What is an abandoned oil fill pipe?
An abandoned fill pipe is the oil fill pipe previously used to connect an indoor heating oil storage tank to the outside of a home. A heating oil truck connects to the fill pipe to fill the oil tank. The fill pipe and associated vent pipe usually penetrate a foundation wall in a location accessible to the street. When the heating fuel source in a home is switched from oil to another fuel such as natural gas, the oil storage tank and delivery piping is no longer used. Sometimes the tank is removed and the oil fill pipe is abandoned or left in place. NYS Law and the Building Code* requires that the oil fill and vent lines be removed or filled with concrete to avoid an unwanted delivery.
