A mold dog inspection is a powerful tool, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. Dogs detect MVOCs—gaseous byproducts of mold growth—but they don’t confirm the species, severity, or health risk. That’s where an Indoor Environmental Professional (IEP) comes in. An IEP is trained to follow up on alerts with a physical inspection, moisture mapping, and, if needed, laboratory testing to determine if mold is truly present.

Think of it like this: the dog is your smoke detector; the IEP is your fire inspector. Once an alert is made, the IEP investigates further to determine whether it’s actionable. This dual approach minimizes false positives and ensures that any remediation is both necessary and effective.