The short answer

Before calling about mold, record where growth or odour is, how large the area appears, what the material is, whether there was a known water event, and whether the smell changes with season or heating. That information determines whether you need an inspection, a test or remediation — and stops you buying the wrong one.

Record these observations

Each of these changes the scope, and none of them requires any equipment to note.

  • Where growth or odour is, and at what height
  • Roughly how large an area is visibly affected
  • What the material is — drywall, plaster, wood, masonry, fabric
  • Whether there was a known leak or flood, and when
  • Whether the source has been corrected
  • Whether the odour changes with season, humidity or heating
  • Whether the space is a basement, crawl space, attic or living area
  • Whether the building was constructed before 1978

Photograph these

Photographs before any disturbance are worth more than a description afterwards, particularly if there is a dispute or a transaction involved.

  • The affected area, wide and close up
  • Any staining, with something for scale
  • The suspected water source
  • Meter readings if you have taken any
  • Stored contents in the affected area
  • The exterior grading and downspout discharge nearby

Start the restoration request

Need restoration service for this property?

Send the address, callback number and a short description of the damage. You do not need to diagnose the problem before requesting help.

Request service

Ask these questions

These separate a scope you can hold someone to from a quotation you cannot.

  • What is the moisture source, and is it corrected?
  • Where exactly is the containment boundary?
  • Which materials are removed and which are cleaned?
  • What standard defines completion?
  • Who verifies it, and are they independent of the removal?
  • How are lead and asbestos requirements handled in this building?
  • What happens if more is found once the wall is open?

What this checklist is for and what it is not

This sheet records observations, which is what a professional assessment needs and what most people have not written down by the time they make the call. When it started, what it smells like, what the humidity reads, what changed in the building and whether there was a water event are the questions that get asked every time.

It is not a diagnosis and it is not health guidance. Whether a specific exposure matters to a specific person is a question for a medical professional, and nothing on this site answers it.

Clear answers

Common questions

Do I need a mold test before calling anyone?

Usually not. Visible growth on a material you know got wet does not need a test to justify acting. Testing is more useful for disputes, for confirming an area is clear afterwards, or when there is a smell with no visible source.

Should I clean it before it is assessed?

Photograph it first. Cleaning visible growth without correcting the moisture is the most common reason it comes back in the same place a few weeks later.

What humidity reading matters?

A hygrometer left in the space over several days tells you more than any single reading, because the problem is usually a condition rather than a moment. Record the range, not one number.

Is this a health question?

Whether a specific exposure matters to a specific person is a medical question, and it belongs to a medical professional. This checklist covers the property side only.

Do I need a test before I call?

Usually not. An inspection that finds the moisture source and the affected materials is what produces a plan. A laboratory result rarely changes an obvious scope.

Should I clean it before someone looks?

No. Cleaning removes the evidence of extent, and disturbing growth without containment distributes debris through the building.

Does it matter that my house is old?

Yes. Pre-1978 buildings bring lead-safe work practice requirements into demolition that disturbs paint, and it is far cheaper to plan for than to discover.

The smell is only there in summer. Is that still mold?

It commonly indicates condensation on cool surfaces during humid months rather than a leak, which is a dehumidification problem rather than a remediation one.

Authoritative references

Sources used on this page

Time-sensitive rules and public guidance should be checked at the source before work begins.