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September 20, 2016

Is Oil Tank Detection in North Vancouver Required for a Building Permit?

If you are looking to obtain a building permit for a property in North Vancouver, then familiarizing yourself with the relevant guidelines and requirements is a highly recommended idea.

One of the least known requirements for a building permit in North Vancouver, is ensuring that there are no residential underground storage tanks (RUST) beneath your property. The first stage of this task is to conduct an oil tank detection in North Vancouver.

When must you remove a RUST

If a residential underground storage tank is found on your property, then the Environment Department will need to determine if this is required to be removed or not. Irrespective of this, if the building permit involves work over $100,000.00, or if ground disturbance such as excavation is going to take place, then you will definitely need to remove the tank.

Method for detecting and removing an oil tank

When applying for your building permit, if you cannot provide documentation asserting that there is no oil tank present on your property, the first task is to complete a thorough RUST detection.

There are a number of different techniques that can be utilized in order to find the location of an underground oil tank, or conclusively determine that there isn’t one present, ranging from ground penetrating radar (GPR) to M-Scope metal detector technology. If you are fortunate enough not to have an oil tank buried underneath your property, you are then provided with a certified letter of compliance that can be used to prove the absence of an oil tank.

If there is an oil tank on your property, however, then the next stage is to engage in its removal, which should only be performed by a qualified company, or contractor. This also includes disposing of the oil tank correctly, which should not be attempted unless you are an experienced and trained professional in the industry.

Restoration services

Once the oil tank detection in North Vancouver, and removal if one is found, have been actioned, the next stage is to restore the ground. This includes testing and treating the soil, if required, in order to prepare for the building permit work that you have planned.

Still have questions relating to building permits and oil tank detection in North Vancouver? If so, contact an oil tank removal specialist to ask for their advice and guidance today, as this is not a task that should be delayed.