Mold Testing Orlando

Mold testing in Orlando: who can test, and what happens next

Mold testing, which Florida law calls mold assessment, tells you whether mold is growing, where, and how much. Assessing mold growth over 10 square feet requires a licensed Mold Assessor (MRSA), and the assessor generally may not also remediate the same home within 12 months (ss. 468.8411, 468.8419). CFDR does not test for mold. If an assessment finds mold to remove or water damage to dry, call or text CFDR at 321-420-7274.

Updated Oct 2026 · Sources linked below

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When to Consider Testing

Signs You May Need a Mold Assessment

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Musty Odor Without Visible Mold

Mold often grows behind walls, under floors and in HVAC systems where you can't see it. A persistent musty smell can point to hidden growth that an assessment can look for.

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Water Damage That Wasn't Dried Quickly

EPA advises drying water-damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth. If your walls, floor or ceilings stayed wet longer, an assessment can show whether mold took hold.

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Buying or Selling a Home

If a home has a water or mold history, ask for the assessment report and the remediation records that go with it.

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AC Drain or Coil Problems

AC drain pans and coil areas stay damp in Florida. If your system has had overflow or leaks, ask the HVAC company to fix the moisture source first.

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After a Storm or Roof Leak

Roof leaks that went unaddressed for days create mold conditions. Dry the structure first; assess afterward if growth is suspected.

Water is the cause to deal with first. If water just got in, start at House flooded? Who to call, in order; if mold is already growing, see mold remediation; and for what your policy may cover, see Florida claim deadlines.

What Happens

What a Mold Assessment Involves, Step by Step

Visual inspection

The licensed assessor inspects accessible areas, including attic, HVAC, bathrooms and any area with a water history, for visible mold and moisture.

Sampling, if the assessor recommends it

Air and surface samples go to a laboratory. Ask which lab the assessor uses and whether it is accredited.

Written report

You receive the findings and a written scope for any remediation. Ask the assessor to explain the results in plain terms.

Remediation, if mold above 10 square feet is found

A licensed Mold Remediator removes it. If the assessor wrote the protocol, the same company generally may not do the removal within 12 months (s. 468.8419).

Clearance after removal

A remediator may not assess a structure it remediated within the last 12 months (s. 468.8419), so ask for clearance testing from an assessor who is not the remediator.

Florida mold rules in one paragraph

Florida requires a licensed Mold Assessor (MRSA) to assess, and a licensed Mold Remediator (MRSR) to remove, mold growth larger than 10 square feet; the company that assesses a home generally may not remediate it within 12 months (ss. 468.8411, 468.8419). CFDR does not test for mold; verify any assessor or remediator at myfloridalicense.com. Florida's mold license rules in full →

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FAQ

Mold Testing Questions Answered

Florida law defines mold assessment as sampling plus a detailed evaluation of the building history and an inspection to work out where mold is growing and how much (s. 468.8411). A licensed Mold Assessor does that work and writes up the results. Ask the assessor, before you hire, what it will sample, which lab it uses and what the written report will cover.

Consider an assessment if you smell a persistent musty odor without finding the source, if water damage was not dried quickly, if mold may be hidden behind walls or under floors, or if you are buying or selling a home with a water history. If someone in the home has health symptoms, talk to a doctor; a mold test cannot tell you whether mold is the cause.

Generally not within 12 months: an assessor may not remediate a structure it assessed, and a remediator may not assess one it remediated (s. 468.8419). The statute carves out certified Division I contractors from those two 12-month rules. Ask any company whether it is relying on that exception, and ask for a second bid.

It depends on your policy and on whether the mold came from a covered water loss. Other carriers vary. Ask your insurer in writing how your policy treats assessment costs, and report the water damage first.

Search the company and its license number on the state's license portal (myfloridalicense.com). The record shows status, expiration and any discipline. Do not rely on a verbal claim.

Who is CFDR?

Private Orlando restoration referral service, not FEMA. Call or text 321-420-7274 24/7 and Ryan Solberg matches you with a local restoration company. You pay CFDR nothing, and CFDR does not bill your insurer.

How CFDR works →

Where does CFDR match companies?

CFDR matches homes and businesses within about 90 minutes' drive of downtown Orlando: Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Volusia, Polk, Brevard, Sumter and Marion counties. That covers Orlando, Kissimmee, St. Cloud, Sanford, Winter Park, Apopka, Clermont, Lakeland, Winter Haven, Daytona Beach, DeLand, Melbourne, Palm Bay, Titusville, Leesburg, The Villages and Ocala. Tampa and Brandon are edge areas: Ryan matches them when a network company covers the address. Outside these counties, call about large commercial, multi-unit or whole-home losses.

Orange County
Seminole County
Osceola County
Lake County
Volusia County
Polk County
Brevard County
Sumter County
Marion County

Sources

Fla. Stat. s. 468.8411 (mold-related services: definitions) (accessed 2026-10-13)
Fla. Stat. s. 468.8419 (prohibitions, 12-month rule, referral compensation) (accessed 2026-10-13)
Florida DBPR license search (verify any assessor or remediator)
Tower Hill HO-3 form
Citizens HO-3 coverage comparison chart, April 2026 (fungi limit)
EPA: A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home (accessed 2026-10-13)