Curren Environmental Blog

If someone says “Black Mold” or even asks “Is that black mold?” I cringe.  In today’s society, people are deathly afraid of black mold and what it will do to you.  I even see my industry peers (I use peers rather lightly) tell people about the “Black Mold”.  The fact is there is no mold that is called black mold. Yes, that is correct - no mold called black mold.   I have seen countless laboratory reports where mold testing was performed and nowhere is there a mold called black mold on that laboratory analytical report.  Most molds have very difficult names to spell and pronounce such as Alternaria, Penecillium/Aspergillus, Chaetomium, Basidiospores, Ulocladium and Smuts (OK, Smuts is an easy one to pronounce).   The term Black Mold originated from the media to create hype for mold issues and scare the public.   In the mold industry, the term is used by nonprofessionals to scare and misinform people.   I say this is as the CDC (Centers for Disease Control, EPA (Environmental Protection Agency ) and laboratories that test for mold do not recognize any mold referred to as black mold.

Why should you NOT be afraid of black mold?  Because black mold is not a type of mold, black mold is a color of mold and there are many different molds that are white, grey and black, but there is not a specific type of mold called black mold.   The term black mold should scare you, because if a mold company representative tells you that you have black mold, well then the next thing they are going to tell you or I mean sell you is a bridge (kidding). What they will sell you is a mold remediation that may or may not be warranted.   Let’s face it if you see mold you have mold, if you smell musty odors (the odor is mold growing and off gassing) you have mold and need remediation (remediation = Removal).  When people try and scare you with fictitious molds, well then they are playing off fear and trying to steer you toward an emotional decision rather than a well thought out decision.

Look at the facts if you have mold, it has been growing for some time, weeks, months years. When the temperature and moisture conditions are right, mold grows.   Mold needs a 48 to 72 hour incubation period to grow, meaning if you get something wet and dry it out fast, no mold will grow. Mold doesn’t grow everyday but when the conditions are right mold will grow and when the conditions are not conducive mold goes dormant like grass in winter.

Now back to “I have mold” because you see it and it is everywhere and were told it is black mold. It was in your crawl space so you think you get a pass because you’re a clean person and don’t go into the crawl space because it is not clean in there.  Now that you have looked in there you can see mold growth and it looks bad and you are told it is the worst they have seen.  Then you are told you have an emergency mold remediation.  Seriously, I am not making this stuff up, these are actual comments people say to us, who met with so-called mold professionals.  First, you have mold, next is why do you have mold? You need to find the water source, as mold doesn’t grow without water, fix the water problem BEFORE you remediate otherwise the mold can grow back.   Emergency and mold really shouldn’t be in the same sentence because mold takes as long to grow as does getting your “Honey Do List” completed.   In situations where the mold firm pushing alarm buttons, step back, you need to call another company to assess your mold issue, because the company in this scenario is not providing a competent consultation.  I like decisions based on facts not scare tactics.

When should you get a second opinion about Mold?

1. When you are told you have black mold.
2. When you are told your mold is the worst they have ever seen.
3. When you are told that the mold is an emergency.
4. The firm you are dealing with does 24 hour mold removal emergency service.
5. When you feel like who you are dealing with may not be 100% honest.

Mold can be alarming, the presence of mold points to a moisture issue, which can lead to having to repair what is causing the water problem such as roof, plumbing leak or gutters.  The water and mold problem can also mean that you have to replace water (mold damaged) building materials such as wall studs, sheetrock, etc.   So yeah, mold can be scary to your wallet.  Mold also has a variety of health concerns that affect people differently and some people not at all.  Remember some people have peanut allergies, gluten issues, allergies to cats and some mold. 

What should you do if you have mold?

1. Find the water issue and correct it. Stopping water stops mold growth.
2. Speak with a mold professionals (they are rare) about how to correct the issue.
3. Remember mold remediation is not the killing of mold as dead mold spores can affect you. Mold remediation is the removal of mold.
4. Hire a firm that you feel has the competence to address your mold issue.  Mold remediation costs vary widely or should I say wildly.  Remediation costs should be tied to equipment as well as labor and material utilized to remediate your problem.  Most every mold remediation will entail applying a fungicidal encapsulate (expensive paint that prevents future mold growth) that is applied to remaining organic surfaces.  This encapsulate can kill any spores that remain and treats the surface to prevent future growth.  We find that while people may fix one water issue that caused the mold, there may be a second or third source that is not as obvious.  These coatings provide a safety net to prevent mold growth in the future.  The better ones cost more but come with 10 year warranties. 
5. Warranties from mold companies are useless as companies come and go.  Warranties from mold coating firms are priceless.

Now you know that “Black Mold” is not type of mold and Mold issues are typically not an emergency. When you are told, you have black mold and it is an emergency you know you need to find another firm. Thank them and find someone reputable. Stay away from firms that do not have a physical address (PO Box means no), firms that work out of their homes are also questionable as mold remediation is physical labor-intensive work. Home based firms typically subcontract the work, which adds needless expense.

A gentleman contacted Curren Environmental regarding a house of his deceased in-laws.  His wife is the executor of the estate and lives local to the property.  Her parents who recently passed away, purchased their home only 2 years ago, moving from their previous home where they lived for over 50 years. Now, her parents’ home needs to be sold.  With all estates, you have the executor who is burdened with managing all the affairs, payment of bills and disbursement of assets with typically the home being the largest and most difficult assist to deal with.  Now, you also have the relatives and typically the beneficiaries of the estate that don’t do much but complain about how slow the executor is in disbursing the monies.  The heirs or as some people say THEIRS, want their share pronto (mourning is over) and they are impatient and do not understand what the delay is when disbursing the monies Mom and Dad left for them.  This is an extremely common scenario particularly when the average time it takes to settle an estate is one year.

This photos shows a more serios tank leak where the oil leaked deeper into the water table.  The seller would not allow the buyer to do any testing before purchase.

Being an executor of an estate is a difficult, thankless job as I just tried to explain.  Being the executor of an estate with an oil tank is an even bigger headache.  In our scenario the last asset to manage is the home sale and failure comes quick.  The home we are discussing was as I stated just purchased 2 years ago and is in good shape as the parents had a home inspection and prior owners addressed the short laundry list of items the home inspector found, so the sale by all the heirs accounts should be fast and smooth, right?   Yes and no, the house found a buyer that loved the house, neighborhood and price.  House was being sold as is and the buyers were ok with that.  Problem was the house was of the era when oil heat was likely used (home is on natural gas) and the buyers wanted a tank scan.  The Executor didn’t even know what a tank scan was and was informed by their attorney that if a tank was found, they would have to disclose it to future buyers in the event the deal went south. 

The heirs to the estate (brother & sister) lived in Florida, where oil tank problems are like unicorns and were completely baffled as to why this type of inspection would be necessary.   Now the internet is a vast trove of information where you can learn then become quite confused.  The executor googled Oil Tank Leak New Jersey and saw some alarming (scary) web pages, so they denied the prospective home buyers the rights to perform a tank scan.  (buyers were just out of their inspection period, so it was within the rights of the owner to deny the inspection).  So the deal died and the executor and heirs were anxious for the next buyer. 

The estate found another buyer and in the contract removed the right to do any tank sweeps and provided a statement that they were unaware of any oil tanks.  Again this buyer fell through, upon the advice of their realtor and attorney who both knew the risk of an oil tank (expensive to cleanup oil tank leaks and whoever owns the property owns the problem) and they canceled their offer to purchase.  Now the house sat, realtors talk as do neighbors, word on the street the property had an oil tank problem that the owners would not address.  You see realtors talk about what deals are happening and why deals fall apart, neighbors also are aware when a house gets a for sale sign, an under contract sign and then gets a for sale sign again

In this situation the husband of the executor contacted our office and relayed the story you were just told.  He wanted to know if he could inspect the dwelling for an oil tank so that he would know if there was an oil tank.  He didn’t want a report of a tank scan, he just wanted to know one way or another so they could settle this issue.  (the brother in Florida was getting real impatient and couldn’t understand the holdup)  What was Curren Environmental’s advice?

1. It was ill-advised to deny the buyer the option of performing a tank scan, it made the owner look like they were hiding something. We asked how would you feel if you were denied an inspection for a property you were buying?
2. Even though the sale was As Is, oil tanks don’t fall into As Is sales as you can’t walk a site and determine the expense involved with cleaning up an oil tank, that can cost thousands of dollars to just diagnosis the problem. It is far easier to get contractors to walk a property and provide rough budgets for roof repair, bathroom remodel, kitchen updating, tank issues cannot be evaluated so easily - unless you have X-ray vision.  Bottom line, the tank scan should have been performed.
3. The question to our office regarding what indications would indicate the presence of an oil tank was a red flag, it typically means that the person wants to hide this evidence. WE indicated that they should stop going in the direction of looking for evidence of a tank, you see we were already in agreement that the age of the home (Pre 1985) was a sign that the house may have had oil heat.  In fact this house was built in 1920, and no doubt had coal heat, which was converted to oil heat after WWII and then ultimately natural gas.
4. If the sellers stayed on the course they were on (denying an oil tank sweep), they may find a buyer, that may buy the house and an oil tank may be found in the future (possible during the next transaction or by a home improvement, or neighbor talking about how the neighborhood had oil heat and their house has a buried oil tank). Now at this point where an owner finds an oil tank, old owners typically get sued.  The problems with estates and oil tanks are by this time, the estate is dissolved and monies are disbursed, so the parties getting sued are the heirs to the estate.
5. The best course of action is to allow the oil tank inspection, if no tank is found no harm no foul. If a tank is found, be aware of what many tank removal companies will not tell you,  (1) not all tanks leak, (2) not all tanks that leak require remediation and (3)  oil tank that leaks that are so costly and detailed in the scary Google search of Oil Tank Leaks, are rare, but that is what people see when they research oil tanks.
6. Better to perform a tank scan, if an oil tank is found, remove the oil tank.  This is preferable to hiding any tank issue and than be sued afterwards. Bottom line, you can’t go stick the oil tank problem on the next person, it is unethical and immoral and the buyer will find  an attorney that will sue you.  Let’s say your property has an oil tank and you have to spend money to remove and remediate, well whatever that cost is $5,000.00 or $8,000.00 or whatever amount, that is a cost the estate must bear.  Whatever the estate is worth, it is worth that amount less whatever the cost of the tank issue is, If there even was an oil tank.

What to know the ending of this story, what happen to the estate?   Did the siblings in Florida get help?  Did the first buyer come back to buy the house after doing a tank scan?   Call our office to find out at 856-858-9509 or email us at info@CurrenEnvironmental.com. Curren offers a free consultation to address your oil tank questions; we know you have one because you just read our story. (Check out this story from an Estate in CA)

Oil Tank Removal New Jersey, how do I choose an Oil Tank Removal Company?

“I want to remove my oil tank, and I see a lot of concerning information on the internet regarding oil tank removal.”  We hear that a lot, removing an oil tank is an activity that only a small percentage of the population will have to deal with and of that small percentage, it will be a once in a lifetime occurrence.  Anything that must be done once must be done right, the same holds true for removing oil tanks.  

So you want to remove an oil tank?  Looking for the best oil tank removal company?  There are many companies that offer tank removal services, some better than others, some cost less, some hold no certifications and then there are those that just want your hard earned money, meaning they want to tell you that you have a problem and must remediate.

What do you need to consider when deciding to remove an oil tank?

Any company removing oil tanks today should be in business at least 10 years and have a place of business, not operating out of the comfort of their own home. The reason for an office is the company should have their own equipment and labor.  Google the address of the said company and if it is a residential home, than that company probably subcontracts the work which means you wind up paying more in the end. Move onto the next company in your google research.  Business’s that have not been doing tank removal for long probably have entered the business from another type of work such as exterminating or excavating, neither is an environmental professional business.  You want an environmental professional to manage your oil tank removal.  We see more and more business’s starting up and trying to do tank removals, we see many complaints from people who have engaged these firms.

In today’s technological age, most tank removal projects can be assessed without an on-site visit.  Before the internet, site visits were mandatory and today only a few situations occur where a site visit takes place, when tanks are under decks or structures, but the majority of tanks are easily accessible. Remember someone had to dig a hole to bury the underground tank originally and if your house was built before 1945, the tank was installed after WWII, when the house converted from coal to oil. While lack of a site visit may concern you or you may want someone to come see your property, in realty your tank removal is not much different than any other.  The more experienced companies have been doing tank removal for years (at least over 10), so your particular scenario has been done more than once.  In addition, the person visiting your site is most likely a salesperson, a person you do not want to deal with when making a once in a lifetime decision, such as a tank removal.

When hiring a Company to remove your tank what information should you expect to have ready?

Keep in mind good companies want more information so they can make the best decision for you. The information needed or requested can include the following:

1. Size of tank.
2. Age of tank.
3. When was the tank last used?
4. Quantity of liquid in the tank (if known).
5. Where the tank is on the property (underground is not the appropriate answer).  Correct answer is under grass right front corner of house, ect.
6. Reason for tank removal.  The reason this is important is if you are removing the tank due to a real estate transaction, the company should be aware since you want to expedite the process as possible.

Ok, so you have supplied the company with your tank information, what should you expect back from them?  What should an oil tank removal contract include? 

1. Written contract of the tank removal with line items detailing what is included and what is not.  Yes - many tanks are removed without a contract and issues arise over he said she said.  Regarding what is included in the tank removal cost, often times permit fees and liquid disposal are additional charges as they vary from site to site and town to town, you only want to pay your required share.
2. A detailed explanation of what tank closure report you will be receiving.  Cannot stress enough how important this is as the documentation you receive after tank removal is what a buyer of your property is going to want to see to feel confident that your oil tank is not an issue.  All you need to do is google “oil tank leak” and you will see what buyers see and it is alarming.  Remember, reports do not write themselves, someone competent has to be on site for the tank removal to document your specific project details and relate that into a report, including detail of work, photos and a professional opinion why the tank did or did not leak.  From 20 years of tank removals, Curren sees one page homemade tank certifications that provide very little in detail regarding the tank work, certainly not enough to satisfy a buyer or a buyer’s attorney.
3. The most important thing to look for in removal of an oil tank is an explanation of how the company will assess for leaks and the cost for soil sampling.  We see an alarming number of quotes to remove oil tanks that make no reference to soil testing after tank removal or why it is important. We see contracts that state the cost is based on the “tank not leaking”.  Well, let us agree we do not want our oil tank to leak, but what if it does? It’s a good idea to explain what would happen if the oil tank leaks   If you want to believe that your 50 year old oil tank will last forever, think again. Does your roof last 50 years or your appliances? These types of wear items need to be replaced after a certain amount of years. Your tank will not last forever.  Knowledge pertaining to the oil tank process including if the tank leaks is paramount if you want to make a good decision.  To be clear the oil tank removal contract should include costs to test the soil after tank removal and provide a clear explanation of what the results will mean.

1. Tank removal soil testing is not required by law, but it will be requested by the buyer of your house so why not test?  If you were buying a house with are removed oil tank, we would want you to have the testing data and a report from the tank removal company that the tank is in compliance with the environmental regulations.  Why would someone buying your house not want the same?

Why is Soil Sampling after oil tank removal important?

1. All oil tanks do not leak but testing is imperative to know 100% that there is no leakage.   Let us agree a doctor cannot tell your cholesterol level without testing, so how can you tell if your tank did not leak without testing?  More important how do you know if your tank leak requires remediation without testing?  Answer is you don’t. If the tank removal company says they just know you need remediation based on looking at the tank and the soil, they are most likely selling you a bill of good.
2. Every State has a permissible level of petroleum that can be left in the ground.  Simply put, not every tank that leaks requires remediation.  How do you know if you need remediation from an oil tank leak? You must test the soil at time of removal.  Do not spend a dime for remediation, no matter what the tank removal company says, UNLESS you have lab data and a written explanation from the removal company explaining why remediation is required.  I say this because we get calls and review lab data from people who had a tank removed and a large percentage of the tame the soil does not require remediation,
3. No one has x-ray vision or the ability to tell concentrations of oil in soil by looking at it or by using a vapor meter, (vapor meters or Photoionization detectors can only detect presence or absence of aromatics such as oil or perfume).  If your oil tank company says your tank excavation has high vapor readings, ask them to check your person after you apply perfume or cologne, guarantee the meter would find you contaminated as well, but you do not need remediation.  My point circles back to the need for soil sample laboratory analysis.

Our office gets calls every day regarding someone who hired the wrong company to remove their oil tanks. What are the common oil tank removal complaints?

1. My tank was removed, they saw holes in the tank the company made and I was reported to the state.
2. My tank was removed Monday and on Wednesday I have an expensive quote to remediate?
3. I was told my tank needs remediation but I did not see any contaminated soils or smell anything?

Oil Tank removal facts.

1. Not every oil tank leaks.
2. Not every oil tank that leaks requires remediation.
3. No one can tell you accurately that your leaks require remediation without testing.
4. Removing an oil tank is considered remediation.
5. Budget tank removal meaning lowest cost invariable boomerang to proposed cost to remediate which typically cost 5 to 10 times the cost of tank removal.
6. If you feel like you are not getting accurate information from the oil tank removal company, you probable are not, get a second opinion.

Did my Oil Tank Leak?

Our office gets phone call everyday with just that question.  Did my oil tank leak?  These calls typically come from property owners who hired a company to remove a tank and on the day the tank is actually removed, the owner is now informed that the tank leaked and expensive remediation is required.   Some people even get a proposal on the same day or within a few days of tank removal for remediation.

A few things about human nature, when we are presented with a problem and more so when the problem can be expensive to solve, we want to know how to fix it and the cost.  Bottom line as humans we fear the unknown for the most part.  Pertaining to oil tanks, when we are told our tank leaked, our first response is what will it take to clean up the tank problem?  The answer is directly tied to important questions that 90% of the time is not known on the day of tank removal.

The question is two-fold.  First, did my tank leak and two is remediation is required?  To be clear, most environmental regulations consider evidence of a release as holes in a tank after removal, visible oil in the tank grave and soils in the excavation that exhibit olfactory (smell) indications of the presence of petroleum.  All three or any one of these is an indication that the tank leaked SOME oil.   With the exception of visible oil in the ground, holes in a tank or the smell of oil in the soils in a tank grave are not indications that remediation is mandatory. Not even a field meter that can detect Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) can determine if remediation is warranted during tank removal.    Why is that the case?  Well it is relative to the fact that there are standards for petroleum in soils.  These standards are based on EPA approved testing methods, meaning certified laboratory analysis.  The way you actually test soil is to acquire samples of soil and submit said samples to a State certified laboratory for analysis.  These laboratory sample results are then compared to applicable state mandated soil standards.  Testing normally takes about a week to complete on average.

The point being unless you have laboratory data defining the petroleum levels in the soils, you do not know if remediation is necessary.

Often time’s people assess oil tanks pertaining to liability incorrectly.   People perceive the presence of an oil tank as a liability, but when it is removed or filled in place, they believe it is a non-issue.   Oil tanks represent an environmental and financial liability for a property, because when tanks leak there is an expense involved to assess the leak and in certain situations the need to remediate.  The costs to remediate can easily run into the thousands of dollars.  The real concern is if the tank leaked, not if my property has or had an oil tank.  How do you answer if a tank leaked? This is answered by testing the soil below the tank by independent laboratory analysis with a written narrative of the tank work and an interpretation of lab testing results.   Just as you cannot ascertain a cholesterol level without testing nor can you determine if an oil tank has leaked without proper evaluation and testing.

Nobody wakes up and says I want to make bad decisions today, but it happens.  What increases your chances of making a bad decision is deciding on something where you have no prior expertise and the decision is a once in a lifetime decision.  A good example of a situation where you can make a bad decision is removing an oil tank. In making a decision regarding whom to hire to manage your tank project, consider the following pitfalls:

Tank Removal Red Flags

1. Tank removal contract that assumes the tank is not leaking and provides no information regarding if the tank does leak. Let us agree any buried steel vessel will rust and eventually leak, it is a scientific fact that rust never sleeps.
2. Tank removal contract that does not include soil sample acquisition and analysis and what the laboratory results will mean. If you were buying a house where an oil tank was removed, we would want you to have a report of the tank removal and soil test results, otherwise how do you 100% if the tank did not leak?
3. A tank removal contact that does not specifically state that a report of the tank removal is included. To be fair, you are removing the tank to remove issues with the tank.  Wouldn’t a report of the tank removal be important to show a potential buyer?
4. Being told that any tank leaks would be addressed on the day of removal, with no other explanation as to how? This is called hand stamping and is too vague.  This often leads to your back being against a wall and staring at an expensive contract to remediate.
5. The vapor meter can tell us if the soil is good or bad during removal. Well the meter does tell you presence or absence, but there are no standards for field reading with a vapor meter.  Incidentally if you put perfume or cologne on and the meter was placed near your skin where the fragrance was applied the meter would light up with beeps and flashing lights.  However, they did not tell you that, oh and by the way you are not contaminated if that happens, just fragrant.
6. On the day of removal, evidence of a leak is noted and you are told that soil sampling is not necessary. This happens so often and is so wrong.  That is absolutely the wrong advice; this is when soil sampling is most important.  Why, because for a couple hundred dollars soil samples can be acquired and you will know if remediation is necessary.  The plus side for you is you can manage a tank leak very cheaply; the bad side for the environmental company is that they cannot run up a big bill for work that is not needed. 
7. You are told on the day of tank removal that remediation is required. How does the company know?   They just know, experience x-ray vision, some skill set a normal person does not possess.   Outside of oozing oil in the ground, the company does not know 100%.  Can your doctor predict cancer or heart issues from a visual assessment?   Can you look someone and know his or her cholesterol level?   If the company does not have laboratory testing completed, you will never know for sure.

These seven pitfalls should be avoided at all costs as you taking a path where you will be unpleasantly surprised.  All you need to do is google Oil tank Leak and you will be taken to some alarming web pages that extoll the problems and expensive of managing an oil tank leak.

So what do you do when you are told your oil tank leaked?

First, you ensure soil samples are acquired, two for tanks up to 550 gallons and three soil samples for tanks up to 1000 gallons.  The sample data is the only way to know if your petroleum levels in soil demand remediation.

Many firms will tell you that from experience and their observation they know that the tank leaked and you must remediate.  This is not correct without lab data.   However, let me flip the coin over; let us say that your tank removal company is moral and ethical and they take soil samples after the tank is removed.  These soil samples were acquired at say 6’ deep, as that was the bottom burial depth of the tank.   These samples are proven to have petroleum levels above State allowable limits, because of this you are presented with a cost to remediate.  What is this cost based on, well data from 6’ deep, because that is where the soil samples are from.  So how does the company know from just one sample location at 6’ how much soil they have to dig up?  The answer is they do not, the cost is a guess.  Oil spreads and is driven by gravity and rain to spread both horizontally and vertically.  Hey every spill a glass of liquid?  Liquid runs all over the place, may even favor a particular direction due to slope or direction of where the cup fell over.  My point being, how far oil has spread is unpredictable without doing further testing both deeper than where the tank was located as well as surrounding the area the area is unknown.  Every hire a contractor to give you a price for home improvement, maybe painting, kitchen or bathroom remodel.  This required a site visit to visually assess the situation.  Even then unknowns can pop up once walls start coming down.   Well after over 20 years in the environmental industry I cannot just look at the ground and determine the severity of the situation, nor can anyone else for that matter. 

The process of defining the extent of a tank leak is called delineation.  It is not unlike when someone is diagnosed with cancer.  Testing is done to define where the cancer has spread to so the doctor can apply the best method to treat the cancer.  Let us face it you would not jump into surgery without further testing or second opinions. Nor should you rely on a cost to remediate where the area is undefined.  You typically need five or more soil samples both deeper than the burial depth of the tank as well as around the tank grave to define an area, the number can actually increase if the leak is significant.

But hey this is just science, you have been told you have a tank leak and want a cost to remedy the situation.  But is the remedy appropriate?   Has the area been defined?  Is the company just trying to make more money? Still have questions?

We offer a free consultation to discuss your situation to make sure you are making the best decision possible.  888-301-1050

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No one wakes up and says "I want to make a bad decision", but it sometimes it happens. Bad decisions are made when you have a topic that you have no prior experience with, for example, mold remediation. 

Below are issues that could or have occured with mold testing and mold remediation companies: 

1. Do they have an office or do they work out of a house? Generally companies that work out of a home or have a PO Box number as opposed to a commercial address are smaller, less capable and  subcontract equipment and labor to complete a job.  These companies tend to close up shop after a few years.  We see it time and time again.
2. Ifa company says "This is an emergency mold situation and has to be completed ASAP (including a weekend)", it is a false statment. Mold doesn’t grow overnight, it takes time, weeks, months and often years to develop to a point that the mold problem even becomes visual.  Rush scheduling often is meant to lock you into getting the job done.  Trust me you can wait a few days to assess all your options.
3. Franchise companies have large overhead every month and this is reflected in their pricing. From interviewing past and former employees of these firms, we have established a pretty solid line of evidence that their training and expertise is lacking.   If a mold remediator can’t tell me how to remediate mold and they have been doing it for over a year, there is a problem with the company providing the service.
4. Mold companies that also do building trade services such as sheetrock and remodeling. These firms have a vested interest in removing more building materials they can be paid to replace what is removed.  Fox guarding the henhouse.
5. Any mold company that says THIS IS THE WORST I HAVE EVER SEEN, is most definitely wrong. How could your problem be that bad? Could your air tests be so highly concentrated with mold spores that it is the worst ever or even one of the worst?  Probably not, but if these companies get you thinking  it is, it would scare you to act.  We have seen many mildly impacted mold sites and some really bad ones.  When studying about mold you get trained on sites where occupants moved out and houses had to be demolished, THOSE are the worst sites not yours.  If it sounds like someone is trying to scare you, they probably are.
6. The worst mold companies are the ones that test for mold and provide no narrative regarding how they tested, where and what the results mean. They give you test results, saying the laboratory said that the levels are “X” amount and that means they are high.    Unless the lab came to your property, they have no idea.  The lab only knows that the sample was marked for this address and the levels found are what they saw in the sample, nothing more.  The mold testing company needs to say they saw 2000 sq. ft. of mold or it was 2 sq. ft. and they sampled the worst area and YES they expected the results to be really high.  We see this all the time and we expect that these firms base their samples to get inflated results to scare you.
7. Lastly, they tell you they are certified. There are NO State or Federal Mold regulations or certifications.  In truth, there is no Federal or State license for mold remediation.  Only New York State has a certification and licensing program and that only started on January 1, 2016.  Every other state has no program, so if a company is pitching their license they are pitching you know what.

Earth day became a National day from Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin.  Founded in 1970, Senator Nelson was inspired after witnessing the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California.  Following the anti-war movement, Senator Nelson thought that he could bring this to colleges across America with campus teach-ins. Working with Pete McCloskey, a Republican Congressman as co-chair they recruited Harvard student Denis Hayes.  Denis Hayes was very interested in what Senator Nelson had in mind for the environment that he directly went to interview Senator Nelson and from the interview, Denis Hayes became the national coordinator building a staff of 85 to promote events, selecting April 22^nd as the Earth Day date because it fell between spring break and final exams. 

On April 22^nd, 1970 over 20 million Americans were lead to streets, parks and large gatherings to demonstrate the need to for a healthy and sustainable environment. Earth Day received such support from both the Republicans and the Democrats that by the end of the first year (1970) the government created the Environmental Protection Agency, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Acts.  By 1990 Earth day became global with more than 200 million people in over 141 countries involved with environmental issues taking the world stage.  Recycling efforts became more global leading to the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit.  Senator Nelson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1995 for his contribution of Earth Day.

Now, Earth day is celebrated by more than a billion people ever year.  What can you do on Earth Day, April 22^nd, 2016?

Events in New Jersey, Central PA,  Philadelphia, and check out the EPA for events around the country.

It always sounds good an, inherited property.  You can reap the benefits by keeping the property as your home or selling the property to cash out.  What doesn’t sound good is if this inherited property has an underground oil tank and to top that, the oil tank leaked.  When you inherit a property, you may be inheriting years of hassles, aggravation lawsuits and a financial abyss. How can you get around this? If you have already accepted the inheritance than you just inherited the problem and you should seek an environmental consultant and an environmental attorney.  The laws state that whoever owns the property owns the problem.

What should you do before inheriting the property?

You need to understand that you are not required to accept the inheritance.  You have a choice to either disclaim it or renounce it.  Even if you are bequeathed multiple separate items, such as cash and jewelry, you can accept and not the other.  With a property, you can’t take only a part of piece of property and reject the remainder.  It is very important that you assess the property for environmental issues and discuss with your attorney your options when dealing with an inherited property. It happened recently in Califormia, a large property was inherited and found contaminated, to read the full story click here. 

Hire an Attorney and Environmental Consultant.

When inheriting a property, residential or commercial, you should consult with an attorney.  The attorney should be in environmental law and explain that Due Diligence is necessary to assess the property prior to acquisition.  If there is any chance that your inherited property may be polluted, or there is an underground oil tank, you need to hire an environmental consultant.  If there is any chance that there was or may still be an oil tank on the property a tank scan should be performed.  A tank scan consists of taking measures to properly scan the property for an oil tank.  The property should be scanned with a Ground Penetrating Radar system.  This system uses a series of radar wave pulses that are directed below ground.  When a solid object is encountered such as a metal tank, the waves are reflected back to the surface with a distinct signature. GPR tends to be more reliable , than a metal detector, as metal detectors are not discriminating and will pick up naturally occurring metal in the ground, metal from buried pipes, metal in the house, fences ect.   The best approach is GPR with a metal detector verification.  If this property is a commercial property you should consider a Phase I, for more information on Phase I click here.

Did the property have an Underground Oil Tank?

Find out first if there was ever an oil tank located at the property. If the dwelling is older than 1940 or was built in 1940 to 1985, there is a possibility of an underground oil tank.  Older homes in regards to heat sources started out with wood or coal then moved to oil heating.  Also, 9 times out of 10 if there is an above ground oil tank there probably was an underground oil tank.  You may check with the borough to find out if a permit was provided to take the underground oil tank out of the ground.  But, that permit does not answer the question if the oil tank leaked.  The only answer the permit allows is that there was an underground oil tank and that tank was taken out of the ground.  The borough does not test the soil for any leak from the tank, not do they require it.  Tank removal is a construction activity, tank leaking is environmental and is handled on a state level, not on a local level.

If you do find out that there was an underground oil tank and that said tank was taken from the ground, that environmental company may have taken soil samples to make sure there was no leak.  That environmental company would hopefully, have given the property owner a report on the soil samples and if the tank leaked or did not leak.

If you have no records of any soil samples or soil testing that it is advised to get soil samples done. First you would check the soil for any contamination. In the New Jersey there are regulations of how much contamination can be in located in the soil.  If there is contamination, there may be a need to test the groundwater as well. 

Did you know that Mold comes in many different colors?

 At Curren, some of the most common questions are regarding the color of mold. For example:

 "Is this mold bad because the mold is black or grey?"

 "What type of mold is black mold?"

 “Is black mold toxic?"

The most popular used term for describing mold is “Black Mold”. Technically, there is no mold that is named black mold, many sources attribute the term black mold to the media. In reality there are many different types and colors of mold. Some types of Mold can be harmful (regardless if the mold is black) and can cause health issues.

Molds come in many different colors and can mean many different things. As you can see below, mold may be black, grey, orange, green, brown and even white. Many molds may not be harmful. Black mold may be completely innocuous (not harmful or producing no injury) or it could be problematic. Mold can be difficult to determine on your own. The mold you think you see might just be mildew or dirt. Remember, mold is usually not a problem unless mold spores land on something wet  indoors. Mold evaluation and interpretation is best left to the experts. At Curren, we have over 20 years’ experience testing mold, air testing and mold remediation.

Black Mold                    Green Mold

White & Black Mold        Brown Mold

Grey Mold                     

Please don't hesitate to call us for your mold testing, mold remediation and mold questions at 888-301-1050.

Who Requires A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)?

Who Requires A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)?

Traditionally, a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) was contracted by the bank or lending institution on properties where financing was being arranged.  The Phase I was primarily performed for the protection of the banks, who were concerned that if they loaned money for a contaminated property they may be held liable for the site cleanup.   This belief was incorrect as banks have liability protection on loans.   Today, many banks with loans under a million dollars and borrowers supplying a down payment do not require a Phase I.  This has been an industry shift over the past several years as banks have come to understand where their limit of liability stands.    The real liability is financially for the bank, as they are concerned that the cost of environmental work can hinder the borrower from paying the mortgage and defaulting.  Leaving the bank to own the asset.   Banks want to loan money and receive mortgage payments not foreclose on bad loans.

What is included in a Phase I?

The Phase I is a property assessment that includes a walkover of the property and associated structures; a review of historic property information including maps, aerial photographs, deeds, telephone or address directories, etc.; a review of contaminated properties in the vicinity of the subject property; a summary of knowledgeable party information and review of prior reports; and the review of local, State and Federal files pertaining to the property address.

Items evaluated in the Phase I report include tanks, drains, pits, spills, in-ground and aboveground equipment, petroleum and chemical use, and environmental liens.

The Phase I report is typically research only.  Unless otherwise specified as part of the scope of work, testing or surveys are outside of the typical Phase I requirements. For more information on Phase I click here. 

Why complete a Phase I if my bank does not require one?

Although many banks are not requiring a Phase I on some commercial loans (under a million or low risk), the environmental regulations leave the burden of environmental responsibility on the property owner.  Performing a Phase I, allows a purchaser to complete the necessary due diligence.  This due diligence enables a purchaser to obtain prior to taking possession of a property.  Buyer beware is relevant now more than ever in commercial real estate transactions.  If a property is purchased without a due diligence and future evaluation and subsequent environmental issues are found in association with the property, the property owner is now burdened with the cost of remediating the issue. The performance of a pre-purchase Phase I could alleviate the potential for finding environmental issues in the future and thereby holding up future transactions.  As a potential purchaser, the determination of environmental issues on a property could be used as leverage for the seller to remediate the concern prior to purchase or could be used to negotiate the property value pending the need for the potential purchaser to perform the cleanup.

If I do not do a Phase I and buy a property how would I ever find out if there was an environmental problem with the site?

The most common way is when you go to sell and the potential buyer completes a Phase I and discovers an environmental Area of Concern (AOC).   Today the largest purchaser of Phase I’s is not the banks, but commercial real estate investors and owners (*transactions under $1,000,000.00).

I own a property, never had a Phase I and I am now thinking of selling the property.  Do property owners have Phase I’s performed?

One of the largest shifts in the commercial real estate market today is that many landowners are having a Phase I performed to root out environmental issues before they become an issue when a buyer is found.   An owner performed Phase I is viewed as both a marketing tool and an environmental property assessment that can help sellers anticipate issues with a property.  It can be akin to a homeowner having a home inspection completed to address issues that a purchaser might find during their inspection. 

If an environmental issue is found in a Phase I report on a property I am buying, can I still purchase the property?

If the issue is fully disclosed to the lender (if one is involved) and the buyer is willing to accept the liability and cost of addressing the issue, then yes you can buy the property.  However, the real question is should I address the issue before buying the property?

The investigation of potential issues found in the Phase I is typically addressed as part of a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment.

What is Incandescent?

The incandescent light bulb or lamp is a source of electric light that works by incandescence, which is the emission of light caused by heating the filament. They are made in an extremely wide range of sizes, wattages, and voltages. On January 1^st, 2014, by a law passed by Congress in 2007, these bulbs can no longer be manufactured in the U.S. because they don’t meet federal energy efficiency standards. Many other countries have adopted the same type of law as well due the fact that other types (CFL, LED) are much more energy efficient.

What is CFL?

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) are smaller versions of standard fluorescent lamps. They consume much less energy but provide light that is comparable to incandescent lights. Also, they can generally directly replace standard incandescent bulbs. Per the EPA, Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs will help you save money by using less energy, reducing the amount of light bulb changes and most importantly lowering the greenhouse gas emissions which inevitably will lead to climate change.  More information can be found one the EPA website. To find out more about costs, visit Home Depot.

What is LED?

LED (Light emitting diodes) is a semiconductor devise that emits light when and electronic current is passed through it. A study found that over their lifetime LEDs cost $95 to operate compared to CFLs that cost $159 and incandescent bulbs that cost $652. LED bulbs are available in options that either emits a warm, soft glow or a cool, bright glow depending on your preference. Some types perform well outdoors even in cold temperatures. Dimmable options are also available. LEDs (light emitting diodes) use 75-80% less energy than incandescent light bulbs and last 50,000 hours helping you save energy and money. For more information on cost, check out Lowe’s for LED light bulbs.

Which light bulb should you use?  Until LED bulbs drop in price, most people will not realize savings if installed on all fixtures.  Generally speaking, lights that will remain on for an extended period of time (kitchen, family, hallway and dining areas) will benefit the most as they consume electricity for longer periods of time.  Closets, bathrooms, laundry rooms are areas where light is not constantly on and thus do not warrant energy efficient lighting.  As light bulb prices drop, as they have in recent years, it may be more economical to replace all lights with energy efficient lighting.  Your best bet is to choose an ENERGY STAR Certified Light Bulb.  These use 70% to 90% less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs and can last 10 to even 25 times longer.  This can save you $30 to $80 over the lifetime of the light bulb.  How many times do you change your light bulbs – you do the math.