Mould air sampling before buying a Hintonburg house: worth it?

Health Canada's guidance gives little reason to. It says the large number of mould species and strains rules out exposure limits, and that "results from tests for the presence of fungi in air cannot be used to assess risks to the health of building occupants." Its guidance for indoor air quality professionals adds that neither Health Canada nor NIOSH recommends testing for mould in offices, schools or non-industrial buildings, and that simply finding mould spores in an air test does not necessarily indicate there is an issue.

So an air sample before you buy in Hintonburg cannot tell you whether the house is safe. There is no safe-level number to compare it with.

What a home inspection gives you is different. Ontario.ca says it is a visual inspection of major elements and systems, and it notes plainly that an inspector may not find mould. The federal Office of Consumer Affairs says the report describes only the areas the inspector can see or has access to.

Health Canada's own advice on mould in a home is practical rather than diagnostic: control humidity, repair any water damage, and clean visible or concealed mould.

If a report notes mould, what you do about it in your offer is a question for your agent or lawyer; ontario.ca lists the buyer's options as asking the seller to make certain repairs, accepting a defect, asking for a price adjustment, or not buying the home. Mould testing and remediation as services are covered on ottawaabatement.com.

If a mould service offers you air sampling, ask what decision the result would change, given Health Canada's position on what air tests can tell you.