How to Know If Your Property Might Need Contaminated Soil Removal

Thinking that the soil on your property might be contaminated is not a pleasant scenario for any homeowner, but this contamination does happen more often than you might think. It's vital that you test your property's soil if you suspect contamination, and then have contaminated soil removed or at least treated in some way. This will ensure that children and pets are safe and so that the contamination doesn't spread to groundwater or other areas. If you're not sure if the soil on your property might be contaminated, note a few considerations to keep in mind.

1. How was the property used previously?

If the property was previously used for a manufacturing facility, an illegal drug lab, or for any type of storage of petroleum, this might lead to contamination of the soil. Very often you can request records from your city or county or other municipality that tell you how property was once used, and this can help you determine if the soil might be contaminated. You may also find records of spills that occurred on the property which can leave residual contamination; this can include oil spills, spills of hazardous materials, and the like.

2. Note if the home or surrounding businesses have hazardous materials

If your home is found to have asbestos, consider that these fibers can become airborne and settle into the ground, contaminating the soil. Nearby gas stations may have leaks in their petrol tanks or pumps that allow for contamination. Manufacturing facilities may have some type of runoff that makes its way to your soil. Even though these businesses are required by law to contain such leaks and dispose of products properly, this doesn't mean that they always comply with the law or that accidents never happen. If your home has hazardous materials or they're found in nearby businesses, you might have your soil tested for contamination.

3. If you find something on your property that might cause contamination

When you purchase a home, it may be a legal requirement for the previous owner to inform you of a buried septic tank or propane storage tank. However, again, this doesn't mean that someone always complies with the law, or you may have bought the home before such laws were in place. If you find an old septic tank or storage tank of any sort on your property, you want to have the soil tested for potential contamination from leaks, runoff, and the like.

You can have a contaminated soil removal done by a company like Asbestos Extraction & Containment.