The Professional Mold Inspection Institute (PMII) is a division of the Professional Home Inspection Institute. Our school has been training and certifying mold inspectors for success for years in the fields of home inspection and the inspection and remediation of mold and mold damage.

Mold is a fast-growing organism that spreads via spores and grows easily and quickly in all but the best-designed homes and buildings. There are hundreds of species of mold; several of these species are considered dangerous to humans. It is a mold inspector's task to quickly, accurately and efficiently inspect a residence for mold contamination and recommend a course of action. If necessary, a mold remediator may be needed to reduce and eliminate the mold infestation. In some cases, the functions of a mold inspector and mold remediator are fulfilled by one person.

Mold inspection, both residential and commercial, is the visual identification and sampling of suspected mold, and the subsequent analysis of the samples taken. Depending on the scope and extent of the damage, this may lead to mold remediation - which can cost thousands of dollars if the damage is bad. Mold remediation falls outside the scope of a mold inspection. Mold remediation is a separate industry that specializes in cleaning an area affected by mold, repairing the damage inflicted by it, and making or recommending structural and other changes to ensure that it does not re-occur.

Mold is often a hidden menace; it can grow inside walls, attics, unconditioned spaces in the home, and other places that typically are not seen by the homeowner often or at all. For a prospective homeowner, there is often no way, absent sophisticated test equipment operated by a professional mold inspector, to know whether a home is suffering from a mold infestation. If the home in question has not been lived in for some time or the current resident has attempted to hide or clean up the surface signs of mold, the home may look mold-free at a first glance. But the mold spores are likely still alive and active - and need only moisture and warmth to reappear.

If you're interested in becoming a mold inspector or remediator in the US or Canada, we can help. LearnMoldInspection.com is a training portal for the Professional Mold Inspection Institute, an industry leader in training, certifying and licensing professional mold inspectors in the US and Canada.