It can be devastating for both the Seller and Buyer if a mold problem is noted during a pre-purchase home inspection. Most home inspectors exclude the identification of mold growth from their inspection and will recommend further investigation if they suspect that “suspicious growth or staining” is present. Most of the calls we receive from buyers after home inspections concern questions about black mold in the attic or musty odors in a basement or crawl space. We usually encourage people to have a home inspection before a mold inspection, because issues may be uncovered that discourage them from buying the property. Then they don’t have to incur the additional cost of a mold inspection.

You may, however, have a reason to have the mold inspection first. Perhaps you have decided that if a serious mold problem is present, you won’t buy the property, regardless of what a home inspector might tell you. Or perhaps you or someone in your family is allergic to mold.

Any mold inspection undertaken in the middle of a real transaction must involve more than just sampling the indoor and outdoor air. Surfaces must also be tested, because the mold spores in indoor air may be coming from mold growth on the Seller’s furniture or in the Seller’s rugs, which will be removed when the property is sold. Another common source of mold spores in indoor air is contaminated heating and cooling equipment, which should also be tested.

Two cautions: first, if you suspect that a property contains substantial mold growth, don’t accept or purchase any possessions the Seller wants to leave behind. Second, until you’re the owner, you have no control over the property. Under humid conditions, especially in a basement that isn’t being dehumidified, mold can grow within a few days. There’s no point, therefore, in having a mold inspection because you want to be told “there’s no mold” weeks or even months before you purchase the property. Whether you’ve had a mold inspection or not, always do a thorough walk-through of the house prior to the Closing.

You don’t need a mold inspection if you find small areas of mold on a tub wall, shower curtain, or under a sink that’s experienced a leak. These areas can be cleaned or repaired as needed.

For a detailed discussion of mold, refer to The Mold Survival Guide: For Your Home and for Your Health, by Jeffrey C. May and Connie L. May (2004). Jeff May is also author of My House is Killing Me! The Home Guide for Families with Allergies and Asthma (2001), and co-author of Jeff May’s Healthy Home Tips (2008). All three books are published by The Johns Hopkins University Press and are available on amazon.com.