SERVPRO Cleans Up Thomaston Homes After Heating Oil Spills

1/7/2020 (Permalink)

It’s wintertime in Connecticut and the signs are all here -  snowy boots by the doorway, icicles hanging off of eaves and trucks driving down the road at all hours delivering oil to keep our homes warm.

Heating oil is used to heat the majority of homes in the Torrington area. Even those of us with wood stoves also use oil to keep warm. It’s an easy and relatively safe way of heating our homes. However, accidents happen and several times a year, our office receives calls from homes in which there has been a home heating oil spill inside of a home. Typically, these spills occur when a tank is accidentally overfilled or there is a leak in the oil tank.  

There are health risks associated with inhaling the vapors from home heating oil. Fortunately, these spills are usually discovered immediately by the oil delivery company and the occupants of the home are able to leave the premises without being harmed. Inspecting your tank and looking for signs of rust and drips around the tank is the best way to detect a slow leak. 

When you’ve had an oil spill, professional clean up is necessary. We’ve found that local oil companies are quick to assist homeowners when they have made an error and overfilled your tank or caused a spill. While you wait for our arrival, we advise against attempting to clean up the spill yourself. You should ventilate the area where the leak occurred (most likely the basement) by opening windows and doors. Turn off all sources of flames or sparks in the area, such as pilot lights in water heaters and furnaces. Try to contain the fumes out of the living space by closing vents and doors to the basement if possible.

If your oil company accidentally overfills your tank, call SERVPRO of Southbury/Torrington for emergency clean up service. Our technicians are experienced in restoring homes after home heating oil spills and are here to help.