The National Association of Realtors named MOLD as the �HOT TOPIC� for 2005! And the EPA said that: "Toxic mold may become the defining environmental issue of the 21st century?" And that a bill introduced before Congress would require a mold inspection for every property transaction in the U.S.?
Wow, what a major issue for spore�s that have been on the planet for many millions of years! The true issue is money; those who profit from identifying it, removing it, and litigating over it (remember, this is law-suit-land). Other than in rare instances, no on dies from mold: It'd nasty and can lead to health problems, and as an Inspector, I too, take mold seriously. Bt the paranoia is stirred up to make people dig into their wallet, when buying a home. The home buying industry (and it is!) is comprised of hundreds of people basically sticking their hands in the multi-billion dollar pie, and home buyers are paying for it. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, those who made monies in real estate were title companies (land), draftspersons (for complex homes), carpenters (and other tradesmen) and lumber mills (and suppliers). Today, 25% of the cost of your home goes into the pockets of people who do nothing whatsoever to bring your home into being.
With that said and understood, mold is not hard to id or recognize, and yet if you feel more secure in hiring a certified mold inspector, it's your money. With a little common sense you can see mold, and there are products sold that are EPA approved to remove it; for the do-it-yourselfer!
mold321.com
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Now obviously, mold can grow in hidden places; this is where a home inspector comes into play. If a resident has allergies then hiring a certified mold inspector would be prudent, but hey, they�re just humans too, and could potentially miss any well camouflaged mold as easily as a non-certified mold inspector may. As for me personally, I am more concerned about radon than mold!