Mildew or mold? You may as well ask is it good or bad. Often we as inspectors encounter something that looks kind of fishy even kind of mean and hairy but is it mold? I would venture that most of us inspectors do not know. We are not trained lab technicians with an Industrial Hygienist degree or some such suitable moniker. We are just simple guys and gals trying to do our best. I know some inspector out there will take exception with this statement and has a suitable degree or certificate that says they know how to test for mildew and mold. Some companies may even offer this kind of evaluation as an extra fee based service.
However, it is true that most of us are not experts on mildew or mold. Per the Standards of Practice I use (ASHI) it is not in the scope of our inspection to even inspect for Mildew or Mold. Still stuff like what is shown in the photo below does not look right and at a minimum indicates possible water damage. We certainly try to make our clients aware of these kind of things and point them in the right direction for further evaluation by qualified others.
Mildew or Mold?
The truth is we can not make our clients follow up on our recommendations. We hope they do, we want them to but will they? Will you?
All the best out there!
