1. They do not do a visual inspection inside the basement or furnace area of the house. It is imperative that the inspector searches for visual signs such as copper oil lines, holes in the foundation walls or small trenches in the basement floor.
2. They do not know how to operate the equipment used to locate oil tanks. Most inspectors have had no proper training on how to use the equipment. Anyone can purchase a metal detector online, but you need the proper on site training and experience working around oil tanks to truly know what your are doing.
3. They do not carry the proper insurance. When hiring someone to search for a possible underground oil tank, make sure they have the proper insurance. They will be walking around your property, probing the ground, crawling under decks, walking through bushes. If they get hurt on your property you are at risk of getting sued.
4. They have no oil tank removal experience. In the past 2-3 years we have seen a handful of people start oil tank search companies. These people only provide tank searches as their primary service. BE CAREFUL of these types of companies. If you have a car and a few hundred dollars to buy a website and a metal detector you can go into business for yourself searching for tanks. These people have NO experience at all. Ask your contractor what other services they offer before you hire them.
5. They do not stand behind their reports. They provide you with a written report of their findings but have a bunch of “outs” in which they are not held responsible if they miss a tank. Don’t try and save $50 thinking your getting a great deal, because you could wind up with a contractor with no experience who which could cost you tens of thousands of dollars in the end.
