Mold Detection & Air Quality Testing

Mold Detection & Air Quality Testing are very specialized services that should be conducted by an IAQ (Indoor Air Quality Investigator) who is a trained professional. Many Home Inspectors are trying to be a one-stop shop. Most inspectors do take some training in specialized fields such as infrared, IAQ and radon detection, , they are generally not professionally qualified. (E.g. Online courses or 1 – 2 day classes by a non-industry recognized private organizations.)  “How to Perform Mold Inspections” free online course – does not constitute an industry professional qualification.
The wordage used to sell their mold inspection course: “how to perform a mold inspection course” etc.  I believe better describes the intent of these courses as performance art.  A questionable service that can be used to convince homebuyers that their home is free of scary defects.

Do get a radon test- approx. $15 at Home Depot, you can do this yourself. A reliable test takes as many as 90 days to complete. There are relatively cheap remedial choices that you can make to turn your home into a healthy home.

Home inspectors hopefully know where to look for mold and identify water/moisture related problems. The presence of mold and mold odors is often detected without testing. An experienced, professional home inspector should be able to source the problem to a specific cause or area and proceed to advise the client on how to go about eliminating the causes, without the need for expensive testing procedures that simply confirm a mold spore count. You will still need the services of a building detective (home inspector) to source problems and provide guidance.

In my opinion people who do air sampling and mold detection are generally no better than someone with a good nose. In my experience as a home inspector I have discovered that less than half of my clients have a reasonable sense of smell so I make the assumption that some home inspectors would also find it difficult to smell for mold. This is why I believe they promote the air sampling routine – having you pay to cover their butt. There is a saying in the mold business: Mold is Gold. Any home inspector claiming to be able to detect and then remediate the mold for you is in a professional conflict of interest. Besides being unethical it is also in breach of most every association’s standards of practice and code of ethics.

If indeed there are indicators of mold, you can always put the sale on hold while you conduct air quality testing and get estimates. A home inspection can often lead to the recommendation for full-time, professional, secondary service providers such as Mold Detection & Air Quality Testing.

Furthermore, a thorough home inspection can bring to light possible repairs to electrical hazards, non-permitted work, plumbing, drainage and sewer issues (with video inspections), pest infestation, etc. With these open-ended questions you cannot be expected to remove subjects. Home buyers think they have to wrap things up by the date of their subject removal clause, however, NEW information from a home inspection can require professional verification, the subject removal date will need to be pushed back to accommodate further testing/verification. This doesn’t happen very often but there are legal provisions for this possibility.  If the seller is uncooperative, talk to your lawyer or notary.