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Oil Tank Removal in Pen Argyl & Wind Gap, PA

Short answer: Pen Argyl & Wind Gap homeowners aren't required by PA DEP to remove a home heating oil tank1, but a sale, lender or insurer often makes locating, testing or removing it worthwhile2,3. Published Pennsylvania figures: underground removal $1,000–$3,000+, above-ground $500–$1,5004.

About Pen Argyl & Wind Gap

This page covers two Northampton County boroughs: Pen Argyl and Wind Gap.

Local facts

  • Both boroughs are in the Pen Argyl Area School District5.
  • Pen Argyl Borough office: 11 N Robinson Ave, Pen Argyl, PA 18071 — http://www.penargylborough.com. Ask there about local permits for tank removal5.
  • Wind Gap Borough office: 545 East West St., Wind Gap, PA 18091 — http://www.windgap-pa.gov. Ask there about local permits for tank removal5.
  • Heating fuel, Pen Argyl: fuel oil or kerosene heats an estimated 545 of 1,391 occupied homes (39.2%; margin of error ±184 homes); utility gas 39.8%, electricity 15.1%6.
  • Housing age, Pen Argyl: an estimated 81.2% of 1,566 housing units were built before 1960, and 68.4% in 1939 or earlier7.
  • ZIP codes, Pen Argyl (ZCTA approximation): 18072 — ZCTAs covering at least 1% of the municipality's land area; ZCTAs approximate, and do not exactly match, USPS ZIP delivery areas8.
  • Heating fuel, Wind Gap: fuel oil or kerosene heats an estimated 603 of 1,511 occupied homes (39.9%; margin of error ±142 homes); utility gas 10.8%, electricity 43.3%6.
  • Housing age, Wind Gap: an estimated 45.0% of 1,511 housing units were built before 1960, and 31.9% in 1939 or earlier7.
  • ZIP codes, Wind Gap (ZCTA approximation): 18091 — ZCTAs covering at least 1% of the municipality's land area; ZCTAs approximate, and do not exactly match, USPS ZIP delivery areas8.
  • 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.

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)

JobPublished figureSource
Above-ground / basement tank removal$500–$1,5004
Above-ground tank removalaverage $1,1009
Underground heating-oil tank removal$1,000–$3,000+4
Underground heating-oil tank removalaverage $1,9009
Soil sample lab analysisabout $220 each, typically 2–3 samples9
Tank sweep (magnetometry), residential lot$250–$500 (Philadelphia source)10

Leaks change the picture: cleanup is a separate, larger project9,4. 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 Census6:

TownFuel-oil shareHomes (± margin of error)
Coopersburg40.3%442 ± 96
Moore Township32.2%1,113 ± 208
Bangor31.7%630 ± 197
Nazareth30.3%908 ± 208

For comparison: Allentown 14.1%, Easton 8.6%6. 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 regulated11,1. 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 defects12, 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

  1. PA DEP Storage Tank Data ("Home heating oil tanks are not regulated")
  2. Fannie Mae Selling Guide B4-1.4-08 Environmental Hazards Appraisal Requirements
  3. Kash Mortgage Group, PA buyer guide
  4. Harned Durham Energy, heating oil tank removal cost
  5. Northampton County, Our Communities (page 2)
  6. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year Table B25040 House Heating Fuel, county subdivision geography (table-based summary file)
  7. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year Table B25034 Year Structure Built, county subdivision geography (table-based summary file)
  8. Census 2020 ZCTA-to-county-subdivision relationship file
  9. Curren Environmental, PA oil tank removal cost
  10. Flagstone, Philadelphia oil tank guide
  11. Act 32 §103 (UST definition excludes heating oil for consumptive use)
  12. 68 Pa.C.S. §7303 seller disclosure
  13. 25 Pa. Code §245.1 definitions
  14. PA DEP Installer/Inspector Certification (certified company list)
  15. PA DEP Storage Tanks Financial Assistance (Underground Heating Oil Tank Cleanup Reimbursement Program)
  16. PA DEP, Apply for Oil Tank Cleanup Reimbursement

Sources accessed 2026-10-25 by TANKER Traffic.

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