Fuel Oil Spill in Basement-Need Help

[CateP]

Hi --We just had a significant fuel oil spill in our basement caused by a technician who forgot to tighten a fuel nozzle after working on our furnace. Fuel oil has soaked into the cement floor, the cement blocks holding the furnace, the cement block holding the water tank and the wood framing on the floor of a standing wall.

The fuel spill happened last Sunday 5/22. We need a contractor who knows how to fix this problem. Hopefully the fuel oil company will pay for it, but for now we need the situation fixed so we can breathe.

[ishoot308]

Cate;

I would be contacting the fuel supplier ASAP as this is a situation that can't wait. These fumes are NOT good to have in your house and pose a real threat. They need to get this taken care of quickly! Do not attempt to handle this on your own at all...

Good luck;

Dan

[GTO]

Cate;

I would be contacting the fuel supplier ASAP as this is a situation that can't wait. These fumes are NOT good to have in your house and pose a real threat. They need to get this taken care of quickly! Do not attempt to handle this on your own at all...

Good luck;

Dan

I would contact the fuel supplier also. They should be making arrangements to take care of this...immediately

For Any Size Spill:



Always respond immediately to fuel oil spills, no matter how small. The successful clean up of spilled fuel oil depends on a quick response. Fuel oil that has soaked into concrete floors and wood support beams, or has had time to flow into cracks or drains and get beneath floors and walls will be more difficult to clean up. Sometimes demolition and removal is the only option when walls and floors are saturated with fuel oil. If fuel oil left the house through cracks in the floors, drain tile systems, sump pumps etc. an environmental investigation may be needed that includes collecting soil and groundwater samples and cleanup of contaminated soil and/or groundwater.

It is important to use proper clean up methods.

Prevent an explosion or fire


Turn off all flame and spark sources. Don't smoke or light matches in the area. Extinguish pilot lights on furnaces, water heaters, and gas dryers. Turn off gas appliances that have electronic ignitions. Do not attempt to clean up spilled oil with a shop vac or use any electric appliances or power tools. Keep all sources of ignition away from the area until the spill is completely cleaned up.

[codeman671]

This is their problem to deal with. I would be all over them to remedy this asap. If not, call insurance. You will need someone like Servpro to clean this up. They are not cheap!

If you need a contact at Servpro let me know. I am physically located in their building in Dover (different company, same real estate).

[radioman]

Cate, As others have said, do not try to address this problem on your own. They caused the problem, they are responsible to re mediate.

[Kamper]

Call your insurance company for advice too. If your oil company doesn't have someone working on it within a day of the accident you don't want to wait. Your insurance may not cover all of it but you can still pursue the difference with the tech's company if needed.

Good luck!

[sluggo]

you need to contact your local fire station also and notify them of the spill.

[The Real BigGuy]

If oil company doesn't take responsibility you may have coverage under your homeowner's policy.

Contact New England Disposal Technologies, Inc. (800-698-1865) they specialize in basement spill cleanups.

[upthesaukee]

Call the company that did the work. Then call your insurance company. You may have coverage under your policy, ask them. Also ask if you have coverage under the "Loss of Use" provisions of your policy that would reimburse you for costs associated with living elsewhere while the damage is being remediated.

I live here... I am always Upthesaukee.

[Pineedles]

Cate, the NH DES has a form that should be filled out. Here is a on-line link to it. So sorry to hear of your troubles.

Jeff

http://des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/waste/orcb/srcis/documents/nhdes-s-04-011.docx

[PENIVISA]

Sorry to hear this Cate, hope things work out for you.
A nice sail might take your mind off of things for a while

[jbolty]

This happened to a friend of mine in Moultonboro a couple years ago. It turned in a HUGE deal with pretty much everyone involved. Fire dept, hazmat, epa and probably about six others. As already stated start making calls now.

[Descant]

Cate, the NH DES has a form that should be filled out. Here is a on-line link to it. So sorry to hear of your troubles.

Jeff

http://des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/waste/orcb/srcis/documents/nhdes-s-04-011.docx

Cate, sorry to hear about this. Pineneedles is right, contact DES asap. Actually, your clean up contractor should be up to date on the DES process. DES does have some funds (RSA 146-D) to help with certain parts of certain kinds of spills, but the process to get reimbursed can get lengthy if you or your contractor do a lot of work that is not pre-approved. Again, the contractor should know all about this, as it is a specialized business.

[Rusty]

Your basement air needs to be inspected for volatile organic vapors with a photoionization detector real soon. It needs to be cleaned unti it passes the limits specified by the detector.

[CateP]

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]

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]

(Big sigh of relief!)

Time to go sailing!

[Descant]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

[Joebon]

Pictures of the barrels and gps coordinates will be in the diving section of the forum next summer.


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[Kamper]

Many things are destroyed by high temperatures. This stuff is put into an incinerator and physical residue like concrete is disposed of in landfills.

[ishoot308]

Many things are destroyed by high temperatures. This stuff is put into an incinerator and physical residue like concrete is disposed of in landfills.

That not the way they did it in the Sopranos! 😄