Ground Penetrating Radar –

The Ultimate in Oil Tank Detection for Vancouver Houses!

Oil Tanks in Vancouver are a major concern when houses change hands.

If an oil tank is discovered on a property it has to be removed immediately at the owner’s expense. If has been leaking oil it could result in tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in remediation costs. When preparing to sell your house or if you’re looking to buy a house, it is always recommended to get an Oil Tank Scan by a qualified professional!

But what happens when the scan finds metal, but it’s not certain its an oil tank or not?

Enter Ground Penetrating Radar!?

Recently, I was working with some clients who were selling this house in Vancouver. As part of the due diligence before the sale, we had an oil tank scan done. The oil tank scan with Tri-City Tank Tech came up with some metal but we couldn’t be sure if it was an oil tank or not.

Tri-City was kind enough to refer us to GeoScan who brought out their Ground Penetrating Radar to come in and scan the area that we weren’t sure about and they accurately figured out for us that the metal we found was not an oil tank, which was a huge relief.

What is Ground Penetrating Radar?

Kate Buchanan from GeoScan was kind enough to come and meet with us to explain what is Ground Penetrating Radar Ground Penetrating Radar (or GPR for short). Ground Penetrating Radar is when you can send a pulse into the ground and by measuring it when it comes back, bouncing off different materials, we are able to get an imaging solution of what is going on in the ground. It allows the operator a visual representation of what is going on under the ground to find out whether it is an oil tank, a rock, or some other piece of metal.

When Would We Use Ground Penetrating Radar?

  1. One of the more common situations as mentioned above, where a piece of metal is found but there is no certainty as to what it is. Geoscan can come in confirm whether or not it is an oil tank, or highly mineralized soil or discarded sheet metal, etc.
  2. The second situation is if there is a concrete slab or asphalt on the property, especially recent additions like deck pads or driveways or basements. They are able to see through the concrete and/or asphalt with GPR to see what’s going on underneath. So if someone is buying or selling a house in Vancouver, and they’re worried about an oil tank under a concrete pad or asphalt pad, GeoScan can see right through that and let discover what’s in there.
  3. And the third way is if you want to see the exact size and depth of an oil tank. This can be helpful if you’re obtaining a quote from the oil tank company to remove the tank because sometimes depending on the size, you may get stuck with a bigger cost than you want. It is also helpful to the oil tank companies because it helps avoid piercing the oil tank, leading to bigger spills. So if you have an oil tank, you can use Ground Penetrating Radar to see how big it is, so you know how big of a job it is, and also the company removing it can use it to not make a bigger mess by avoiding places.


Points to Remember with Oil Tank Scans and Ground Penetrating Radar

  • Always get an Oil Tank Scan when selling or buying a house!
  • Standard Oil Tank Scans in most cases can determine the presence or not of an Underground Oil Storage Tank.
  • If there are questions surrounding the results of an Oil Tank Scan, Ground Penetrating Radar can clarify the situation by giving you a clear image of what’s happening under your house up to 20′ below the surface.
  • When in doubt ask questions!

Wondering when Real Estate Commissions are Tax Deductible?

Check out this great post on when Deducting Real Estate Commissions in Canada!

How Much Does it Cost to Sell Your Home in Vancouver?

Check out this great Real Estate Commission Fee Calculator for Vancouver!

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