, USPS ZIP delivery areas7.
- Census figures are ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates at county-subdivision level. For small boroughs the margins of error are wide, so treat them as approximate.
- Lower Mount Bethel Township office: 2004 Hutchinson Avenue, Martins Creek, PA 18063 — www.lowermtbethel.org. Ask there about local permits for tank removal8.
Local angle
Converted from oil heat? A tank left in the yard or basement is still there for the next buyer to ask about; a sweep finds buried steel tanks without digging9.
Local permits
Permit rules vary by municipality; your matched contractor will confirm and pull any required permit. Questions? Call the municipal office listed above.
Published prices (Pennsylvania)
| Job | Published figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Above-ground / basement tank removal | $500–$1,500 | 4 |
| Above-ground tank removal | average $1,100 | 10 |
| Underground heating-oil tank removal | $1,000–$3,000+ | 4 |
| Underground heating-oil tank removal | average $1,900 | 10 |
| Soil sample lab analysis | about $220 each, typically 2–3 samples | 10 |
| Tank sweep (magnetometry), residential lot | $250–$500 (Philadelphia source) | 9 |
Leaks change the picture: cleanup is a separate, larger project10,4. 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 Census5:
| Town | Fuel-oil share | Homes (± margin of error) |
|---|---|---|
| Upper Mount Bethel Township | 55.9% | 1,475 ± 243 |
| Washington Township (Northampton) | 53.2% | 1,030 ± 207 |
| Lehigh Township | 47.0% | 2,021 ± 304 |
| 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 |
| Washington Township (Lehigh) | 37.5% | 1,020 ± 207 |
| North Whitehall Township | 33.6% | 2,017 ± 298 |
| 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%5. 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. Tanks storing heating oil burned on the premises are excluded from the state program, and DEP says home heating oil tanks are not regulated11,1. Owners usually act because of a sale, a lender, an insurer, or leak risk.
Can I sell a house with a buried oil tank in PA?
State law doesn't prohibit it, but you must disclose known material defects12, and the buyer's lender may require inspection or documentation2,3.
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
- PA DEP Storage Tank Data ("Home heating oil tanks are not regulated")
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide B4-1.4-08 Environmental Hazards Appraisal Requirements
- Kash Mortgage Group, PA buyer guide
- Harned Durham Energy, heating oil tank removal cost
- Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year Table B25040 House Heating Fuel, county subdivision geography (table-based summary file)
- Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year Table B25034 Year Structure Built, county subdivision geography (table-based summary file)
- Census 2020 ZCTA-to-county-subdivision relationship file
- Northampton County, Our Communities (page 1)
- Flagstone, Philadelphia oil tank guide
- Curren Environmental, PA oil tank removal cost
- Act 32 §103 (UST definition excludes heating oil for consumptive use)
- 68 Pa.C.S. §7303 seller disclosure
- 25 Pa. Code §245.1 definitions
- PA DEP Installer/Inspector Certification (certified company list)
- PA DEP Storage Tanks Financial Assistance (Underground Heating Oil Tank Cleanup Reimbursement Program)
- PA DEP, Apply for Oil Tank Cleanup Reimbursement
- USTIF Heating Oil Tank Program (voluntary, tanks of 3,000 gallons or more)
Sources accessed 2026-10-25 by TANKER Traffic.
Nearby towns
- Allentown
- Bethlehem
- Emmaus
- Whitehall Township
- South Whitehall Township
- Lower Macungie Township
- Upper Macungie Township
- Macungie
- Salisbury Township
- Coplay
- Catasauqua
- Slatington
- Fountain Hill
- Coopersburg & Upper Saucon Township
- Hanover Township
- Easton
- Nazareth
- Northampton
- Hellertown
- Bangor
- Wilson & Palmer Township
- Forks Township
- Bethlehem Township
- Lower Saucon Township
- Pen Argyl & Wind Gap
- Bath & Moore Township
- Upper Mount Bethel Township
- Lower Mount Bethel Township
- Washington Township
- Lehigh Township
- Lower Milford Township
- Plainfield Township
- Bushkill Township
- Washington Township
- North Whitehall Township
- Lynn Township
- Williams Township