Oil Tank Removal Portland, PA

About Portland

Portland is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania.

Local facts

Heating fuel, Portland borough: fuel oil or kerosene heats an estimated 125 of 235 occupied homes (53.2%; margin of error ±48 homes); utility gas 3.4%, electricity 31.5%⁵.
Housing age, Portland borough: an estimated 72.0% of 289 housing units were built before 1960, and 55.4% in 1939 or earlier⁶.
ZIP codes, Portland borough (ZCTA approximation): 18343, 18351 — 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.
Portland Borough office: 206 Division Street, PO Box 476, Portland, PA 18351 · phone 570-897-0559 — http://portlandboroughpa.com. Ask there about local permits for tank removal⁸.
Northampton County lists Portland in the Bangor Area School District⁸.

Local angle

Selling here? Pennsylvania requires disclosure of known material defects⁹, so documenting a removed or tested tank before listing avoids a stalled closing².

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)	¹¹

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
Lower Mount Bethel Township	53.5%	634 ± 117
Washington Township (Northampton)	53.2%	1,030 ± 207
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%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. 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 regulated¹²^,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 I sell a house with a buried oil tank in PA?

State law doesn't prohibit it, but you must disclose known material defects⁹, 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

Sources accessed 2026-10-25 by TANKER Traffic.

Oil Tank Removal in Portland, PA