Underground storage tanks, such as steel fuel tanks, or buried drums can be detected using a variety of geophysical tools including ground penetrating radar (GPR), metal detection, magnetometers, line tracing, electromagnetic conductivity, and time domain.
The most effective method of finding buried objects such as oil tanks, water lines, sewer lines, and other buried objects is to conduct a ground penetrating radar auscultation.
What is GPR?
Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is a frequently used geophysical location method. It uses radio frequency waves to produce images of the subsurface, allowing us to accurately locate underground utilities, underground reservoir detection and a multitude of other phenomena.
This non-destructive method uses radio frequencies in the microwave band, which detect signals reflected after meeting underground structures or changes in soil composition.
Underground tank detection: Commercial and residential
Commercial: GPR underground detection can be performed and mapped by combining radio detection and GPR. We can locate water conduits, electrical cables, gas, telephone cables, drainage pipes, lines, sewers, and electricity.
Georadar Detection can detect underground infrastructures that are difficult to locate by GPR. The reliable and non-intrusive geophysical detection we offer allows us to locate and target all underground tank detection services prior to your project. In addition, GPS positions and 3D modeling can be used.
Residential: Many tanks were never found and were often forgotten with remnant oil in the tank. Over time, underground storage tanks corrode and deteriorate, especially when they are no longer in use, resulting in soil and groundwater contamination. The law places the responsibility on owners to properly maintain tanks and clean up leaks that may occur at excessive cost!
Conclusion
Lending institutions and insurers are also becoming more demanding often a GPR subsurface detection or a certified concrete analysis of the property to avoid contamination. In other words, sellers are required to mention the existence of underground tanks under their property and to remedy the problem. This way, they can increase the assessment of their property value.
If you are interested, you should take precautions to ensure that there is no septic tank under the property. Make sure that a scanning is conducted before confirming the sale to eliminate any risk of contamination if the underground tank detection has not been done. Georadar Detection will provide you with all the necessary documentation required by lending institutions, potential buyers, insurers, and local authorities.