Oil Tank Removal Allentown, PA

About Allentown

Allentown is a city in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.

Local facts

Allentown is the Lehigh County seat; the county seat sits at Seventh & Hamilton streets⁵.
Census figures for Allentown: 2020 population 125,845; 46,374 households and an owner-occupied rate of 43.2% (ACS 2020–2024); median owner-occupied home value $206,600 (ACS 2020–2024); land area 17.55 sq mi⁶.
Allentown is served by the Allentown School District⁷.
Heating fuel, Allentown: fuel oil or kerosene heats an estimated 6,539 of 46,374 occupied homes (14.1%; margin of error ±579 homes); utility gas 44.2%, electricity 39.5%⁸.
Housing age, Allentown: an estimated 62.1% of 49,502 housing units were built before 1960, and 37.9% in 1939 or earlier⁹.
ZIP codes, Allentown (ZCTA approximation): 18101, 18102, 18103, 18104, 18109 — ZCTAs covering at least 1% of the municipality's land area; ZCTAs approximate, and do not exactly match, USPS ZIP delivery areas¹⁰.
Census figures are ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates at county-subdivision level. For small boroughs the margins of error are wide, so treat them as approximate.
City of Allentown office: City Hall, 435 Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101 — https://www.allentownpa.gov. Ask there about local permits for tank removal¹¹.

Local angle

Buying here? Ask the seller for tank records before your appraisal; an appraiser who knows of a hazard must make the appraisal "subject to" inspection².

Local permits

Tank removal permit rules vary by municipality⁴. Permit rules vary by municipality; your matched contractor will confirm and pull any required permit. Questions? Call the municipal office listed above.

Published prices (Pennsylvania)

Job	Published figure	Source
Above-ground / basement tank removal	$500–$1,500	⁴
Above-ground tank removal	average $1,100	¹²
Underground heating-oil tank removal	$1,000–$3,000+	⁴
Underground heating-oil tank removal	average $1,900	¹²
Soil sample lab analysis	about $220 each, typically 2–3 samples	¹²
Tank sweep (magnetometry), residential lot	$250–$500 (Philadelphia source)	¹³

Leaks change the picture: cleanup is a separate, larger project¹²^,4. Figures are published ranges, not quotes.

Lehigh Valley towns with the most oil-heated homes

Share of occupied homes heated mainly by fuel oil or kerosene, estimated by the Census⁸:

Town	Fuel-oil share	Homes (± margin of error)
Coopersburg	40.3%	442 ± 96
Wind Gap	39.9%	603 ± 142
Pen Argyl	39.2%	545 ± 184
Moore Township	32.2%	1,113 ± 208
Bangor	31.7%	630 ± 197
Nazareth	30.3%	908 ± 208

For comparison: Allentown 14.1%, Easton 8.6%⁸. These are 5-year survey estimates; small towns have wide margins of error.

FAQ

Does PA DEP require me to remove my home heating oil tank?

No. Tanks storing heating oil burned on the premises are excluded from the state program, and DEP says home heating oil tanks are not regulated¹⁴^,1. Owners usually act because of a sale, a lender, an insurer, or leak risk.

Can I sell a house with a buried oil tank in PA?

State law doesn't prohibit it, but you must disclose known material defects¹⁵, and the buyer's lender may require inspection or documentation²^,3.

Get a free quote

Tell us where the tank is (basement, side yard, buried, or unknown) and whether you're buying, selling, or refinancing. Allentown Tanks will connect you with a qualified local tank contractor. (215) 434-1322 · Request a quote

Sources

Sources accessed 2026-10-25 by TANKER Traffic.

Oil Tank Removal in Allentown, PA