Questions to ask a mold inspector before you hire
Ask these when you call an inspector or assessor. There is no score to add up. A professional who works carefully can usually explain what they do and why, in plain words, and put it in writing.
Training and years in business are a starting point, not proof of good work. Moldlist has not assessed the quality of any listed business’s work. What Moldlist checks
1. How will you find where the moisture is coming from?
Mold grows where there is moisture. EPA’s guide for homes says the key to mold control is moisture control, so an inspection that finds mold but not the water behind it leaves the cause in place.
A clear answer covers: What they will look at for leaks, condensation and past water damage, how they check hidden areas such as wall cavities, and what they do when they can’t reach an area.
2. Will you take samples? Which kinds, where, and why?
Sampling is not needed in every case. NIOSH says a thorough look and a musty smell are often more reliable than air samples, and that short-term air sample results can’t be read as a health risk and may miss real exposures.
A clear answer covers: Each sample tied to a question it answers, where it will be taken and why, and what the results can’t tell you. If the plan sounds the same for every home, ask how they decide.
3. What will the written report include, and when will I get it?
You, a remediator and anyone who checks the work later will rely on the report. It is also where an inspector should say what they could not check.
A clear answer covers: Findings with locations and photos, the likely moisture source, what was not inspected and why, and specific next steps. Ask whether a remediation plan, sometimes called a protocol, is included or costs extra.
4. What does your price include, and what costs extra?
A price on its own doesn’t tell you what you are getting. One inspection may be a short visit to take a few samples. Another may include a search for the moisture source, a written report and a follow-up visit. A higher price doesn’t mean better work, and a lower one doesn’t mean worse.
A clear answer covers: Which areas they will look at, how they will look for moisture, how many samples and lab fees are included, the written report, any follow-up visit or retest, travel charges, and what is not included.
5. Do you, or a company you work with, do remediation? Do you pay or receive referral fees?
An inspector who may be paid for the cleanup, directly or through a related company, has a stake in how much cleanup is recommended. That is not always a problem, but you should know before you rely on the findings.
A clear answer covers: A direct yes or no. If yes, how the companies are connected and whether you are free to hire someone else.
6. Who will do the inspection, and what training or license do they have?
A credential belongs to a named person or company, not to everyone who works there. If a company won’t say who is coming, you can’t look that person up or check what they hold. Training is a baseline. It doesn’t show how someone reads a building.
A clear answer covers: The name of the person coming to your home, whether they work for the company or independently, each credential they hold and who issued it, whether your state requires a license, and how long they have done this kind of work. You can check a credential with the organization that issued it.
If someone in your home has CIRS or strong sensitivities
You don’t have to share a diagnosis. Describe what the people in your home need. Moldlist does not publish a list of products that are safe or unsafe for everyone. Ask the professional to tell you what they plan to use and why, and to put any changes in writing. Course completion, a certification and good field practice are separate things. Licenses, certifications, and training
7. What accommodations can you offer for the sensitivities in our home, what are their limits, and how will we put what we agree in writing?
Describe what the people in your home need, such as avoiding certain products or keeping dust out of some rooms. You don’t have to share a diagnosis. Asking before the visit means the person who comes knows what you need.
A clear answer covers: The specific accommodations they can offer, what they can’t do and why, and how the agreement will be written down before the visit.
8. Have you completed any training relevant to clients with CIRS or chemical sensitivities? If so, which?
Finishing a course, holding a certification and doing good work in the field are different things. A course shows someone learned the material, not how they apply it in your home.
A clear answer covers: Either a plain no, or the exact course, the organization that ran it, who on the team completed it and when. You can ask that organization to confirm it.
9. Can you avoid fragrances, essential oils and scented products in our home? What can’t you avoid?
Ask before anyone arrives, so the person who comes knows what you need.
A clear answer covers: What they can and can’t avoid, any substitutions, and confirmation in writing before the visit.
Take the questions with you
- How will you find where the moisture is coming from? - Will you take samples? Which kinds, where, and why? - What will the written report include, and when will I get it? - What does your price include, and what costs extra? - Do you, or a company you work with, do remediation? Do you pay or receive referral fees? - Who will do the inspection, and what training or license do they have? If someone in your home has CIRS or strong sensitivities: - What accommodations can you offer for the sensitivities in our home, what are their limits, and how will we put what we agree in writing? - Have you completed any training relevant to clients with CIRS or chemical sensitivities? If so, which? - Can you avoid fragrances, essential oils and scented products in our home? What can’t you avoid?
Find an inspector · Questions to ask a remediator · Licenses, certifications, and training
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Editorial date: October 14, 2026. No outside advisor approved this page. It is general information, not a building assessment.