Here are a few of the basic guidelines when discussing the odor of mold and mildew. 1) Many can identify the musty smell of mold. Some may call it a mildew smell but mildew typically is found on living plants so if the smell is inside of a house then it is most likely caused by mold. 2) Remember not all mold gives off an odor, some are odorless so never depend on your sense of smell as the only indicator that mold exists. 3) Note that the smell of mold almost always indicates that there is a mold problem somewhere. 4) Mold can spread quite quickly cause not only damages to your home but to your health as well. That is why you must actively seek out and destroy any mold that may exist as well as correcting whatever problem causing the mold. 5) Professional inspections can be costly but should be part of your routine maintenance. You may cut down on those costs by using do-it-yourself inspection kits in between professional inspections. 6) Just because you have eliminated your mold problem does not mean you have eliminated the odor. The gases (smell) produced by mold may have permeated other fabrics nearby (i.e. couch, carpet, etc.).
Remember that there are many types of molds which may cause the odors to vary as well. The circumstances (how damp, how hot, how much light, what it is growing on etc.) causing the mold to develop will play a part in how (or if) the mold smells. Not only do the various types of mold differ odor-wise, they will vary visually as well (most typically color variances although some are hard to see at all).
Many times if mold is present there will also be additional hazards causing odors not related to mold as well. Often these unrelated hazards may be dangerous as well such as improperly working heating appliances, pesticides that have been applied incorrectly, sewer backup, dead animals and so on.
Odor alone is not enough to determine the size of the problem not if the problem is toxic or allergenic.
Being familiar with the history of a building goes a long way in determining where to begin looking for potential problems. Specifically if you know if there has ever been plumbing problems, roof leakage issues and so on.
Everyones ability to sense an odor is different. Some people are much more sensitive to smells than others.
To end out discussing always keep in mind that odors can be misconstrued if someone is sick or undergoing medical treatments. Sometime these conditions can have someone thinking they smell something when there is no odor there or conversely never detecting an odor when one is definitely present.
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