[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/week-13-weve-got-mold-and-ive-got-no-idea-what-im-doing\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/week-13-weve-got-mold-and-ive-got-no-idea-what-im-doing\/","headline":"Week 13 \u2013 \u201cWe\u2019ve Got Mold\u201d and I\u2019ve Got No Idea What I\u2019m Doing","name":"Week 13 \u2013 \u201cWe\u2019ve Got Mold\u201d and I\u2019ve Got No Idea What I\u2019m Doing","description":"Week 13 \u2013 \u201cWe\u2019ve Got Mold\u201d and I\u2019ve Got No Idea What I\u2019m Doing The moment I froze in a crawlspace and prayed for a lifeline: This week, I discovered my first big \u201coh crap\u201d moment on-site. I was inspecting a property\u2014pretty standard stuff\u2014until I saw discoloration under the subfloor insulation. Pulled the flashlight closer. Saw the classic fuzzy pattern. Took a deep breath. And then I heard the words no new inspector wants to say out loud: \u201cWe\u2019ve got mold.\u201d Suddenly, everything got louder. My thoughts. The client questions. My own doubts. \u201cWhat do I do?\u201d \u201cHow do I write this up?\u201d \u201cAm I supposed to evaluate this?\u201d Short answer: No. But also\u2014don\u2019t panic. The panic about what I didn\u2019t know (and what it could\u2019ve cost me): Let\u2019s be real\u2014I don\u2019t know how to evaluate mold yet. I haven\u2019t been trained on testing protocols or remediation recommendations. And when you\u2019re standing in someone\u2019s future home, staring at what could be a major problem, that gap in training feels massive. Also? That could\u2019ve been a $500 add-on\u2026 if I were certified. It hit me hard: not just the potential lost income, but the weight of getting it wrong. Say too much, and I overstep. Say too little, and I don\u2019t help. This was my first real lesson in balancing risk, clarity, and calm. What saved me: one phone call, one rock-solid roadmap: I called Curt. Immediately. Told him what I saw, how I was documenting it, and that I had no idea what to say next. His response? Calm, clear, step-by-step: Don\u2019t call it mold\u2014call it \u201corganic growth.\u201d Don\u2019t speculate. Recommend a specialist. Document clearly, include photos, reference location and extent without diagnosis. Explain to the client that testing, remediation, and post-remediation clearance are handled by licensed environmental professionals. He even coached me through how to say it, in plain language. Within five minutes, I went from sweating in silence to confidently explaining post-remediation clearance testing. WHO AM I? What this moment taught me about risk\u2014and reputation: I don\u2019t have to know everything. But I do need to know where the line is\u2014and how to handle it when I hit it. That\u2019s where the franchise system made all the difference. Without that call, I might\u2019ve mishandled the situation, either by saying too much or too little. Instead, I preserved trust with the client and avoided stepping into a liability mess. Also, it made me realize how valuable it\u2019ll be to add mold certification and testing in the future. That\u2019s not just extra revenue\u2014it\u2019s better service, more control, and less panic next time. What I\u2019m doing now to prepare for the next surprise: I\u2019ve flagged mold certification training on my to-do list. I\u2019m also reviewing more examples of how to write up ambiguous but important findings\u2014those \u201cgray area\u201d moments where phrasing matters. This week proved the importance of calm language, clear photos, and solid guidance. I\u2019ve also added Curt\u2019s number to my \u201cfavorites.\u201d Just in case. What I\u2019ll keep doing in high-pressure moments: Pause. Call for backup. Stick to what I know, and lean on the system. That instinct saved me this time\u2014and I have a feeling it won\u2019t be the last curveball this year. \u2192 Coming up: Week 14: My First Slow Week \u2014 I Thought the Growth Was Over \u2190 Catch my first scaling dilemma here: Week 12: First Team Member? Or Stay Solo? Curious what it\u2019s like to build your own home inspection franchise from the ground up?","datePublished":"2025-06-27","dateModified":"2025-06-27","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/author\/curtis\/#Person","name":"Kloc Curtis","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/author\/curtis\/","identifier":6,"description":"Curtis Kloc is a U.S. Navy veteran and seasoned entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in business development, inspections, and technical systems. He has built and sold multiple six- and seven-figure home inspection and environmental services companies, including HERO Inspections & Environmental and Elite Analysis. Curtis is the founder of Inspections Over Coffee, a nationally expanding franchise known for its white-glove service, inspector training systems, and streamlined operational workflows.\r\n\r\nWith deep roots in nuclear engineering from his time as a Machinist Mate and Engineering Laboratory Technician aboard two U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, Curtis brings unmatched precision and discipline to every business he runs. He is certified and licensed in home inspection, mold assessment, asbestos inspection, and environmental testing, and is a member of NACHI since 2006. Curtis now leads AI automation initiatives through Nexation.ai, helping businesses eliminate busywork and refocus on what matters most\u2014client relationships, growth, and results.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1630069397452.webp","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1630069397452.webp","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Person","name":"Curtis Kloc","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/site-logo.png","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/site-logo.png","width":512,"height":512}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/week-13-home-inspection-franchisee-journey.png","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/week-13-home-inspection-franchisee-journey.png","height":736,"width":1312},"url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/week-13-weve-got-mold-and-ive-got-no-idea-what-im-doing\/","about":["Uncategorized"],"wordCount":612,"articleBody":"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWeek 13 \u2013 \u201cWe\u2019ve Got Mold\u201d and I\u2019ve Got No Idea What I\u2019m DoingThe moment I froze in a crawlspace and prayed for a lifeline:This week, I discovered my first big \u201coh crap\u201d moment on-site. I was inspecting a property\u2014pretty standard stuff\u2014until I saw discoloration under the subfloor insulation. Pulled the flashlight closer. Saw the classic fuzzy pattern. Took a deep breath. And then I heard the words no new inspector wants to say out loud: \u201cWe\u2019ve got mold.\u201dSuddenly, everything got louder. My thoughts. The client questions. My own doubts. \u201cWhat do I do?\u201d \u201cHow do I write this up?\u201d \u201cAm I supposed to evaluate this?\u201d Short answer: No. But also\u2014don\u2019t panic.The panic about what I didn\u2019t know (and what it could\u2019ve cost me):Let\u2019s be real\u2014I don\u2019t know how to evaluate mold yet. I haven\u2019t been trained on testing protocols or remediation recommendations. And when you\u2019re standing in someone\u2019s future home, staring at what could be a major problem, that gap in training feels massive. Also? That could\u2019ve been a $500 add-on\u2026 if I were certified.It hit me hard: not just the potential lost income, but the weight of getting it wrong. Say too much, and I overstep. Say too little, and I don\u2019t help. This was my first real lesson in balancing risk, clarity, and calm.What saved me: one phone call, one rock-solid roadmap:I called Curt. Immediately. Told him what I saw, how I was documenting it, and that I had no idea what to say next. His response? Calm, clear, step-by-step:  Don\u2019t call it mold\u2014call it \u201corganic growth.\u201d  Don\u2019t speculate. Recommend a specialist.  Document clearly, include photos, reference location and extent without diagnosis.  Explain to the client that testing, remediation, and post-remediation clearance are handled by licensed environmental professionals.He even coached me through how to say it, in plain language. Within five minutes, I went from sweating in silence to confidently explaining post-remediation clearance testing. WHO AM I?What this moment taught me about risk\u2014and reputation:I don\u2019t have to know everything. But I do need to know where the line is\u2014and how to handle it when I hit it. That\u2019s where the franchise system made all the difference. Without that call, I might\u2019ve mishandled the situation, either by saying too much or too little. Instead, I preserved trust with the client and avoided stepping into a liability mess.Also, it made me realize how valuable it\u2019ll be to add mold certification and testing in the future. That\u2019s not just extra revenue\u2014it\u2019s better service, more control, and less panic next time.What I\u2019m doing now to prepare for the next surprise:I\u2019ve flagged mold certification training on my to-do list. I\u2019m also reviewing more examples of how to write up ambiguous but important findings\u2014those \u201cgray area\u201d moments where phrasing matters. This week proved the importance of calm language, clear photos, and solid guidance.I\u2019ve also added Curt\u2019s number to my \u201cfavorites.\u201d Just in case.What I\u2019ll keep doing in high-pressure moments:Pause. Call for backup. Stick to what I know, and lean on the system. That instinct saved me this time\u2014and I have a feeling it won\u2019t be the last curveball this year.\u2192 Coming up: Week 14: My First Slow Week \u2014 I Thought the Growth Was Over\u2190 Catch my first scaling dilemma here: Week 12: First Team Member? Or Stay Solo?Curious what it\u2019s like to build your own home inspection franchise from the ground up?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Week 13 \u2013 \u201cWe\u2019ve Got Mold\u201d and I\u2019ve Got No Idea What I\u2019m Doing","item":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/week-13-weve-got-mold-and-ive-got-no-idea-what-im-doing\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]