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June is National Homeownership Month, a perfect time to celebrate the joys and responsibilities of owning a home. Promoted by organizations like the National Association of Realtors® and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), this month reminds us of how homeownership builds wealth, stability, and strong communities. As you buy or sell a residential property, addressing potential environmental hazards early is key to a smooth transaction and long-term peace of mind. At Curren Environmental, we specialize in helping homeowners, buyers, and sellers identify and resolve these issues, ensuring your real estate journey is safe and successful.

Why Environmental Inspections Matter in Residential Real Estate

Many older homes or properties in certain regions hide environmental risks that can affect health, safety, and property value. Common concerns include buried oil tanks from former heating systems, mold growth, lead-based paint, and asbestos materials. Ignoring these can lead to unexpected repair costs, health issues, or complications during sale. Proactive inspections during due diligence protect buyers from inheriting problems and help sellers disclose issues transparently, avoiding delays or disputes.

Since 1998, Curren Environmental has served New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, providing targeted environmental services for residential transactions. Our goal: smooth closings with no surprises.

Key Services Curren Environmental Offers for Home Buyers and Sellers

We focus on the most relevant inspections for single-family homes and residential properties, delivering fast, reliable results with in-house expertise and equipment.

Tank Sweeps with Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)

Many homes built before the 1980s used underground oil tanks for heating. Abandoned tanks can leak, contaminating soil and groundwater—a major red flag in transactions. Our tank sweeps use advanced GPR technology to non-invasively scan for buried tanks or anomalies. If detected, we handle safe removal and closure, compliant with state regulations (NJDEP, PADEP, DNREC), preventing future liability.

Underground Storage Tank (UST) Removal and Soil Remediation

If a tank is found or suspected, we expertly remove it, test the surrounding soil, and remediate any contamination. This turnkey service resolves issues quickly, allowing transactions to proceed without delays.

Mold Inspections

Mold thrives in damp areas and can cause respiratory problems. We conduct thorough visual assessments, air/surface sampling, and provide remediation guidance if needed—essential for buyer safety and seller disclosure.

Lead Paint Inspections

Homes built before 1978 often contain lead-based paint, hazardous, especially to children. Our certified inspections identify risks, helping families make informed decisions and comply with disclosure laws.

Asbestos Testing

Common in older insulation, flooring, and siding, asbestos fibers pose serious health risks if disturbed. We sample and test materials, advising on safe management or abatement during renovations or sales.

Our dedicated project managers oversee every step, ensuring clear communication, timely reports, and cost-effective solutions—no subcontractor delays or markups.

Ensuring Smooth Residential Transactions

Environmental concerns don't have to derail your home sale or purchase. By addressing them early—often during the inspection contingency period—buyers gain confidence in their investment, and sellers can market properties as "clean" and ready. We've helped thousands of residential clients close deals worry-free.

This National Homeownership Month, prioritize a healthy, safe home. Partner with Curren Environmental for the right inspections tailored to residential needs.

Ready for a seamless transaction? Visit www.currenenvironmental.com to explore our services or schedule a consultation. Here's to your dream home—and a brighter future!

A home inspection is a home education and when is education a bad thing?

Every “As Is” sale is the hope from the seller that a buyer will accept any and all issues with a property, whether owner known or unknown. I mean unless a house is new, you are buying a “used” house and you must accept some wear and tear to be present.   Not performing a home inspection, and no – your Uncle Charlie and your father-in-law do not count as insured inspectors, you are buying property with your eyes wide shut.

Due diligence can include comparison car shopping, dating before you get married, and yes, a professional home inspection of a dwelling and grounds. Considering a home and a boat are typically the largest expenses you will assume, not inspecting will put you at risk of spending money that could have been negotiated prior to purchase. They also say a boat is a hole in the water you pour money into, same can be said for a used home. Couple that with the fact that building codes change, meaning the codes get stricter and more protective, performing a home inspection by a professional knowledgeable on current regulations is critical. Old codes get updated to address safety issues for example. Can you really tell if a house has radon without a test?   What if every fixture in the dwelling is 25 years only? Expect replacement costs, water heater, HVAC, and washer and dryer, which could be $20,000.00 to $30,000.00.   The cost-benefit of having a home inspection is huge. Negligible cost to professionally inspect saves thousands of dollars in repairs. Think structural or unseen termite damage (Uncle Charlie can’t fit in the crawlspace to inspect).

Home inspections also allow a buyer to back out of a purchase.  If expensive defects are found, the seller would be liable to express to future buyers as there have been case law verdicts against sellers when they decide to not disclose known material defects.   Typical contracts allow an out for structural and environmental both of which can run tens of thousands of dollars.   

Although you likely do not want out of any home you have under contract, you also may not want to spend $10,000 to replace the sewer line, which is why inspections allow negotiations to occur. Yes, sewer line scopes are a thing and a huge payback for the minimal cost. We see sewer line replacements at around $10,000, if not more. 

Did you know many people have an Uncle Charlie (or the seller may have an Uncle Bob)? Did you know Uncle Bob and your father-in-law also build things without permits? Illegal additions and improvements not performed to code can cost a buyer real money in the future. We had a site where a tennis court was built and changed the grade of the yard as well as exceeding the maximum allowable impermeable cover for the property.  Finished basements with no permits?   Yep, that is an issue, as inspectors will flag out shoddy work, i.e., work not up to code.

Skip a home inspection and your insurance carrier and mortgage company may balk, because they want to protect their interests. Electrical work not up to code can cause fire and large insurance claims, so when deciding an inspection is not needed for yourself ensure no one else involved in the transaction needs due diligence completed.

Let’s put it in perspective, do no due diligence - you find nothing. Do a sewer line scope maybe you find a break in the mission-critical sewer line. Test for and find radon, and save yourself from getting lung cancer.   Faulty wiring, well maybe the house won’t burn down.

Aside from being an environmental consultant that reviews thousands of environmental reports a year, I also find home inspection and property condition inspection reports across my computer screen.   The list of items you find when you read one of these reports is staggering. Even new homes can have a laundry list of items requiring repair. Of course, new homes get 100% of items addressed, but the point is even new construction can have mistakes and flaws that a professional inspector can find.

Full disclosure, Curren Environmental only does environmental inspections, not home inspections and when we get asked if a home inspection is valuable, Curren says they are invaluable.