Hot Environmental Topics

Are you staring at your mold test results feeling confused and concerned? You're not alone. Understanding mold test reports can feel like deciphering a foreign language. In this comprehensive guide, we'll break down exactly what those numbers and technical terms mean for your home and health.

Types of Mold Testing Explained

When investigating potential mold issues, professionals typically use two main testing methods:

Surface Sampling

Surface sampling directly targets visible suspicious growth to confirm whether mold is present and identify the specific types. These tests are performed using:

• Tape Lift Samples: A clear adhesive tape is pressed against the suspect area, "lifting" mold spores for laboratory analysis
• Swab Samples: A sterile swab collects material from the suspect surface

Surface sampling is ideal when you can visibly see discoloration or suspect growth. These tests tell you exactly what's growing on a specific surface but don't necessarily reveal the full extent of airborne contamination.

Air Sampling

Air sampling captures microscopic airborne mold spores that may be circulating throughout your home. This method involves:

• Running air through a specialized collection device
• Capturing spores on a slide or culture medium
• Laboratory analysis to identify types and quantities of mold present

Air samples provide crucial information about what you're breathing. They can detect problems even when mold isn't visible, making them essential for thorough assessments.

Most professional inspectors use non-viable air sampling, which counts all spores regardless of whether they can grow (viable) or not. This approach recognizes that even dead mold spores can cause health issues.

Understanding Your Mold Test Report

When you receive your mold test results, you'll typically see:

1. Types of mold identified: Different species names (like Aspergillus, Penicillium, or Stachybotrys)

2. Concentration levels: Usually shown as spores per cubic meter (spores/m³) for air samples

3. Comparison data: Indoor vs. outdoor levels and/or between different rooms

The interpretation is where many homeowners get confused. Here's the crucial point: There are no federal or state standards for "acceptable" mold levels in homes.

Why There Are No "Safe" Mold Standards

Unlike other environmental contaminants, mold doesn't have government-established Maximum Exposure Limits (MELs). This creates confusion but happens for several scientific reasons:

• Individual sensitivity varies dramatically - what affects one person may not affect another
• Sampling techniques have inherent limitations and can give different results even in the same space
• Mold species have different health impacts - raw numbers don't tell the whole story
• Limited research exists on precise exposure-response relationships in humans

Instead of rigid standards, professional mold assessors follow general interpretation principles based on:

1. Indoor vs. outdoor comparison: Generally, indoor mold counts should be lower than outdoor counts

2. Composition analysis: The types of mold found are often more important than total numbers

3. Distribution patterns: How mold types are distributed throughout the home

Red Flags in Your Mold Report

While there's no magic number that indicates a problem, certain findings should raise concerns:

1. Water-Damage Indicator Molds

Some mold types rarely appear in significant numbers without a moisture problem. High indoor levels of these "marker fungi" strongly suggest water damage:

• Aspergillus species
• Penicillium species
• Stachybotrys chartarum (sometimes called "black mold")
• Chaetomium species
• Ulocladium species

Finding these indoors at higher levels than outdoors almost always indicates a moisture problem requiring attention.

2. Indoor Levels Exceeding Outdoor Levels

Since mold naturally exists outdoors (in soil, mulch, and vegetation), outdoor air typically contains more mold spores than indoor air. When indoor levels exceed outdoor levels, especially of specific mold types, it suggests an indoor mold source.

3. Unusual Distribution Patterns

Different rooms showing dramatically different mold profiles can help pinpoint problem areas. For example, significantly higher levels in a basement compared to upstairs living spaces might indicate basement moisture issues.

Beyond the Numbers: What's Causing Your Mold Problem

The most important part of mold testing isn't just confirming its presence – it's understanding why it's there in the first place.

Mold requires moisture to grow. No exceptions. Finding the water source is essential for long-term resolution. Common culprits include:

• Leaking pipes or plumbing fixtures
• Poor drainage around foundations
• Roof or window leaks
• Condensation due to inadequate ventilation
• High indoor humidity (above 60%)
• Previous water damage that wasn't properly remediated

A comprehensive mold assessment should always include a thorough inspection for water intrusion and humidity issues.

Next Steps: What to Do After Receiving Mold Test Results

If your results indicate a mold problem, follow these steps:

1. Address the moisture source first - Removing mold without fixing the water problem guarantees it will return
2. Determine the extent of contamination - Small areas (under 10 square feet) might be manageable as a DIY project
3. Consider professional remediation for larger problems, especially if water-damage indicator molds are present
4. Create a remediation plan that includes containment to prevent cross-contamination
5. Consider post-remediation verification testing to ensure the issue is resolved

FAQs About Mold Testing

Q: Can mold testing tell me if my home is safe?
A: While testing can identify problematic conditions, there's no universal "safe" threshold. Results should be interpreted alongside visual inspection findings and health concerns.

Q: Should I test for mold if I can already see it?
A: If visible mold is present, testing may not be necessary except to identify specific species or determine airborne spread. The priority should be addressing the moisture source.

Q: How often should I test for mold?
A: Most homes don't need regular mold testing unless there are ongoing moisture issues, known health concerns, or after water damage events.

Q: Does the type of mold matter, or is all mold bad?
A: While all molds require moisture control, certain types (like Stachybotrys or Chaetomium) more strongly indicate serious water problems and may produce more potent allergens or irritants.

Need help interpreting your specific mold test results or addressing a mold problem? Our certified mold assessment professionals can provide personalized guidance. Contact us today for a consultation.

[Learn more about our mold inspection and remediation services →]

Read our comprehensive Mold FAQ →

The four-letter word MOLD, elicits emotional responses from people for different reasons depending on how and where mold is found.    If someone is having health concerns mold will be a target source of the problems and these people will want it investigated professionally.  If you are buying a home finding suspect mold or obvious mold, will require further professional evaluation as to the extent and cause.  Lastly, if you are selling a home and the buyer finds suspect mold, you need professional representation to manage the issue.

Bottom line if you think you have mold or find mold you need a professional to assess the mold.  Unless of course, you started the project with one. 

If there is one thing, I know about mold it is that it is an indoor, biological air contaminant, and anyone associated with it wants it addressed (quantified) or for it to disappear. 

If you are living with health issues your mold consultant needs to inspect and test your environment, to determine if mold is a factor in your health issues.   This inspection encompasses interviewing the individual having the health concerns, inspection of living spaces, target sampling of complaint rooms and a summary report of findings.  These three tasks which are more extensive than they sound are rarely completed, because the industry lacks environmental professionals qualified in mold evaluation.

Case in point, a couple is buying a home, and their due diligence entails a title search and a home inspection.  The home inspector notes mold-like growth on the basement foundation wall and adjacent sheetrock wall.   The buyers obtain a free mold inspection, which provides costs to remediate and does not diagnose the cause of the mold growth.   Now professionals are not free and the buyers got what they paid for, which was a free estimate to remediate which they gave to the seller.  The cause of the growth was not diagnosed.

The seller being presented with a mold issue wanted their representation, so they are in control of the process.  As you might imagine, Curren was the paid environmental consultant.  Our evaluation included inspecting and determining what was causing the mold growth as a foundation wall is made of concrete, which is not organic and is naturally resistant to mold.     Mold was confirmed as mold was growing on the painted concrete foundation (paint is organic) and it was a small area of the basement wall, perhaps 4% of the entire basement wall area.   This wall was found to have been painted multiple times, likely to address the mold growth.  The walls were evaluated with a moisture sensing infrared camera, which found high moisture levels across the wall where mold was present and normal moisture levels on walls that had no growth, so the fuel for the mold was the water, which was determined to not be indoor plumbing but exterior moisture.  The outside area had multiple issues that allowed water to migrate and sit by the foundation where the wall was found to have mold. 

Appropriate remediation would be to address the mold and the water issue outside, and to be fair the exterior water controls would cost more than the inside mold remediation.  The seller asks the buyer what they want to do (the buyer does not have a professional opinion, but rather a free quote to remediate).  The buyer wants the free remediation quote completed, which the seller pays to complete.

Mold comes back and the new owners are perplexed why they still have a mold problem.

Mold Questions?

Call the mold Experts

856-858-9509

I was in Home Depot and there was an overhead public service announcement regarding lead being present in pre-1978 homes and that DIYers should be aware of lead hazards.   To say lead is not a concern or popular is to ignore how serious a health hazard lead is.

So should you get a lead paint inspection?

Seriously, the need for a lead paint inspection relates to why you are interested in inspecting for lead, in short, what is your objective?

If you have a commercial property, you are renovating or demolishing, you may be required to perform a lead paint inspection, so workers are not exposed to lead hazards as well as for management of demolition material that contains lead.

If you are a homeowner or future homeowner and let’s, say you want to buy an older home, for argument's sake the home is circa 1920, and you want to see if lead is present in the home? That is a common request we receive and long before we show up to inspect, I can say 100% you have lead in the home as the home was built during the golden age of lead paint usage, also lead based stains and varnish usage. So if you want to get depressed and have this older home inspected for lead, feel free.

 Perhaps you realize that the home has lead, it must be because it was built at some point before 1978. (Lead paint usage was banned on residential properties in 1978.)   Your concern or objective is to limit lead exposure to your young children. You see children are more susceptible to lead exposure as toddlers will put everything in their mouth and will chew on surfaces. A home with lead paint can generate lead dust and can have CHEW surfaces for kids. Meaning a low windowsill can be found to have teeth marks on it from kids chewing on the wood because that’s what kids do.   Lead also has a sweet flavor profile so why not suck on things that contain lead. Lead dust from rubbing of friction points (doors, windows) lands on floors, where kids crawl and then they suck their hands, that’s your lead exposure.   Protecting your family with a lead paint inspection is a solid reason to have an inspection completed.   You do not have to test the entire house, but you can inspect rooms where you expect toddlers to inhabit, family rooms, bedrooms, and play areas.   Know if lead is present in these rooms and where allows you to mange the risk. Managing risk may mean renovating areas to remove lead or protecting surfaces so lead will not become liberated.

If I am renovating a house, should I get a lead paint inspection?

100% testing for lead before renovation is a smart idea. Testing for lead will protect people working in the space.  If you know lead is present and where, then you can manage the hazard. If no lead is present or lead is present on surfaces that will not be disturbed, you will not be creating a lead hazard.  Lead knowledge is valuable.

 Why should I have my home inspected or assessed for risks?

• Your child has been diagnosed as having lead poisoning. The most common home-based source of lead exposure is deteriorating lead-based paint and the resulting dust.
• You live in a home built before 1978 where small children are or will be living.
• You are about to remodel or do anything that will disturb lead-based paint or generate lead-based paint dust and chips that can harm you and your family.
• You are renting or buying a home. When buying a home, federal law (Title X) allows the buyer to test for lead.      

 What is the difference between an inspection and a risk assessment?

A lead paint inspection is a surface-by-surface investigation to determine whether there is lead-based paint. Lead-based paint inspections determine the presence of lead-based paint.

A lead risk assessment is an on-site investigation to determine the presence, type, severity, and location of lead-based paint hazards (including lead hazards in paint, dust, and soil) and provides suggested ways to control them.

You can also have a combined inspection and risk assessment.  With any of these options, the risk assessor or inspector will provide you with a written report of findings.

The above photo shows a radiator that has been painted multiple times, you can see paint flaking off, the paint is lead and this would constitute a lead paint hazard.  If the paint was not lead, no hazard.

Do I have to inspect the entire property for lead?

You do not have to inspect the entire property for lead if you do not want to and you are planning on living in the property. Many people want specific rooms or surfaces tested so they can decide what renovations they want to perform.

Lead Inspection Questions?

856-858-9509

What is end results of a lead paint inspection?

After you complete a lead paint inspection, you will know where lead is or is not present. This information is also to be shared in the future when you sell the property as you must disclosure your knowledge of lead paint. Older properties that are found to have no lead can obtain lead exempt (lead free certifications), making the property more valuable.

Environmental consultants can be like good bartenders; people view us as impartial and as a shoulder to cry on.   Over 20 years in business with tens of thousands of projects relating to real estate transactions we get an earful from buyers, sellers, realtors, inspectors, mortgage companies, attorneys, etc. Here are some tidbits of knowledge from the environmental fly on the wall during the real estate transaction.

Technically every real estate transaction starts as an "as is" transaction.  The seller is selling the property "as is", as they are not offering to do anything to the property when it is first listed for sale to prospective buyers. That is the foundation of the real estate listed for sale. Of course, some properties have "as is" listed in the sales description.   These "as is" sites are typically bank-owned, estate sales, or owned by entities that did not maintain the dwelling for various reasons. They want it known that repairs should not be anticipated, nor negotiated. 

Due Diligence. 

A property will fall out of the "as is" category shortly after it goes under contract and the buyer completes their due diligence. Due diligence is comprised of the many experts the buyer retains to evaluate the property for issues (Home Inspector, Environmental Engineer for structure, radon, mold, septic, roofing, tank sweep, etc.).   A typical buyer anticipates a property being livable and in good repair, this is akin to owning a car, when your car has something broken it is noticeable and gets addressed. In a home, if an outlet or hose bib not working you will likely just work around it.

Cracks in a foundation, mold in the crawlspace, a basement that gets water on occasion, an exhaust fan that blows moist air in the attic, you can still live in the home so why, as a seller would you bother spending money to fix it? It does not affect your (the seller's) quality of life. Curren often sees this common seller's point of view.    The rub is a buyer who does not see it through rose-colored glasses and is not looking to live with these issues when they evaluate a property. They are looking for the appropriate number of bedrooms, storage space, yard, kitchen, neighborhood, school system, etc.,  many things that just go along with the location of the home and features that they want to check off on their "want" list. Buyers, and rightfully so, view the list of repair items as adding to their overall cost of buying the home (assuming they undertake the repairs) which is not appealing. Long story short, sellers should expect a list of repair items even if the property is being sold "as is", but often sellers do not as they likely came down off their original sales price for the buyer.

Going Under Contract of Sale

Going under contract of sale is a short-term high-stress relationship between buyers and sellers with a high dollar asset one party does not want to overpay for and one doesn’t want to sell below market value. As with any relationship, things can sour so how and what you expect to happen needs to be understood and palatable to both parties, compromise is a good thing.

Management of expectations, buyers, and sellers

Buyer- A buyer is buying a home at an agreed-upon price until inspections reveal repair items and deficiencies in a home. Any repair adds to their purchase price unless the buyer factored in money for repairs when making their offer for the property. In short, the buyer is highly likely to have a list of repairs for the seller after inspections.   

What about an"As Is" Sale?

Much to the chagrin of a seller with an As Is Sale, buyers do not agree with taking it or leaving it. Buyers will ask for concessions after the buyer finds repair items. Depending on the contract of sale, the two parties can negotiate monies for repairs or call off the transaction, with each party walking away. The seller is walking away with knowledge of deficiencies that they and their realtor, attorney have an obligation to disclose to future sellers. The seller will also understand that these deficiencies may be requested to be addressed by another buyer. Often you will find these properties sitting for lengths of time, incurring costs and frustration for the sellers. Not 100% of the time, but more times than you would expect, eventually sellers will concede something for known issues as doing nothing has their costs.

New Home Purchase

Completing inspections on a new home gets you the most bang for your buck because it is a safe bet that you will get your entire to-do list completed as the home is under warranty. Even in new construction the builder and subs may miss something, that is why you get a warranty.   So, inspect away and get your repairs made.

Preexisting Home Sale

Now you are buying a nonnew home, call it a previously owned, used, preexisting home, whatever the term, you are not buying new, so expect the home to not be 100% tip-top shape. Your realtor should prep you that the older home with charm on the mature tree-lined street will have items funded from inspections, maybe 20 items.   Do not expect these 20 items to be enthusiastically addressed by the seller when presented. Some the owner may be aware of and has deferred repair to previously, some may be new, and not all will be fixed for sure. The owner knows their home is habitable (roof does not leak, toilets flush,) so asking for repairs or monies for repairs may seem out of line for the seller. Bear in mind the seller is not moving because the dwelling is falling apart, they have other driving motivations for the sale.   So, when the owner gets a 65-page report with a list of 20 issues with their home, well expect the seller to be a little taken back, slightly offended, etc.   Of course, the home inspection whammy is something sellers should be prepared for by their realtor but rarely are prepared for. I have seen sellers take equal offense from a 16-page report as a 60-page report, the bottom line no one likes criticism.

 Tip on requesting home repairs in a real estate transaction aka Where do buyers fail in buying a home?

Home buying due diligence will invariably find items requiring correction. Inspectors will find multiple issues with the home you are buying. The buyer sees dollar signs over and above the long-term loan commitment they are signing to purchase the home. Understand as a buyer, the longer the repair list you find the more likely the owner did not know about every issue detected. So, when you think about what you want repaired, think of yourself as the seller. At what point would you start getting frustrated with the requests requested? Remember you are buying a used home (read older home) you should be aware that there will be issues, what you are willing to accept is part of the negotiation and will affect how smoothly the transaction progresses.

 Where do sellers fail in selling a home?

First having an experienced realtor is priceless, even more so for an attorney in the real estate transaction. So, selling a home means you need a professional team backing you up.   Regardless of how many homes you have bought and sold, it has to pale in comparison to the number that professionals deal with day in and day out. My point is you have to listen to professional advice. Invariably the professional (unbiased) advice you receive will be better than your advice simply because you do not buy and sell homes for a living.

The most common home sales fail

• As a seller you are not prepared for criticism ahem advice on how to market your home. Family photos, clutter, weeds, and anything visually unappealing is a negative.
• Your home is not perfect, understand that.
• Deferred maintenance is a common term that means neglect occurred regarding the upkeep of the home. COVID-19 has created a home improvement bonanza, with people trapped in their houses, repairs, and improvements moved up into the bucket list. When selling your home think about what repairs you undertook, both recent and old. That roof you replaced 15 years ago?   You may have a 25-year life expectancy left on it.   Even a water heater you replaced shows you made improvements. The bottom line you want to be in the category of well-maintained homeowner, not deferred maintenance.
• Buyers will do inspections, expect repair requests, and expect to be scrambling when these requests are made to get estimates and work done before closing. Some of the smoothest tractions we see are ones where the sellers have a pre-home inspection performed before listing the home. This affords the seller leisurely time to assess issues that a home inspection might find and repair common examples are as follows:
•  Outlets that are not GFI, not working, not grounded, in short, minor electrical issues will be found by a home inspector.   Finding these issues before you list them is inexpensive and repairable in a few hours by a qualified electrician.
• Clogged gutters?   Again, a cheap repair.
• Cracks in a sidewalk?   Live with it unless it is a tripping hazard.
• 20-year-old hot water heater, that works? Maybe offer ½ the cost (if they ask for it after inspection) of a new water heater typical new installation is around $1,000.00.
• Exhaust fan venting to an attic?   Redirect it outside and be prepared to address the mold that the fan caused.
• Speaking of mold, if mold is found, you are best served to remediate, people will pull out of a transaction for mold
• Lead paint?   Yep, almost any home before 1977. The same goes for asbestos, Lead paint and asbestos were the green building products of their day. Don’t want either, well buy a home built after 1979.
• In-use oil tank? New oil tanks today have a 20-year warranty on average, older tanks don’t’ If you have a heating oil UST that is abandoned or in use, you need to remove and replace or remove and test. Bottom line buyers do not want an oil tank that could leak and they want assurances no oil contamination exists from past or current tanks. Oil tank remediation can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
• Garbage disposal not working. Remove it or replace it.
• Worn carpet? Likely going to be replaced by new sellers.
• Water leaks?   These will likely have to be fixed, plumbers are 1.5 times cheaper when they do non-emergency work.

This is just a sample summary, just do not be naive that the buyer is not doing an inspection of your home and the inspection is not going to find anything, be realistic. Go through the report from when you bought the home, what did you repair? What didn’t you repair? Also, be brutally honest, share your current home inspection report with repairs you undertook with receipts of work, and list what you are not repairing, as it is built into the purchase price.   Tough to ask for a repair for an item that the buyer knew about when they went under contract.

You should not rely on the ERMI. Unfortunately, many people, including companies, are relying on the ERMI incorrectly. The ERMI, or Environmental Relative Moldiness Index, was developed by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) researchers. It is a research tool and is not recommended for use except as a research tool (this is as per EPA).

The ERMI scale for estimating mold contamination was developed for use in research studies related to mold exposure and health impacts. ERMI has been peer-reviewed for research purposes only and has not been validated for non-research purposes. Meaning the creator of the ERMI, the EPA does not recommend the use of ERMI in homes, schools, or other buildings.

The ERMI methodology uses mold-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (MSQPCR) to quantify 36 molds and calculate an index number for comparison with a database of reference homes. The ERMI provides a scale that ranges from a low of approximately -10 to a high of about 30 and can be used by extrapolation or estimation to estimate a U.S. home’s relative level of moldiness compared to the AHHS representative national selection of homes.    

What was the AHHS representative selection of homes?

1131 homes across the U.S. as part of the 2006 HUD American Healthy Home Survey is the base participants in private and public residences. A 3-stage cluster sample was used to select a nationally representative sample of 1,131 homes.  Samples were collected via surface wipes from four common living areas, homeowner vacuum bags, and soil samples from outside the home. Lead testing in paint was conducted using a portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) instrument.   All samples were collected during a single day.  Relevant environmental contaminant data included measurements of lead paint, 
lead dust, lead in soils, mold, allergens/endotoxins in dust, arsenic in soil, indoor moisture measurements, and indoor pesticide residues.  Housing type and age, demographic information on residents (age, race, income group, ethnicity), electrical safety, structural stability, moisture, pest control, ventilation, injury prevention, fire safety, deterioration of carpet, and plumbing facilities were also collected.   As you can see the survey (study) covered many factors not just mold.   If you care to see the meta data sheet for the survey, click here American Healthy Homes Survey (AHHS)

So being a research tool, the ERMI assessment has been used by EPA to help characterize relative levels of mold contamination in homes and other buildings and is being used to investigate potential relationships between ERMI values and health effects.    Now this is being evaluated by researchers as there are zero published government standards for acceptable or unacceptable levels of mold in a built environment. That said to date research is finding that a higher ERMI value in homes have been correlated with a greater likelihood of occupant asthma.    But this trend has not been validated through a multi-lab study, so the accuracy of information is unvalidated.

Now there are labs in the United States that have licensed the ERMI testing from EPA however, the transfer of this technology under the Federal Technology Transfer Act cannot be used to make any claims suggesting that the ERMI is an EPA-approved or validated test.  Meaning this is not an EPA approved testing approach for mold at the present time.

Why do you even know about the ERMI? You are likely concerned about mold and perhaps think you have a mold problem. You looked up mold testing and contacted a so-called mold professional who perhaps is advocating testing for mold and utilizing the ERMI scale. The testing is unvalidated as previously stated and is meant to be used for research only. If you want to be part of a science experiment and have extra money for that endeavor, have at it. If you think you have a mold problem, you need a professional mold inspection which is based in inspection for water damage (past or present) which are current EPA mold-assessment guidance.  Your visual assessment looks for mold growth, water damage, infrastructure deterioration and is performed by a professional with experience in such matters. The inspection can use IR technology, borescope and other specialized equipment but each has limitations, and their use is based on specific site conditions.

EPA does not recommend testing for mold when obvious mold is present (read visible mold).

For example, do you really think it is prudent to test either of the areas in the below photos?  Mold is obvious, what is not 100% obvious is the cause and if other areas in these rooms have a mold problem.

This is based on a commonsense approach that resources (read money) be spent to address the problem rather than turning it into a science experiment. But there are many situations where mold is present out of sight and air sampling is one of the best tools in the tool bag to help find hidden mold.     Even without government standards air testing can help define a normal fungal ecology (meaning what are normal mold spore levels in a built environment.). Since mold is ubiquitous you will have mold spores in the air when you test, wherever you test. The differential is what spores are found by testing and in what concentrations, the evaluation of spore type and concentration will allow an inspector to evaluate a given space for mold-related problems. 

The photos below show air sampling for mold and both found mold that was not visible to the naked eye.  Meaning mold was present behind the walls.  The photo to the right, many possible water sources as it is a utility room that has a water heater, washer and dryer, and an HVAC unit with a condensation pump.  All these items have the potential to release moisture in the space.

A key consideration, which many people overlook is if the space being evaluated appears to have had water issues. This evaluation should also evaluate if perhaps the area "could" have had water issues that were addressed (repaired) but mold could still be present behind walls.  The easy approach to water damage is to clean and paint, not remove and replace.  When you only touch up an area, you are likely leaving mold behind walls.  This mold, most likely dormant allows spores to get airborne and will grow when moisture conditions are conducive.    The bottom line is you must approach all mold assessments and testing based on the evaluation of conditions that could or would allow mold to grow.  That answer will lead you to the problem.

Want expert mold advice? Call Curren today. 

888-301-1050

This is one of the most popular questions asked when an oil tank is involved in a real estate transaction. Worst case scenario oil tank leak is a loaded question - it can't be answered with limited information. Limited information is a few soil samples that show contamination. 

What is the Worst Case Scenario for an oil tank leak?

• The remedial cost exceeds the value of the property.
• The dwelling must be torn down to remediate the contamination.
• Contamination extends under the street and you are responsible for it.   Conversely, the contamination goes onto the neighbor’s property and you are responsible for it.

These are all residential, heating oil tank leaks.  Commercial tanks with commercial problems - well worst case starts at $500,000 and goes up from there and usually takes years to solve, it’s a slow bleed.

What costs could these worst-case residential oil tank leaks involve?   Every residential oil tank leak is different and these costs can approach up to a million dollars.  Curren Environmental is currently working on a site that is budgeted at $540,000 for remediation and we have to let them know that’s not the worst case that we have seen.

Curren had a site listed for $1,100,000.00 and spent $475,000 to begin the cleanup. The site never got clean, has contamination permits in place, and sold for $975,000.   That’s not the worst case, but a sad story because the owner ended up losing money on the sale of the property. 

We were involved with a site where the house had to be torn down and the owner is having a problem with zoning to rebuild the house because the house footprint does not conform to the lot size and since the foundation is gone, you must comply with current zoning setback and impermeable ground cover. That’s kind of a worst case, you can’t rebuild to the same footprint.

The common denominator is when someone asks "What is the Worst Case scenario of an Oil Tank Leak", there is no truthful answer due to the lack of information that would allow a professional to assess and provide a realistic opinion.

Doctors call it a diagnosis, which is provided after testing and evaluation. Environmental consultants call it a delineation where we test and assess and evaluate options to remediate. We define the vertical and horizontal extent of contamination, what media is contaminated is it just soil, or is groundwater impacted as well?   If you don’t know how big or small the problem you can’t guess the worst case, some sites only cost $75,000.

The NJ lead safe law is over two (2) years old with an initial deadline of July 22, 2024, the law extended the deadline to July 2025.   The lead law only affects rental properties, and the typical sale agreement lacks language regarding lead safe certifications. Curren is finding that rental properties are being sold without the current owner providing a lead safe cert and the parties involved with the transaction are oblivious to the lead safe certification requirements.

Who has the ultimate responsibility to obtain a lead safe cert?

The landlord (owner) is responsible for obtaining the lead safe cert.

The first inspection deadline is 7/22/25.  All sites must have a lead safe cert by July 22, 2025.

The lead safe cert is good for three years and must be obtained by July 22, 2025, or earlier if a tenant vacates before that date.

The issue is that the law is so new that agreements of sale lack language regarding the responsibility of providing/obtaining the lead safe cert prior to settlement.

Curren has found numerous properties being sold and the lead safe certs are not obtained by the buyers, placing the burden on the new owner. While this is legal if tenant occupancy has not changed since July 22, 2022, buyers are not happy.

We have also found sites that had failed lead inspections and were sold without notification to the buyers. For example,  a site had a lead inspection that failed and was sold.  The buyers were not informed of the failure.  But now own a property that is lead unsafe.

Who is responsible for addressing the reinspection? The owner is responsible. If the seller warrants that there were no outstanding violations,  then the agreement of sale language requires the seller, who could also be the old owner, to address the failed lead inspection. 

Obtaining the lead safe cert burdens the buyer with the cost of the inspection and addressing any fails, meaning addressing lead paint hazards and subsequent reinspection and dust wipe sampling. Buyers are acquiring fully leased apartment buildings, some with long-term tenants making the sale attractive as it provides immediate cash flow. Long-term occupied units have a higher tendency to fail lead inspections due to tenant wear and tear.  Hence the value of buying a property with a lead safe cert.

Since the initial deadline for the cert was July 22, 2024 (since changed to July 22, 2025), I expect most on-the-ball owners would already have the cert. Countless landlords have expressed frustration with the law and the desire to sell the rental units before a triggering event.

If you are a real estate professional or attorney, consider amending the agreement of sale to require a lead safe certificate as part of the transaction. Simple wording can save your buyer thousands of dollars.

A savvy buyer can also perform their lead safe inspection during due diligence, if the failure occurs, they are held responsible for addressing the repair.

Lead Questions?

888-301-1050

New Jersey's Lead Paint Law FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Let us agree that we spend most of our lives indoors, and air quality can affect human health. You know you go outside to get fresh air but also want clean air indoors. Most buildings we assess for air quality have few measures in place to help improve indoor air quality.  Think about it, what do you do to improve indoor air quality?

Many people unwittingly do things indoors that are detrimental to air quality. What are those?

I will provide a wide range of measures you can implement to improve indoor air quality. Many people adopt only a few of these measures, which is perfectly fine. Small steps can lead to significant improvements. I believe that 10 minutes of exercise today is better than doing no exercise at all. While an hour of exercise is ideal, it's not always practical.

There are countless Peloton bikes, Bowflex systems, and treadmills that end up gathering dust or being used to dry clothes, despite being purchased with the best intentions for exercise. Therefore, even if you decide to implement just one of the options I suggest, you are still making progress toward better indoor air quality.

12 Steps of Better Indoor Air Quality 

1. Indoor Plants

Indoor plants help filter air and remove indoor air contaminants. Plants can remove carbon dioxide, which is a by-product of human occupancy of a room. Houseplants can remove formaldehyde, benzene, and a host of other compounds found indoors. They also add moisture to indoor air, as viruses thrive in low humidity environments you want a relative humidity above 50 year-round in living spaces. I keep plants on the porch and patio in season, and during the colder months, I move indoors.  Regardless, always have plants indoors, invariably some plants die over the winter, so the plants are an ongoing project.

I was at a wedding where I was asked about what I do for a living and when they found out I was an environmental consultant, I was asked about indoor air quality and plants. They read an article dismissing improved air quality and plants, possibly a Reddit thread.   To be transparent, some critics say if a plant removed 90% of contaminants, 10% of contamination remains. Fact, but I will take ANY air quality improvement.  I refer to a research study evaluating multiple studies on plants and indoor air quality. The study concluded that indoor plants help reduce indoor contaminants, which just so happens to agree with me.  Effects of indoor plants on air quality: a systematic review | Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO) | US EPA

2. Unscented Cleaning

We are conditioned to believe that scents signify cleanliness.  Think lemon, pine, citrus, but if you read the labels there are no natural ingredients in these cleaners, all chemicals with names that are hard to pronounce. Let me tell you a harsh fact, scent does not improve cleaning ability, it is all in your head.  Sure, if you cut a lemon in half, you can clean surfaces with it because the acid properties of the lemon make a good cleaning impact, but be real, you do not do that.  All the scents added to cleaners add chemicals to your indoor air, it's true. There is a scent in women’s perfume that is also used in toilet cleaners. You should lean towards neutral cleaners, meaning scentless.

3. Shake out your doormats and remove shoes after entering a home.

Some cultures recognize that your feet touch the ground that is loaded with all sorts of things you do not want to know about.  Outside your home is a bathroom to animals and a lush green lawn will likely contain pesticides and herbicides.  Mats trap these unwanted ingredients, shaking out mats helps ensure you do not have carryover in your home.   Sounds simple and it is, effective. Taking off shoes also helps, but good luck with that with kids.

4. Use the kitchen exhaust fan

Every kitchen should have an exhaust fan that vents outside. This is most important if you have a gas stove. Gas stoves burn natural gas, which generates nitrogen dioxide (NO2) which is harmful to human health. EPA regulates  (NO2) levels outside but not indoors, FYI. The pilot light for gas appliances can also emit benzene, which is a known carcinogen. If you have a gas appliance you have this exposure but running the exhaust fan while cooking helps extract these harmful (as well as others I am not going to explain) outside the home. 

Try not to burn toast. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that acrylamide, a chemical found in burnt toast, is "likely to be carcinogenic to humans". Even if you do not care about acrylamide (you likely never heard the word before), when you burn toast or anything you are cooking, there is smoke but not combustion.  The smoke has a small particulate 10 micrometers in diameter (10 micrometers is five times smaller than the width of a human hair), which is a small particulate that is hard for your body to filter and can be pulled deeper into your lungs.  Let’s agree your toaster is typically not next to an exhaust fan so you are filling the room or the area with small particulates that humans are filtering with their lungs, bad stuff.  Again, run the exhaust fan to try and capture these small particulates, even if you do not burn toast if you are cooking you are generating airborne small particulates.   The same goes for burning candles and I know this will hit home for many people you do not want to hear this, but do not burn candles.    If you happen to be a person who has a small room air filer, operate it in the kitchen.

5. Prevent Mold

Mold is a biological contaminant and a well-known air pollutant. That musty smell people associate with mold, is a sign of active mold growth. Mold consumes organic matter and as with any biological process, a waste by-product occurs.  Musty means an assortment of chemical compounds in the air including mycotoxins, microbial volatile organic compounds and components of the organic matter being consumed by the mold. Mold = moisture, remove moisture and you remove the driver of mold growth. Simple solutions include operating a dehumidifier in basements to extract excess moisture. In my humble opinion, every basement and crawlspace should have an operating dehumidifier.   Install and operate an exhaust fan in bathrooms where you bathe. If you have a fan already, do three things,

• use it.
• when in use hold a paper towel to the fan, if the fan suction cannot hold the towel in place, the fans suck in the wrong way. 
• Lastly make sure the exhaust is sent outside, not to the attic.

There are amazing Panasonic exhaust fans that are whisper quiet and have controls to operate when motion or humidity are detected, taking human error out of the equation.  Use humidistat-controlled exhaust fans in attics to control moisture.

6. Clean your Ducts

Although EPA says you should not clean your ducts, because it stirs up all the crap in the ducts, if you removed a duct and looked inside, you would be disgusted by how dirty it is.  Duct cleaning is not going to remove 100% of this material, but it will remove a lot, and more will come loose a week or so after you get the ducts cleaned, from movement and vibration in the house, so you should check your HVAC air filter a week or so after cleaning.  Post cleaning you install a new filter which will typically get dirty a week or two after cleaning.  Duct cleaning every 5 to 10 years is great, spend no more than $500 for a typical home, and do not apply any fungicides or other compounds in the ducts, they do nothing.

If you have no ducts, i.e., electric or radiator heat, do nothing; these are some of the healthiest heat sources. If you have central air with ducts, well you may need cleaning.

7. HVAC Systems are the Lungs of your home.

I naively thought that after COVID-19, people would take a greater interest in improving air quality, and your HVAC is the lungs of any building. But spending money on HVAC is not sexy. That said you can make small tweaks to forced hot air systems to improve air quality. Cleaning the ducts is one aspect.  You can also upgrade your filters on the system. I use MERV 16, which is like hospital-grade air, but anything with a MERV above 10 is great. The higher the Merv the smaller particulate the filter can capture. Think of an N-95 Mask on your HVAC system.  If you have heat in winter you have dry air, viruses thrive in low-humidity environments. Adding and operating a whole house humidifier in season (winter) will make your indoor environment more comfortable.

I am on the fence about UV light in HVAC, there are arguments that although UV has a sanitizing effect on air, the air must spend time being exposed to the UV light to be effective. That said I added it to mine as the cost was minimal and I did it in conjunction with a whole house humidifier, so the company was already at my house.

8. Chemical Storage

You have gallons upon gallons of chemicals in your home and yes chemicals in containers off gas. Ever open a pail of paint and find it dried out?   The container did not hold an airtight seal. You should strive to keep chemicals outside your living space, like a garage or shed. Yes, I know paints do not like extreme cold and may go bad, but how often do you touch up paint?   A countermeasure is to take a photo of the paint container or lid that will have all the paint information which you can take to the paint store and purchase a new container, and, yes paint can be purchased in 5-gallon, 1-gallon, and quart containers if your touch up job is small. Dispose of remnant paint at a household hazardous waste day.

9. Know when indoor air quality is poor.

How are you supposed to know when indoor air is bad? Anytime you have people over, holidays in particular, CO2 levels are screaming high from people breathing. Keep a window open slightly when you entertain and maintain a low draw on your kitchen exhaust fan to help pull air out and fresh air in. There are actual CO2 monitors you can install in a home to tell you when levels are elevated.  There are also air quality meters you can purchase. I am on the fence about residential air monitors as the sensors have a finite life and are not widely known so the cost is high and the quality questionable.   When Consumer Reports starts testing air quality meters I might change my opinion.

In the winter keep a window open to introduce fresh air for a short period of time every day.  Hey, it is cheap. You know higher-end HVAC systems know that dilution is the solution to indoor air pollution, so they pull a volume of fresh air from the outside and condition it before sending it through the house. Yes, pulling hot or cold air and making it cold and warming air takes energy, but that’s part of healthy air. Fresh air goes a long way to improving indoor air quality.

10. Test building materials before renovation in homes built before 1978.

My home is from the 1930s, I have a few outdated green building products in my home. By outdated I mean asbestos and lead paint, both past green building products, but now we know they are a health hazard.  Lead paint was banned by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in 1978, asbestos was phased out around that time as well. When you decide to remove a wall to make a great room, that wall may have lead paint and asbestos in the plaster, which will become airborne during and after demolition. That sexy popcorn ceiling likely has asbestos. You should test older building materials to ensure you are not exposing workers or your family to these hazards.

11. Home improvements and furniture in warmer weather

Do you like the new car smell, how about the new carpet scent? Both are bad for you. Buying furniture with fire retardants or installing new carpet in winter when you cannot open your windows and air out the chemicals allows chemical build-up in your home. New items need to time to off gas, which can be accomplished by placing items in the sun or if not possible opens windows and allow the compounds to dissipate.  Windows are open in warmer months, you get the idea.  New things also off-gas formaldehyde and the EPA is targeting this harmful compound. Executive Summary of the Risk Evaluation for Formaldehyde

12. Replace fluorescent light bulbs

Fluorescent tube bulbs and squiggly compact fluorescent bulbs contain small amounts of mercury. If these bulbs are broken the mercury is released into the air they become a contaminant.

Oil tank sweep inspections are gaining traction, leading to a surge of small companies equipped with metal detectors touting their professionalism. But can they truly deliver?

At Curren, we've encountered numerous oil tank sweep companies and reviewed their reports, often with disappointing results. In many cases, these one-person shops scan for an oil tank and provide a report that recommends  “oil tank removal”, which requires a few weeks to ramp up to perform with permits and utility mark out.  On the day of removal, it turns out to be little more than a sham, involving no oil tank in the ground at all. Unfortunately, clients are left feeling deceived, as their money is used for the tank removal, with no oil tank removed from underground. All the while, the real estate transaction is stalled.

It's time to choose a trustworthy partner for your tank removal needs—make informed decisions to protect your investment. What makes a great oil tank sweep inspection company? A company that removes oil tanks—one that knows oil tanks inside and out.

Oil Tank Sweep Fail.  The company said there was an oil tank.  No tank was found. 

Many inspections are performed when buying a home, and most are cursory visual inspections of the HVAC system, soffits, chimneys, foundation, plumbing, sidewalks, decks, swimming pools, etc.  These building components are commonly evaluated as part of your home inspection.  What is missed by many buyers is the environmental liability aspect of purchasing a home. Environmental can be asbestos, radon, mold, lead paint, and oil tanks.  Of all these environmental liabilities, oil tanks represent the biggest risk relative to remedial costs.  A hidden underground oil tank can cost a couple thousands of dollars to a new homeowner if it's not caught during the inspection process.  Worse is when an oil tank leaks, which can lead to costs in the tens of thousands of dollars.

If you're considering whether to get an oil tank sweep, remember this: when you decide to sell your home in the future, potential buyers may request one. Taking care of it now can save you stress and help you avoid surprises later. Over the past 30 years oil tank sweeps, oil tank scans, and/or oil tank inspections have become a common part of the home-buying process.

Why perform an oil tank sweep?

Oil tanks belong to the property and if you buy a home with an oil tank you purchased all the costs associated with the oil tank, including oil tank removal, soil testing, and the most expensive part soil remediation (if required). 

Oil heat was popular in the Northeastern United States from the 1930s to the mid-1980s, this time frame encompasses a large part of the homes in the Northeast, meaning chances are the home you are looking to purchase utilized oil heat in the past.  Also, homes built before 1930, most likely had oil heat. since coal was phased out as soon as a homeowner had a chance to switch, since coal required physical feeding of the furnace several times a day during the heating season.

 What percentage of tank sweeps find prior oil heat?

With over 30 years of experience with oil tanks, we have crunched the numbers and found an average of about 75% of the oil tank sweeps find evidence of prior oil heat.  That number should not be that surprising since natural gas really only became popular in the 1970s.

Who pays for the oil tank sweep?

Buyers typically pay for the oil tank sweep as it is part of their due diligence.  Due diligence is what a reasonable person would do to investigate a property for problems prior to ownership.

Do property owners ever do oil tank sweeps?

Most property owners do not perform oil tank sweeps as they do not want to find an oil tank.

Oil Tank scan with Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) or metal detector?

You should use both GPR and a metal detector to be thorough when performing a tank scan or oil tank sweep. Rely on GPR the most as it is what commercial sites use, metal detectors are more to prove that the object found by GPR is metallic.  Remember, the best equipment is the most expensive, an $800.00 metal detector on Amazon.com should not be relied upon.

Metal detectors beep if they find iron sand (a real thing), buried pipes, get too close to a metal fence or a structure with metal (yes homes have metal) or simply encounter buried metallic trash.   GPR uses a screen so the geophysical technician can see the graphical image detected by the GPR antenna.     Larger signals are tanks, smaller signals are usually pipes.

Should the oil tank scan company perform removals?

Yes, the oil tank scan company should be responsible for removing oil tanks. This is because their technicians are well-versed in identifying underground and aboveground oil tanks, as well as recognizing other potential structures. Curren has been contacted by many clients who have hired oil tank scan companies and discovered anomalies or tank-like structures on their properties. These clients often request either a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) scan to further investigate or an immediate tank removal. The cost for tank removal typically exceeds $1,000, and in many cases, no actual tank is found. Instead, there may be large rocks, sewer lines, clay deposits, iron sand, or other materials that resemble a tank structure.

The NJ Lead Safe Law has been in effect since July 22, 2022, and July 22, 2025, is the deadline for all applicable properties to have completed their first inspection.

You may ask why the deadline is three years from the start of the law when many properties have already completed an inspection.   The law allows a property to complete the first inspection by July 2025, if continuous occupancy of the unit has occurred.  This means the unit has been occupied by the same tenant since 2022.  But if the tenant leaves before July 2025, well then you trigger an inspection. 

Here is where the real confusion is -  Municipalities who are required to enforce the law many believe that a new lead safe cert must be obtained every time a new tenant, even if a valid lead safe certificate exists. (Lead safe certs are good for 3 years).    This is directly out of the regulations:

For nonexempt units, after the initial inspection mentioned in Section 3.3.2 is conducted, units shall be inspected for lead-based paint hazards every three years, or upon tenant turnover, whichever is earlier. An inspection upon tenant turnover is not required if the owner has a valid lead-safe certificate. Lead-safe certificates are valid for three years. Accordingly, if the lead-safe certificate has not expired upon tenant turnover, the next inspection will be three years from the prior inspection.

Curren has had to inform clients and municipalities that a lead safe inspection is not required.  In essence we talk ourselves out of work, but it's not ethical to do these inspections when they are not warranted.

Want honest Environmental consulting?

856-858-9509