Bellingham WA home inspector (King of the House): Mold in the home

A Bellingham home inspector, working in the wet Pacific Northwest, sees lots of moisture issues. There is a misconception regarding mold in the home. That revolves around the belief that, if mold is found in the home, a sample should be taken and it should be sent to the lab for tests to determine if it is "good" or "bad." Part of this trend is the result of marketing by labs and  mold remediation operators who are making money from the high publicity and fear that surrounds mold. While I am not downplaying mold, this strategy is backwards. Here is the most accurate general approach to mold: Mold outside okay, mold inside bad!  Inside a home mold is caused by excess moisture. As a Bellingham, Washington home inspector, I sometimes see mold the result of roof leaks or poor ventilation in attics, leaks under sinks and that type of thing. There is a misconception that people only need to think about "toxic mold". In other words, if you see mold, then get it tested and if it is not toxic.....forget about it. That is not the right attitude. Another misconception people have is they think that the first step, if mold is found, is to run out and test it. I have had serious mold discussions with top experts in the field and that is not their view. They say that seldom, to almost never, do they test for any specific variety of mold. An exception might be when a physician needs to know specifically what is growing to determine the best treatment for a patient. They work from this theory: All mold that grows inside the house is bad. Mold outside is usually okay, although you would not want it growing on structural lumber. The experts say, anytime mold is found, get rid of it and correct the conditions that caused it. In the average situation, this can be done by the homeowner. Mold loves sheetrock so often remediation involves cutting out the sheetrock and replacing it. One caveat: Make sure the source of moisture is also dried up. One problem, and why one should not be so smug about toxic vs non toxic mold is that molds that do not create allergic reactions to most people, might be triggers for other people. So what is toxic to one person may not be to another and vice versa. Molds produce airborne mytoxins. The two that have the worst reputations are stachybotrys and chaetomium. These molds, and it is controversial just how bad they are, have been accused of creating a number of human diseases from cancer and heart problems to arthritis and bleeding lungs. One key to reducing chances of mold problems in a home involves controlling runoff water outside, making sure there are no plumbing leaks and providing good ventilation. These factors help reduce the relative humidity levels. An inexpensive hygrometer or relative humidity gauge can be purchased to monitor moisture in the air. My favorite online video about mold is 12 minutes long and from the Northwest Clean Air Agency, a government entity. The photo below is the creepiest and ugliest mold I have run into as an inspector. A roof leak was the cause. Mold this bad does not form overnight.

• King of the House
• Bellingham MLS
• Northwest Clean Air Agency mold video

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