Environmental Scientist Shares Dangers To Look Out for When Buying a House

First-time buyers and seasoned property owners alike are susceptible to the tricks of the real estate trade.

Wall holes hidden behind furniture, paint jobs camouflaging mold or a strong smell of bleach masking tobacco are all common ploys designed to hide a property's flaws.

But there are more serious problems you might need to look out for when viewing a property. Newsweek spoke to Cathy Pedrayes, a former environmental scientist in New York, about the issues that would stop her putting in an offer on a house.

Don't Get Fooled

You've found your dream home. Maybe it's in the center of all the culture and nightlife, or near the best schools. Perhaps it has original floorboards or shutters. But after your offer has been accepted, cracks start to show—literally.

Before completing a sale, it's vital to hire a general contractor or home inspector to look at the property. Even with this professional expertise, however, problems can get missed.

Issues with plumbing, for example, might be difficult to spot and can prove extremely costly. Long before you get to this stage, you should use your first walk-through to look for red flags.

"I'm a true believer in the more-you-know approach," Pedrayes told Newsweek. "It doesn't hurt to be aware of some common red flags from an environmental perspective so that if you find what you think to be the perfect property while hunting, you know what questions to ask and what research to do."

Arming yourself with as much knowledge as possible is the best weapon.

"When I was looking to purchase a home a few years ago, I noticed the basement had water lines," Pedrayes said. "I was able to ask the sellers to replace the damaged walls, but I wouldn't have known how to ask for that if it weren't for my past as an environmental scientist."

She added: "My expertise was in underground storage tank removals, Phase I property inspections, soil and groundwater sampling and remediation, lead, asbestos and mold testing."

Underground Heating Oil Tanks

Before natural gas pipelines, most homes used fuel oil stored in a tank. These tanks were often buried underground, in order to deter thieves and vandals. They were common from the 1930s to the 1980s and are still present in some properties. They can pose an environmental risk if a leak spreads from the soil to the groundwater, contaminating it. The homeowner, local wildlife and other residents might all be affected.

"I would never buy a property with an underground heating oil tank unless it was removed and the soil was tested," said Pedrayes. "In many of the cases I saw in the tri-state area where I worked, the tanks had been buried underground for years and had severely corroded and leaked."

Removing a tank costs approximately $2,500, according to the Family Handyman website, but if it ruptures the bill could reach $100,000.

"Even if the clean-up is straightforward, if I were buying property, I wouldn't want to take on those additional costs. If I had to choose, I'd prefer an above-ground storage tank where leaks can quickly be detected and addressed," said Pedrayes.

Realtors will often advise home sellers to remove tanks because so many buyers feel the same way as Pedrayes. Even if a buyer is willing to take the risk, banks might not grant mortgages for properties with underground oil tanks.

In addition, homeowner insurance rarely covers the costs associated with a leaking oil tank.

Asbestos

Asbestos, a carcinogenic mineral, was used in construction materials such as wallboards, ceiling and floor tiles and roofing shingles until the 1970s. The use of asbestos in many of these materials is now banned, but it can still be found in older buildings across the U.S.

Asbestos exposure is the primary cause of mesothelioma, a cancer of the tissue that covers the lungs, heart, and abdomen. It can also lead to lung cancer and asbestosis—severe scarring of the lungs.

"Visually it's hard to identify asbestos," said Pedrayes. "But in my experience if you see black glue, particularly if it is combined with 9x9 linoleum flooring, that usually meant asbestos was at one time present in the property and may still be. To confirm, you would need to send off a sample of the flooring for testing."

If you're renovating a house where asbestos is present, you may need a specialist to remove it, which will add considerably to the costs.

"Asbestos is linked to serious health issues so removing it requires special equipment and filtration. That being said, you don't have to remove it," she added.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states: "Undamaged non-friable asbestos is best left undisturbed and managed in place. If done improperly, removing asbestos has the potential to create a greater health risk than leaving it undisturbed."

Predrayes said: "If I were looking to buy property, I wouldn't want that added responsibility unless it made sense financially."

Mold

You might see a bit of mold on the walls and not think much of it. You might even paint over it. The mold could simply be atmospheric, but it might be indicative of a more serious issue.

"If there is any sign of mold or water damage, I'd have it addressed immediately to avoid build-up and any linked health effects," said Pedrayes. "Although I specifically mention black mold, this is true of any mold."

Black mold, she added, typically refers to Stachybotrys chartarum, which is actually greenish-black. She described it as "one of the most dangerous types of mold. There is some debate over its health risks but regardless, it's not something I'd want to mess with."

To deal with mold, you need to find the moisture that's allowing it to grow. If the cause is not obvious, you might need to call in an expert, at further cost.

"How you treat black mold depends on how extensive the mold growth is and the type of material it's on," said Pedrayes. "Mold on a cinder block requires a different treatment plan than mold on ceiling tiles. In all cases you'd want to address what's causing the moisture problem and then take care of the damage."

While visiting a property, Pedrayes also recommends taking the time to chat to the neighbors.

"Talk to neighbors about things like traffic, outages and flooding," she said. "Look at flood zone maps, consider whether there are nearby pipelines, and the condition and age of equipment in the house like the heating, ventilation and air conditioning."