Fuel spills in Sherman homes and businesses are biohazardous

1/5/2018 (Permalink)

Regular inspection of your oil tank and its lines for leaks, corrosion and wear will reduce your risk of a malfunction causing a spill in your home.

Home heating oil spills happen more often than you would think. They can occur from a variety of reasons, including damage to your New Fairfield home's oil tank or lines,  loose lines or even an accidental overfill from your delivery company. 

A heating oil spill can potentially cause environmental and structural damage to your home as well as cause health issues to those living there.  

The primary actions that a homeowner can take in reducing their risk of an oil spill is to have their oil tank inspected and follow some guidelines.  

• Check all of your pipe connections to make sure they are clean and tight. 
• Check the condition of the tank and lines. Any signs of spillage such as dark spots on the floor or drips on the tank, rust or wear should be followed up on.  
• Confirm that the legs and the ground beneath your above-ground tank is stable. Tanks have tipped and spilled due to being unbalanced.  

If you do have an oil spill in your home or business that was due to an error by your oil delivery company, contact them immediately as they may take responsibility for the clean up. 

We recommend that you leave the building until it has been deemed safe to be in. You can call your local fire department to determine if there is an explosion hazard. 

Oil spills must be cleaned up by a professional restoration company. SERVPRO of Newtown & Southern Litchfield County has responded to several oil leaks a year for the past twenty years and has the experience and training to do it right. Call us at (203) 743-5362 if you experience an oil leak in your Fairfield County home.