If you have ever dealt with mold in your home, you know the process that follows is rarely straightforward. You find something concerning, you call someone, you pay for an inspection or a remediation, and then you hope for the best. What most consumers do not know going into that process is how little oversight governs the industry they are trusting with their home and their health.

In most states, there are no licensing or certification requirements for the people performing mold inspections and remediations. Only two states require remediation standards. And when the job fails, there is limited recourse. Costs vary widely, practices are inconsistent, and consumers are largely left to navigate this on their own.

What has made this so difficult to address is the absence of data. No one has ever systematically collected information on what homeowners and renters actually experience during the inspection and remediation process. What they were told. What was done. What it cost. Whether it worked. Without that data, the problem stays misunderstood and invisible. Policymakers have limited consumer data to help shape more meaningful policy.  The industry faces no pressure to improve.

That is what this survey is designed to change. Now open through September 18, 2026.

Introducing the Mold Inspection and Remediation Consumer Survey

In 2026, Change the Air Foundation is conducting the first comprehensive national survey on consumer experiences with mold inspection and remediation. We developed the survey in collaboration with Untold Research, a third-party research firm who will independently analyze all findings. All responses are completely anonymous.

The survey covers every stage of the consumer experience, from how people found and vetted inspectors and remediators, to what testing and remediation methods were used, to whether post-remediation testing was conducted and whether the work was ultimately successful. We are asking the questions that have never been asked at scale.

We want to hear all kinds of experiences. Good outcomes and bad ones. The fuller the picture, the stronger the data.

Why This Matters

The findings will be published in a full public report this fall and shared with lawmakers, journalists, researchers, and advocates working to raise the bar for this industry and our community. Our goal is for this data to drive three concrete outcomes.

The first is policy reform. This foundational data will help us advocate at the state and federal level for mold remediation standards, certification requirements for inspectors and remediators, and meaningful consumer protections.

The second is industry improvement. Better data on the experiences and costs to consumers, and whether companies are following recognized standards and delivering on what they promise. Better data leads to better practices, and better practices lead to better outcomes for everyone.

The third is public awareness. Concrete statistics will help transform anecdotal experiences into documented evidence of a systemic problem that consumers, researchers, healthcare practitioners, and media can no longer ignore.

Who Can Participate

Any U.S. homeowner or renter who has had a mold inspection and/or remediation performed on their home in the last 12 months. The survey takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete and is completely anonymous.

Our goal is 2,500 responses from across all 50 states. The survey closes September 18, 2026.

If you qualify, we hope you will take the time to share your experience. And if you know someone who has a similar experience, please pass this along to them. Every response helps build the picture that changes this industry and better protects people.