Mold Mania - The Truth About Mold Testing
Mold has had a lot of media attention. It's the latest environmental rage. Some of my competitors are even testing for mold during home inspections. I don't. Here's why.
What is Mold?
Mold is a type of fungus. It's been around since the dawn of time. There's nothing new about mold. There's a little mold almost everywhere, both inside and out. If you test for mold you'll probably find some just about anywhere.
When mold spores land in a nice place they start growing. For mold, a nice place has the right temperature, food, and water. Let's look inside a building and see if mold would like it.
- Temperature? Bad news. Indoor air temperature is ideal.
- Food? More bad news. Mold likes most wood and paper products that we use for construction.
- Water? Aha! That's the one place we have the upper hand.
Mold = Moisture
Without moisture mold won't grow. A mold growth is a clear sign of a moisture problem. Moisture can get into buildings a number of ways, such as leaks in the roof or exterior, through the foundation, from plumbing leaks, or from the way we use the building (like showers or furnace humidifiers). If there is mold the first thing that should be done is to find the moisture problem and fix it quick.
Health Hazards
We know more than we used to about the health effects of mold, but there's still a lot we don't know. The symptoms range from mild to severe, they vary from one person to the next, and they are often confused with other problems (like allergies). There are thousands of different types of mold. We know that some are toxic to almost everyone (but they're uncommon). And clearly some people are affected by just about any type of mold.
But how much mold is too much? The simple truth is we don't know. Some people say exposure to one mold spore is deadly if it's the wrong type. Others say the whole thing is hogwash. Reality is probably somewhere in the middle, but the media hype is far ahead of the hard science. Unfortunately, there are no acceptable or unacceptable levels of mold exposure set by the Centers for Disease Control, the Environmental Protection Agency, the American Medical Association or any other authority. If the medical profession can't figure out mold then how is a home inspector going to figure it out?
Testing For Mold?
The big question is: What should be done about mold? The health departments in many states (including Colorado) have said pretty much the same thing. The Minnesota Department of Health sums it up best: "If mold (any type) can be seen or smelled, a mold problem exists. Resources should be used to control the moisture source(s) and remove mold contamination rather than for testing."
So, if the health officials don't recommend routine mold testing by home inspectors, then who does?
Mold = Money
When you have a fear of the unknown someone is bound to make money. Several testing labs have entered the very lucrative business of offering mold seminars and mold testing kits to home inspectors. With a few hours of training from the test kit salesman a home inspector can start doing environmental work. Their sales pitch to home inspectors reads: "Would You Like To Make More Money?… Very Easy! Very Profitable!" [that's their emphasis, not mine] If you listen to them, it's as simple as finding dog poop in the back yard.
Unfortunately, mold testing isn't simple. In fact, it's quite complicated. There is no one-size-fits-all test method. There are no standards for how to collect a mold sample. There are no standards for how to interpret results. Interpretation requires knowledge of a large number of variables about the situation; most home inspectors just ship the samples off and let the lab do the interpretation. The lab knows nothing about the house, its moisture problems or the symptoms of the occupants.
If you see mold or smell mold, then you've got mold. You don't need a test. Health departments do suggest testing if someone is experiencing health symptoms but no mold is visible. If that's the case then you'll want to have the house tested by someone who really knows what they're doing. You'll want someone in the medical field, not someone from construction. You'll want an industrial hygienist, and they're going to charge an arm and a leg - as well they should for dealing with health related issues. A home-inspector-turned-mold-tester isn't going to do any good.
Dealing With Mold
I said it earlier, but it's worth repeating. Mold is a clear sign of a moisture problem. The first thing is to find the moisture problem and fix it, and then figure out what to do with the mold. If you don't get rid of the moisture then the mold will come back, no matter how well it's cleaned up or removed. If you want to know if there has been structural damage from mold (and there can be) then talk to a home inspector. If you have health concerns see your doctor.
I think mold testing by home inspectors is a scam invented by the testing labs. Home inspectors have been duped into thinking they're providing a public service, and real estate agents have been scared into believing it's a necessary part of disclosure.
You can find out more about mold and home inspections on the web:
Newspaper columnist/home inspector Walter Jowers - "The Mold Rush"