Fuel Oil Spill in Basement-Need Help

CateP · 05-27-2016, 01:13 PM

Thanks everyone for the excellent advice. I called the Wolfeboro FD the minute we found the leak and oil spill. They came right out and put Speedy Dry on the spill.

The next day I called All Brite in Gilford and they came out right away with a hydro(?) fan. It got the air moving out of the house. I called my insurance company and the oil company. Slow moving for a day or two. Then I called David Degler at DES and things started to roll. Oil company insurance company called and visited. A full oil spill remediation company came to the house first thing this morning and met with DES and the oil company insurance rep. Lots of trucks on site. CYN Environmental is doing a great job of fixing this spill. They are the ones to call for something like this.

Everything that had fuel on it is being removed and replaced including cement blocks that held furnace and water heater. Wood wall stud on floor also removed and eventually replaced when treatment is done. . My basement floor is made of cement and fiberglass so they are not jack hammering it out. They are treating with industrial hydrogen peroxide and then sealing it. (The floor should actually be better than before)

This has been a huge lesson in household fuel oil spills. Much of the advice on this thread is correct, so if anyone else ever has this problem, this thread will be a good reference.

Thanks again everyone. Very much appreciated.

ITD · 05-27-2016, 09:11 PM

Suggest you wait at least a few weeks or even a few months after everything is done before the final sign off. I remember looking at a lake cottage 15 years ago over on Paugus bay that had an oil tank rust through into a dirt crawl space. Supposedly it was fully remediated but it still stunk like fuel oil in and under the cottage. I would not sign off until you are sure that the oil didn't seep into the soil under the slab. The smell will never go away. I would tell the insurance you will not sign off until there has been no oil smell for at least a month. Have a friend come in after a month, because you will get used to the smell. That was a really bad screw up by the technician, it's important to check your burner after they are done and a couple times in the days after having service done. This has happened to me before also, fortunately I caught it before any damage and have been checking after service ever since.

Kamper · 05-28-2016, 11:15 AM

(Big sigh of relief!)

Time to go sailing!

Descant · 05-30-2016, 12:07 PM

Glad to hear it is all working out, CateP. For all the times DES is on the hot spot over permits, etc, It was nice to see that once you called Dave Degler at DES, things started to happen.
We're watching the boating thread, it's almost time for cruise planning isn't it?

CateP · 05-31-2016, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Descant

We're watching the boating thread, it's almost time for cruise planning isn't it?

Yes indeed. Looking at our lake trip for the last week in June thus year.

CateP · 06-01-2016, 08:38 AM

Well things may not always turn out the way they first appear. The fuel oil was not removed with the hydrogen peroxide treatment and we are now going to take core samples (for archival purposes) and tear up the basement floor. It really is the only way to remove the fuel oil from cement.

I have since talked to a few experts in this field of fuel oil spills in houses. Turns out there are 100-150 spills per year in NH. Many due to the fact the owner removed a tank and forgot to tell the oil company. Ooops. 200 gallons of fuel in the basement.

Here are some things I have learned. The oil company's insurance company is not our your side. They want to resolve the issue as quickly as cheaply as possible. You must advocate for yourself!! The DES will advocate for the homeowner and advise, but you may want someone else on your side as well. I was lucky to have a family member in the insurance business who gave me the name of a great lawyer who advised me on all the steps I should take during the process. Seek out people who can help you.

One of the most important things to do is document EVERYTHING and take lots of pictures. When you sell your house you will have to disclose the spill and should have complete documentation that the spill was remedied. The DES will have to sign off on the clean up with a "No Further Action Required" letter. BUT...you should also get copies of all procedures that were done as part of the process and lab reports. You want to have exhaustive proof that the spill was cleaned up.

Don't feel pressured to sign the oil company's insurance release agreement. Especially if they were at fault.Once you do that you have absolutely no recourse of action should something unexpected appear. You also want to be compensated for the electric bill increase due to equipment use on your site and for cleaning or replacing any household items that were infused with fuel odor. Take your time to really think about everything that was impacted by the spill and hold the oil company accountable if it was their fault.

Document phone conversations, but better yet communicate by email. That way you have a record of conversations.

Make a timeline of events for your permanent records.You will never remember the details months or years from the time of the spill.

I will continue to update this event as things unfold because I think it will be helpful to anyone else who has this happen.

camp guy · 06-01-2016, 09:03 AM

About the only positive that is coming out of this event is that you are so willing and capable to document your proceeding for us. This is a textbook in the making. Thank you, Cate, VERY much for doing this.

I am sure you are not feeling particularly good about the whole mess right now, but those following this event through your postings are sure getting a very valuable lesson.

ITD · 06-01-2016, 05:02 PM

Take your time, drag your feet on signing stuff off. Were it me I would insist on any contaminated soil under the slab be removed. Your nose is a great sensor for fuel oil. Use it and don't be bashful. I hope this gets resolved for you.

secondcurve · 06-01-2016, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camp guy

About the only positive that is coming out of this event is that you are so willing and capable to document your proceeding for us. This is a textbook in the making. Thank you, Cate, VERY much for doing this.

I am sure you are not feeling particularly good about the whole mess right now, but those following this event through your postings are sure getting a very valuable lesson.

Agreed Camp Guy. Thanks Cate for educating everyone and good luck reaching a solution that brings you back to where you were pre-spill.

SAMIAM · 06-02-2016, 07:51 AM

A mistake was made and you handled it well. You should be made whole without any cost to yourself.
Don't worry, be happy !

Descant · 06-02-2016, 09:55 AM

I appreciate the details that you're posting. I see reports of how many spills, average clean up time and cost, but we don't get a refresher on the day to day aggravation and activity required from the homeowner or business owner who has to go through such a clean up. Keep it coming.

CateP · 06-02-2016, 03:01 PM

There was a crack in the cement floor that they took a core drill from to see if it went through the entire 4 inches of concrete. It did. If you have any cracks in the floor of a fuel oil spill they should be thoroughly investigated.

As a result of the crack going through the cement, the surface below has to be excavated and tested for contamination. These soil samples are sent to the DES for testing by an independent lab. (Not to be paranoid, but I would monitor these soil collections to make sure they are taking them from the potentially contaminated area and not some far off place where contamination is unlikely. Again--time=$$ to the insurance company)

In my case, the gravel is being vacuumed out and put in hazardous waste barrels. (What ever happens to those barrels, I wonder?) Right now we have a hole in the basement that is 3 feet deep and about 6 six feet in circumference. It's getting larger by the hour. The furnace is being suspended from the ceiling as is the water tank with big straps and heavy duty hangers. Nothing underneath as the cement has been jack hammered away. Pretty incredible to see. I'll post a picture later.

Important note:I work from home so I am able to monitor this whole procedure and ask questions. I would recommend anyone in this same situation find a way to be home or find someone who can be there on your behalf.

Jersey Ed · 06-02-2016, 04:46 PM

Those filled barrels will be taken away and disposed of by the company doing your remediation work or another company they hire to do the disposal. My son works for such a company here in NJ. They travel all over the northeast picking up and disposing of these barrels and other hazardous waste. You can be assured that they will be properly disposed of and not just dumped along the roadside somewhere.

05-27-2016, 01:13 PM	#1
CateP Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Wolfeboro Posts: 868 Thanks: 584 Thanked 540 Times in 210 Posts	Thank You Thanks everyone for the excellent advice. I called the Wolfeboro FD the minute we found the leak and oil spill. They came right out and put Speedy Dry on the spill. The next day I called All Brite in Gilford and they came out right away with a hydro(?) fan. It got the air moving out of the house. I called my insurance company and the oil company. Slow moving for a day or two. Then I called David Degler at DES and things started to roll. Oil company insurance company called and visited. A full oil spill remediation company came to the house first thing this morning and met with DES and the oil company insurance rep. Lots of trucks on site. CYN Environmental is doing a great job of fixing this spill. They are the ones to call for something like this. Everything that had fuel on it is being removed and replaced including cement blocks that held furnace and water heater. Wood wall stud on floor also removed and eventually replaced when treatment is done. . My basement floor is made of cement and fiberglass so they are not jack hammering it out. They are treating with industrial hydrogen peroxide and then sealing it. (The floor should actually be better than before) This has been a huge lesson in household fuel oil spills. Much of the advice on this thread is correct, so if anyone else ever has this problem, this thread will be a good reference. Thanks again everyone. Very much appreciated.

05-30-2016, 12:07 PM	#4
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,357 Thanks: 1,344 Thanked 1,623 Times in 1,055 Posts	Des Glad to hear it is all working out, CateP. For all the times DES is on the hot spot over permits, etc, It was nice to see that once you called Dave Degler at DES, things started to happen. We're watching the boating thread, it's almost time for cruise planning isn't it?

06-01-2016, 08:38 AM	#6
CateP Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Wolfeboro Posts: 868 Thanks: 584 Thanked 540 Times in 210 Posts	Update Well things may not always turn out the way they first appear. The fuel oil was not removed with the hydrogen peroxide treatment and we are now going to take core samples (for archival purposes) and tear up the basement floor. It really is the only way to remove the fuel oil from cement. I have since talked to a few experts in this field of fuel oil spills in houses. Turns out there are 100-150 spills per year in NH. Many due to the fact the owner removed a tank and forgot to tell the oil company. Ooops. 200 gallons of fuel in the basement. Here are some things I have learned. The oil company's insurance company is not our your side. They want to resolve the issue as quickly as cheaply as possible. You must advocate for yourself!! The DES will advocate for the homeowner and advise, but you may want someone else on your side as well. I was lucky to have a family member in the insurance business who gave me the name of a great lawyer who advised me on all the steps I should take during the process. Seek out people who can help you. One of the most important things to do is document EVERYTHING and take lots of pictures. When you sell your house you will have to disclose the spill and should have complete documentation that the spill was remedied. The DES will have to sign off on the clean up with a "No Further Action Required" letter. BUT...you should also get copies of all procedures that were done as part of the process and lab reports. You want to have exhaustive proof that the spill was cleaned up. Don't feel pressured to sign the oil company's insurance release agreement. Especially if they were at fault.Once you do that you have absolutely no recourse of action should something unexpected appear. You also want to be compensated for the electric bill increase due to equipment use on your site and for cleaning or replacing any household items that were infused with fuel odor. Take your time to really think about everything that was impacted by the spill and hold the oil company accountable if it was their fault. Document phone conversations, but better yet communicate by email. That way you have a record of conversations. Make a timeline of events for your permanent records.You will never remember the details months or years from the time of the spill. I will continue to update this event as things unfold because I think it will be helpful to anyone else who has this happen.

06-01-2016, 09:03 AM	#7
camp guy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: formerly Winter Harbor, still Wolfeboro Posts: 1,183 Thanks: 300 Thanked 525 Times in 293 Posts	Oil spill About the only positive that is coming out of this event is that you are so willing and capable to document your proceeding for us. This is a textbook in the making. Thank you, Cate, VERY much for doing this. I am sure you are not feeling particularly good about the whole mess right now, but those following this event through your postings are sure getting a very valuable lesson.

06-02-2016, 09:55 AM	#11
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,357 Thanks: 1,344 Thanked 1,623 Times in 1,055 Posts	Details I appreciate the details that you're posting. I see reports of how many spills, average clean up time and cost, but we don't get a refresher on the day to day aggravation and activity required from the homeowner or business owner who has to go through such a clean up. Keep it coming.

The Following 9 Users Say Thank You to CateP For This Useful Post:
ApS (05-29-2016), BaileyBecca (05-28-2016), DRH (05-28-2016), GTO (05-27-2016), Jersey Ed (06-02-2016), secondcurve (05-27-2016), upthesaukee (05-27-2016), Whimsey (05-29-2016), Winopt (06-03-2016)

05-27-2016, 09:11 PM	#2
ITD Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 2,927 Thanks: 476 Thanked 691 Times in 387 Posts	Suggest you wait at least a few weeks or even a few months after everything is done before the final sign off. I remember looking at a lake cottage 15 years ago over on Paugus bay that had an oil tank rust through into a dirt crawl space. Supposedly it was fully remediated but it still stunk like fuel oil in and under the cottage. I would not sign off until you are sure that the oil didn't seep into the soil under the slab. The smell will never go away. I would tell the insurance you will not sign off until there has been no oil smell for at least a month. Have a friend come in after a month, because you will get used to the smell. That was a really bad screw up by the technician, it's important to check your burner after they are done and a couple times in the days after having service done. This has happened to me before also, fortunately I caught it before any damage and have been checking after service ever since.

05-28-2016, 11:15 AM	#3
Kamper Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Thornton's Ferry Posts: 1,306 Thanks: 67 Thanked 171 Times in 127 Posts	(Big sigh of relief!) Time to go sailing!

The Following 10 Users Say Thank You to CateP For This Useful Post:
camp guy (06-01-2016), DBreskin (06-02-2016), DRH (06-01-2016), Flylady (06-03-2016), gator8 (06-01-2016), Jersey Ed (06-02-2016), secondcurve (06-01-2016), SteveO123 (06-02-2016), upthesaukee (06-01-2016), Winopt (06-03-2016)

The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to camp guy For This Useful Post:
CateP (06-02-2016), Jersey Ed (06-02-2016), secondcurve (06-01-2016), Slickcraft (06-01-2016)

06-01-2016, 05:02 PM	#8
ITD Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 2,927 Thanks: 476 Thanked 691 Times in 387 Posts	Take your time, drag your feet on signing stuff off. Were it me I would insist on any contaminated soil under the slab be removed. Your nose is a great sensor for fuel oil. Use it and don't be bashful. I hope this gets resolved for you.

The Following User Says Thank You to secondcurve For This Useful Post:
CateP (06-02-2016)

06-02-2016, 07:51 AM	#10
SAMIAM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 2,895 Thanks: 334 Thanked 1,676 Times in 586 Posts	A mistake was made and you handled it well. You should be made whole without any cost to yourself. Don't worry, be happy !

The Following User Says Thank You to Descant For This Useful Post:
ApS (06-03-2016)

06-02-2016, 03:01 PM	#12
CateP Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Wolfeboro Posts: 868 Thanks: 584 Thanked 540 Times in 210 Posts	Update There was a crack in the cement floor that they took a core drill from to see if it went through the entire 4 inches of concrete. It did. If you have any cracks in the floor of a fuel oil spill they should be thoroughly investigated. As a result of the crack going through the cement, the surface below has to be excavated and tested for contamination. These soil samples are sent to the DES for testing by an independent lab. (Not to be paranoid, but I would monitor these soil collections to make sure they are taking them from the potentially contaminated area and not some far off place where contamination is unlikely. Again--time=$$ to the insurance company) In my case, the gravel is being vacuumed out and put in hazardous waste barrels. (What ever happens to those barrels, I wonder?) Right now we have a hole in the basement that is 3 feet deep and about 6 six feet in circumference. It's getting larger by the hour. The furnace is being suspended from the ceiling as is the water tank with big straps and heavy duty hangers. Nothing underneath as the cement has been jack hammered away. Pretty incredible to see. I'll post a picture later. Important note:I work from home so I am able to monitor this whole procedure and ask questions. I would recommend anyone in this same situation find a way to be home or find someone who can be there on your behalf.

The Following User Says Thank You to CateP For This Useful Post:
DBreskin (06-04-2016)

06-02-2016, 04:46 PM	#13
Jersey Ed Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 24 Thanks: 231 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Those filled barrels will be taken away and disposed of by the company doing your remediation work or another company they hire to do the disposal. My son works for such a company here in NJ. They travel all over the northeast picking up and disposing of these barrels and other hazardous waste. You can be assured that they will be properly disposed of and not just dumped along the roadside somewhere.