While NEDT has the vehicles, training, and staff for large-scale industrial emergencies, we also turn those skills to helping residents deal with their most common kind of hazardous waste—furnace oil spills. Waking up to the smell of oil flumes, a sudden loss of heat, and a sludgy mess can be a shock, but thankfully, by following the steps below, you can get your home back on track and residential oil tank spills completely cleaned up while meeting environmental requirements.
Who to Contact Immediately After an Oil Tank Spill
Also known as a furnace oil spill or heating oil release, once you’ve discovered that your home’s oil tank is leaking, you need to take quick action to prevent damage and preserve health. Provide ventilation to anywhere you can smell oil, opening windows and running fans. If needed, evacuate. While you’re doing that, contact the following organizations:
- Contact Your Fire Department. Call 911 and speak to an operator about your spill. They will come to assess the situation, provide medical assistance, and get the ball rolling.
- Contact MassDEP. You need to report any significant oil spill to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) or state equivalent within 2 hours. Their 24-hour reporting line is 1-888-304-1133.
- Contact Your Oil Company. Your heating oil company is a great resource to help stop any ongoing leaks. Ask if they have service staff who can assist with your issues.
Interested in knowing more about home oil spills? We offer more information on our residential site, NEDT.org, and you can find a Homeowner Oil Spill Cleanup Guide on MassDEP.
Getting Furnace Heating Oil Cleaned Up
Even after the immediate risks have passed, you still need to get this spilled oil out of your home—and for that, you’ll need a specialized contractor. Thankfully, NEDT has at its disposal all the tools for emergency oil spill response available for New England residents. A typical cleanup project has three phases:
- Initial Assessment: Our response team will arrive at your home and assess the situation, including interfacing with other organizations and your insurance. If you stay home during the project, we’ll offer cleanup options, including heating and air quality.
- Oil Cleanup: Cleanup will begin next, starting with the immediate spill, including placing barriers and air-moving equipment, and then removal and disposal of any damaged property.
- Home Decontamination: Depending on the extent and location of the spill, further site remediation might be necessary, including soil removal or oil tank cleaning and/or removal. We’ll work with you and regulatory agents to make sure your project goes smoothly and quickly.
At NEDT, we know that what you do and who you work with in these crucial periods can have long-reaching impacts on your property value and your finances. We pride ourselves on our long experience dealing with oil spill cleanup and decontamination and will contact your insurance directly to determine coverage and, if necessary, refer you to a specialty lawyer who can provide legal advice on residential oil spills to maximize potential coverage. Call us 1.800.698.1865 or visit our contact page to get started.
