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Oil Tank Removal in Washington Township, PA

Short answer: Washington Township homeowners aren't required by PA DEP to remove a home heating oil tank1, but a sale, lender or insurer often makes locating, testing or removing it worthwhile2,3. Published Pennsylvania figures: underground removal $1,000–$3,000+, above-ground $500–$1,5004.

About Washington Township

Washington Township is a township in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.

Local facts

  • Heating fuel, Washington Township (Lehigh): fuel oil or kerosene heats an estimated 1,020 of 2,720 occupied homes (37.5%; margin of error ±207 homes); utility gas 4.2%, electricity 35.4%5.
  • Housing age, Washington Township (Lehigh): an estimated 32.4% of 2,815 housing units were built before 1960, and 25.6% in 1939 or earlier6.
  • ZIP codes, Washington Township (Lehigh) (ZCTA approximation): 18078, 18079, 18080 — 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.
  • Washington Township (Lehigh County) office: Municipal Building, 7951 Center Street, Emerald, PA 18080 — www.washingtonlehigh.com. Ask there about local permits for tank removal8.

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)

JobPublished figureSource
Above-ground / basement tank removal$500–$1,5004
Above-ground tank removalaverage $1,10010
Underground heating-oil tank removal$1,000–$3,000+4
Underground heating-oil tank removalaverage $1,90010
Soil sample lab analysisabout $220 each, typically 2–3 samples10
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:

TownFuel-oil shareHomes (± margin of error)
Upper Mount Bethel Township55.9%1,475 ± 243
Lower Mount Bethel Township53.5%634 ± 117
Washington Township (Northampton)53.2%1,030 ± 207
Lehigh Township47.0%2,021 ± 304
Lower Milford Township42.4%616 ± 132
Plainfield Township41.6%1,045 ± 282
Coopersburg40.3%442 ± 96
Wind Gap39.9%603 ± 142
Bushkill Township39.5%1,255 ± 210
Pen Argyl39.2%545 ± 184
North Whitehall Township33.6%2,017 ± 298
Lynn Township32.3%551 ± 135
Moore Township32.2%1,113 ± 208
Bangor31.7%630 ± 197
Williams Township31.2%818 ± 215
Nazareth30.3%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 regulated12,1. 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 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

  1. PA DEP Storage Tank Data ("Home heating oil tanks are not regulated")
  2. Fannie Mae Selling Guide B4-1.4-08 Environmental Hazards Appraisal Requirements
  3. Kash Mortgage Group, PA buyer guide
  4. Harned Durham Energy, heating oil tank removal cost
  5. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year Table B25040 House Heating Fuel, county subdivision geography (table-based summary file)
  6. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year Table B25034 Year Structure Built, county subdivision geography (table-based summary file)
  7. Census 2020 ZCTA-to-county-subdivision relationship file
  8. League of Women Voters of Lehigh County, 2025 municipal directory
  9. 68 Pa.C.S. §7303 seller disclosure
  10. Curren Environmental, PA oil tank removal cost
  11. Flagstone, Philadelphia oil tank guide
  12. Act 32 §103 (UST definition excludes heating oil for consumptive use)
  13. 25 Pa. Code §245.1 definitions
  14. PA DEP Installer/Inspector Certification (certified company list)
  15. PA DEP Storage Tanks Financial Assistance (Underground Heating Oil Tank Cleanup Reimbursement Program)
  16. PA DEP, Apply for Oil Tank Cleanup Reimbursement
  17. USTIF Heating Oil Tank Program (voluntary, tanks of 3,000 gallons or more)

Sources accessed 2026-10-25 by TANKER Traffic.

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