MoldRiskIQ
How the estimate is built

How MoldRiskIQ works

We combine public property records, climate data, terrain analysis, and construction detail to describe the conditions associated with moisture risk at an address — without ever stepping foot on the property, and without claiming to see inside it.

STEP 01

Enter Your Address

Type any U.S. property address into our search bar. Our geocoding engine instantly locates the property using latitude/longitude coordinates and cross-references it against multiple property databases.

We query ATTOM, Regrid, Census Bureau, and OpenStreetMap to build a complete profile of your property — including year built, construction type, square footage, basement type, roof materials, and lot characteristics.

STEP 02

Confirm Property Details

Review the auto-populated property record we've assembled. You can verify or adjust details like year built, square footage, stories, and construction materials before we run our analysis.

Even if some records are incomplete, our system fills gaps using regional building profile heuristics — analyzing construction trends by era and region to provide the most accurate baseline possible.

STEP 03

Get Your Risk Score

Our proprietary algorithm evaluates your property across 22+ risk vectors spanning climate, terrain, soil, construction, and building materials — then generates a score from 0-100. You instantly see your risk band (Low, Guarded, Elevated, High, or Severe) along with top risk drivers.

The free Risk Snapshot includes your overall score, risk band, confidence level, top risk factors, and a climate overview. It's designed to give you an immediate understanding of your property's mold risk profile.

STEP 04

Unlock the Full Report

For $29, unlock a comprehensive 12-section analysis. The full report includes detailed climate analysis, soil assessment, construction vulnerability review, inspection priorities, and actionable recommendations.

The full report is downloadable as a PDF and includes everything you need for informed decision-making — whether you're buying, selling, remediating, or simply protecting your investment.

Risk factors

What we analyze

Every report draws from multiple data layers to build a complete picture of your property's moisture and mold risk profile.

Property Records

Year built, construction type, square footage, lot size, basement, roof, and exterior materials

Climate Data

Regional humidity, rainfall, flood risk, storm exposure, and mold pressure indices

Terrain & Soil

Elevation, slope, drainage classification, soil type, permeability, and expansion risk

Construction Analysis

Era-specific vulnerability scoring, material degradation patterns, and ventilation profiles

Methodology

The method behind the estimate

MoldRiskIQ uses a multi-dimensional scoring model that evaluates 22+ individual risk vectors across 4 weighted modules, each calibrated by its empirical contribution to mold and moisture risk outcomes.

Scoring Overview

The MoldRiskIQ score is a composite index ranging from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate greater risk. The score is derived from 22+ individual risk vectors organized into four weighted modules, each evaluating a different dimension of moisture and mold risk. The automated analysis covers climate data, terrain profiling, soil classification, construction era standards, building materials, foundation type, HVAC systems, and more — and the premium tiers add manual professional investigation into licensed-access records that data alone can't reach:

20

Max Points

Regional Moisture Burden

10

Max Points

Terrain & Drainage Profile

25

Max Points

Defect Cohort Index

45

Max Points

Disclosure & Event History

Full / Pro Only

Free and Basic tier scores are calculated relative to the modules analyzed (Regional + Terrain + Building = 55 points max, normalized to 0-100). Full and Pro reports include Disclosure & Event History investigation, expanding the analysis to all 100 raw points for the most complete picture.

Risk Bands

0-15
Low
16-35
Guarded
36-55
Elevated
56-75
High
76-100
Severe

Regional Moisture Burden

Up to 20 points

Evaluates the ambient moisture environment surrounding the property based on regional climate data.

Factors Evaluated:

  • Average relative humidity (annual and seasonal peaks)
  • Total annual precipitation volume
  • Flood risk index based on FEMA flood zone data
  • Storm exposure frequency and intensity
  • Composite mold pressure index combining humidity + rain + temperature

Why it matters: High humidity (above 60%) creates conditions where mold can germinate and colonize within 24-48 hours. Properties in high-moisture climates face persistent baseline risk regardless of construction quality.

Terrain & Drainage Profile

Up to 10 points

Analyzes the topographical characteristics and soil drainage behavior at the property's exact location.

Factors Evaluated:

  • Site elevation relative to surrounding terrain
  • Ground slope percentage and drainage direction
  • Soil type classification and permeability rating
  • Expansive clay content and seasonal swelling potential
  • Flood plain proximity and historical flood events

Why it matters: Properties in low-lying areas with poor-draining soils accumulate water around foundations, increasing hydrostatic pressure and moisture intrusion. Expansive clay soils exert lateral force on foundation walls, creating cracks that allow water entry.

Defect Cohort Index

Up to 25 points

Goes beyond simple age-based scoring to identify specific era-linked building defects with documented failure histories. Uses an evidence-strength multiplier system to distinguish confirmed vs. inferred risks.

Factors Evaluated:

  • Decade-specific base score (construction era building code gaps)
  • Polybutylene plumbing cohort (~6M homes, $950M class settlement)
  • Aluminum branch wiring cohort (~2M homes, 1965-1973)
  • Barrier EIFS / synthetic stucco (multi-billion dollar class actions)
  • Hardboard/composite siding (LP Inner-Seal $375M settlement)
  • Chinese drywall contamination (~100K homes, 2004-2009)
  • Foundation type and below-grade moisture exposure
  • Roof geometry and flashing failure risk
  • Drainage defects identified from disclosure records (+8)
  • Missing or failed flashing from disclosure evidence (+10)
  • Evidence-strength multiplier (inspection confirmed 1.25x, confirmed 1.0x, inferred 0.7x, suspected 0.4x)

Why it matters: Rather than scoring homes as generically 'old,' this module identifies specific class-action-level building product failures linked to the home's construction decade. When users provide building material details, the score uses full-confidence adders. When details are unknown, the engine infers likely cohort exposure from the year built and applies a reduced-confidence multiplier — clearly labeled as 'inferred' or 'suspected.'

Disclosure & Event History

Full / Pro Only

Up to 45 points

The highest-impact module. Reviews the property's recorded history through licensed-access records that automated data alone cannot reach.

Factors Evaluated:

  • Seller disclosure filings mentioning water damage or mold
  • Insurance claims history for water-related events (CLUE reports)
  • Building permit records for remediation or repair work
  • Historical weather events and flood damage in the immediate area
  • Age-based probability of prior unreported water events
  • MLS listing history patterns (price drops, re-listings, withdrawn listings)

Why it matters: Properties with prior water damage events have a significantly higher probability of hidden mold growth. Even remediated water damage can leave residual moisture in wall cavities, subfloors, and insulation. This module requires professional investigation into licensed-access records and is only available in Full and Pro tier reports.

The Defect Cohort Approach

Most home risk tools use a simple "how old is this house?" calculation. A 1990 home and a 1991 home might score very differently based on an arbitrary cutoff. MoldRiskIQ takes a fundamentally different approach.

Our Defect Cohort Index identifies the specific building products and systems that were commonly used in each construction decade — and whether those products have documented histories of moisture-related failures, class-action lawsuits, or widespread recalls.

Key Defect Cohorts by Era:

1965-73

Aluminum Branch Wiring

~2M homes. Creates loose connections and overheating that can lead to fire damage and emergency water damage from suppression.

1978-95

Polybutylene Plumbing

~6M homes. $950M class settlement (Cox v. Shell Oil). Chlorine in water degrades fittings, causing hidden leaks inside walls and under slabs.

1985-00

Hardboard/Composite Siding

LP Inner-Seal $375M settlement. Pressed-wood siding absorbs moisture, swells, and creates hidden mold behind the exterior facade.

1990-10

Barrier EIFS (Synthetic Stucco)

Multi-billion dollar class actions across the Southeast. Barrier-style systems trap moisture behind cladding without drainage, causing hidden rot and mold.

2004-09

Chinese Drywall

~100K homes, primarily FL, LA, VA. Emits sulfur compounds that corrode copper pipes and HVAC coils, causing leaks and secondary moisture damage.

Evidence-Strength System

Each cohort factor carries a confidence level that determines how much weight it receives in the score:

Inspection Confirmed

Enhanced weight (1.25x)

Verified by disclosure/inspection

Confirmed

Full weight (1.0x)

User-reported material

Inferred

Partial weight (0.7x)

Strong era/data signal

Suspected

Low weight (0.4x)

Era-based assumption only

Confidence Score

Every MoldRiskIQ assessment includes a confidence percentage that reflects the completeness and quality of the data used in the analysis. A higher confidence score means more data points were available for accurate modeling:

  • 90-100% Full property records, climate data, terrain analysis, and construction details available
  • 70-89% Most data available; some fields filled by regional heuristics
  • 50-69% Moderate data; several fields estimated from regional averages
  • Below 50% Limited data; score relies heavily on regional defaults

Ready to Check Your Property?

Enter any U.S. address and get your free Risk Snapshot in under 60 seconds. See the science in action.

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Part of What a mold risk score is.