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What the house is hiding

Mould

Almost always a symptom rather than a cause. Removing mould without finding and fixing the water that fed it guarantees it returns, usually in the same place, usually within a year.

Which homes

Any age. Driven by moisture, not by construction date — though poorly detailed basement finishing is a frequent contributor.

Where it turns up

What to look for, and where.

Knowing the usual locations is enough to decide whether an assessment is worth commissioning. It is not enough to conclude that a house is clear.

Common locations

  • Behind basement finishes, particularly where polyethylene was installed against concrete
  • Bathrooms with undersized or improperly ducted exhaust fans
  • Attics where an exhaust fan terminates inside, or where ventilation is inadequate
  • Around windows with persistent condensation
  • Below-grade walls, behind furniture on exterior walls
  • Anywhere there has been a leak, whether or not it was repaired

How it is identified

Visual and moisture assessment first. Air sampling has a role but is frequently oversold — a visible growth on a wet wall does not need a laboratory to confirm it.

Be sceptical of any company that offers free testing and also performs the remediation. Independent assessment and remediation should ideally be separate parties.

Remediation

What dealing with it involves.

Required credential: IICRC-certified firm for water damage restoration and mould remediation.

  1. 01

    Identify and eliminate the moisture source. Nothing else matters until this is done.

  2. 02

    Contain the work area so spores are not distributed through the house

  3. 03

    Remove porous affected materials; clean non-porous surfaces

  4. 04

    Dry the assembly and verify with a moisture meter, not by eye

  5. 05

    Rebuild with an assembly that will not trap moisture again

Buying or selling

What it means in a transaction.

Visible mould stops buyers cold and disproportionately affects offers. Remediate it, keep the invoice and the moisture-source repair documentation, and disclose it. A repaired and documented problem is a footnote; an unexplained stain is a renegotiation.

General information, not an assessment of your property.

Confirming the presence of mould in a specific home requires qualified professionals and, where applicable, accredited laboratory analysis. Guidelines and regulations change. Nothing on this page replaces a professional assessment, and nothing here is legal advice about disclosure obligations when selling—raise those with your lawyer.

A straightforward first conversation

Concerned about mould in a property?

Tell me where you are in the process. We’ll discuss the property, the market, and the questions that matter most to you.

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