Undeclared contamination on purchased house

lincroft1710

My parents oil tank wasn't vehicle accessible, the local Shell-BP domestic oil tankers carried yards and yards of flexible piping. From memory the tank was more than 25 yards from the road.

silvercar

My grandparents had oil fired central heating. A modest 3 bed detached house the tank was at least 10 foot long (by 3ft wide and 3 ft high). Definitely be outside the house on hardstanding. Noticeable if it is still in place.

Gordoknot

Thanks for the tank location info everyone, it's very useful. I am pretty happy that the tank is no longer there, so it's just the cleanup on the inside of the house left to do.

Does anyone have any idea if something like Challenge Biotask would be a good thing to try on the concrete? I'd post a link to it but I can't as I'm too new but it seems to be some kind of microrobe based oil cleaner.

AdrianC

It's unlikely to have actually soaked in, just be on the surface - so I'd probably start with something like Fairy Liquid and a stiff brush, moving up to a garage floor/driveway cleaner if necessary.

If that doesn't do it, then I'd be seriously considering whether to just take an angle grinder to the concrete and just remove a thin layer of the surface - especially if it's not particularly visible.

Threewheeler

Reading through the posts, have you considered that the oil delivery pipe may have leaked when the old boiler was removed. Oil soaked through the floor may have been cleaned up, however, oil by it's nature spreads, so it probably soaked into the floor and below. After time it may creep/spread back over all the surfaces, hence your problem.
Councils have product for oil spills as do most garages, it may be worth clearing the area and covering the floor with these granules to soak up any excess. In truth it will take a time to dry out and may return yet again. leaving yet another wet mark, Can you acess the underside of the flooring?

Gordoknot

I am going to have to remove all the oil damaged floorboards (they look like some kind of particle board) so should be able to get to the underside of the floor.

Washing up liquid, various cleaners and an angle grinder have all been considered as solutions. I guess i'll start with the least damaging