Deadbird
A quarter of Americans are concerned that their home isn’t safe for their health (26%), according to new research.
A survey of 2,000 adults explored their knowledge and concerns about mold within their homes.
Despite being concerned about some facet of their home, most still consider their living conditions “up to code” (80%), with homeowners being more likely to express this than those who rent (86% vs. 73%).
The average respondent estimates that 37% of homes in America contain mold in some way, with 43% being under the impression that fewer homes contain mold. However, the actual number is 47%, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
Yet, the survey conducted by Talker Research for Rainbow Restoration, a Neighborly company and a provider of restoration and mold remediation services, found that when it comes to their own home, 77% claim they have never had mold.
While three in four feel confident in their ability to identify what mold looks like in their home (76%), only a quarter of respondents were able to correctly identify the most common types of mold.
And while most say they’ve never seen mold in their home themselves, a quarter have confirmed spotting two of the most common types of mold: stachybotrys chartarum (25%) and alternaria (23%).
Respondents also shared some of the common signs of mold they’ve noticed around their home, like water stains (21%), peeling paint (20%) and musty odors (19%).
One in five are under the impression that they don’t think they need to inspect their home for mold every year and even more (39%) admit they don’t do so.
When asked about where they believe the most common areas in the home that develop mold are, respondents named the bathroom (63%) and basement (44%), while the living room (40%) and bedroom (30%) are thought to be the safest.
“Mold thrives in damp and poorly ventilated areas in a home. Areas highly susceptible to mold growth are bathrooms, kitchens and basements, as well as around any windows or doors,” said Josh Miller, president of Rainbow Restoration, a Neighborly company. “Mold can cause serious health problems if left untreated, so it’s important to be aware of indicators your home may be infected.
“This includes smelling a musty odor in a room with no clear cause, noticeable signs of water damage like peeling paint or damp surfaces, as well as seeing visible traces of mold around walls and corners of the home.”
Results found that respondents were keen on some of the clearer symptoms of mold exposure like coughing (44%), wheezing (39%) and sneezing (36%), but less aware of symptoms like change in weight (5%), ringing in the ears (5%), extreme numbness and tingling (7%), hair loss (8%) and abdominal or muscle pain (9%).
The survey also delved into sentiments about prioritizing mold prevention in the case of emergencies.
Of those that have an emergency preparedness plan, one in five admit that mold prevention tends to fall as a low or non-priority (21%).
When thinking of emergency preparedness planning, the top concern that comes to respondents’ mind is fire (19%) — followed by storm damage (14%) and blackout or electrical failure (11%).
Aleksi Partanen
Just 7% think of mold first, although nearly three times that percentage learned that they had mold in their home after experiencing a natural disaster this past year (18%).
“Mold growth is a side-effect of natural disasters, such as extreme flooding and torrential rains. It can spread rapidly if untreated and owners should take immediate action if they experience any kind of water damage,” said Miller.
“While 49% of respondents said they would immediately call in a professional for mold concerns, 40% would try to handle it themselves. DIY mold removal methods are ineffective and the only way to remediate the problem is by working with trained professionals who can safely eliminate the mold completely and prevent it from returning.”
Waldemar
Survey methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans; the survey was commissioned by Rainbow Restoration and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Aug. 12 and Aug. 15, 2025.
We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:
- Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
- Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in
Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.
Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.
Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.
Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:
- Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
- Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
- Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
- Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once
It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.
