Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool 

School Buildings 

Form & Instructions 
This document is in the public domain and 

may be freely copied or reprinted. 

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Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition, 

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Suggested Citation 

NIOSH [2018]. Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool for School Buildings - Form & Instructions. CoxGanser J, Martin M, Park JH, Game S. Morgantown WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and 

Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2019-114, https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2019114.
Instructions Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool

 Contents 

About the Form 

Background................................................................................................................................................................................4 

Dampness and Mold Assessment Form .........................................................................................................................5 

Assessment Cycle.....................................................................................................................................................................6 

Notice to Users .........................................................................................................................................................................7 

Using the Form 

General Building Information..............................................................................................................................................8 

Room/Area Type ......................................................................................................................................................................8 

Mold Odor..................................................................................................................................................................................9 

Room Components.................................................................................................................................................................9 

Nothing Found .........................................................................................................................................................................10 

Assessing Damage and Scoring.........................................................................................................................................10 

Component & Assessment Notes.....................................................................................................................................12 

Appendix 

Scoring Example 1...................................................................................................................................................................13 

Scoring Example 2...................................................................................................................................................................14 

Scoring Example 3...................................................................................................................................................................15 

Special Notes.............................................................................................................................................................................16 

3 
Instructions Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool

 About the Form 

Background 

The health of those who live, attend school, or work in damp buildings has been a growing concern

through the years due to a broad range of reported building-related symptoms and illnesses. Research 

has found that people who spend time in damp buildings are more likely to report health problems such

as these: 

• Respiratory symptoms (such as in nose, throat, lungs)

• Development or worsening of asthma

• Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (a rare lung disease caused by an immune system response to

repeated inhalation of sensitizing substances such as bacteria, fungi, organic dusts, and chemicals)

• Respiratory infections

• Allergic rhinitis (often called “hay fever”)

• Bronchitis

• Eczema

Exposures in damp buildings are complex. They vary from building to building, and in different places

within a building. Moisture allows indoor mold to multiply more easily on building materials or other

surfaces, and people inside buildings may be exposed to microbes and their structural components, such 

as spores and fungal fragments. Mold may also produce substances that can cause or worsen health

problems, and these substances vary depending on the mold species and on conditions related to the

indoor environment. Moisture can also attract cockroaches, rodents, and dust mites. Moisture-damaged

building materials can release volatile organic compounds that can cause health problems. 

Researchers have not found exactly how much exposure to dampness-related substances it takes to 

cause health problems. Research studies report that finding and correcting sources of dampness is a 

more effective way to prevent health problems than counting indoor microbes. Therefore, NIOSH

developed a tool to help assess areas of dampness in buildings and to help prioritize remediation of

problems areas. 

NOTE: NIOSH uses the term “mold” to refer to fungi in the

indoor environment, which can include multicellular fungi

that produce hyphae, unicellular yeasts, and in some

excessively damp environments, mushroom producing 

basidiomycetes. 

Photo by NIOSH 

4 
Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool Sch

Use o

Room/Area Type: Fill in the bubble for the type of room/area you are assessing.

 Art Room

 Attic

 Auditorium/Stage

 Cafeteria

 Classroom

 Computer Room

 Crawlspace

 Custodial Closet

 Entrance/Atrium

 IT Room

 Kitchen

 Library

 Mechanical Ro

 Nurse/Medica

 Office Area

 Bathroom  Conference Room  Gym  Locker Room  Pipe Chase

 Boiler Room  Copy Room  Hallway  Lounge  Stairwell

See scoring below 

for . 

Check if 

nothing 

found

Damage 

or Stains

Check

if near 

exterior 

wall* 

Visible 

Mold

Check

if near 

exterior 

wall* 

Wet or 

Damp

Check

if near 

exterior 

wall* 

Component Notes 

 Check if component is in the room/area.  See scoring 

below  See scoring below  See scoring below  Fill in the bubbles for the

type of material that is affected.

 Ceiling    Ceiling tile Plaster Concrete

Sheet rock Metal Wood

 Walls    Sheet rock Plaster Concrete

Block Brick Tile Wood

 Floor    Wood Carpet Vinyl

Ceramic Concrete

Windows    Exterior Interior Skylight 

Furnishings    Furniture Mechanical Sink

Toilet Copier

HVAC systems    Radiator Forced-air Fan

Unit ventilator Windowunit

Supplies & Materials    Books Boxes Equipment 

Pipes    Plumbing Gas 

General Notes

* Within 3 feet of exterior wall.

Scoring: = none < or = the size of a sheet of paper > than a sheet of paper to the size of a standard door 



Mold Odor: Fill in the bubble for mold odor. Be sure to smell for mold odor when you first walk into the room/area.

None Mild Moderate Strong Describe source of mold odor:

District: School/Site: School Type: Obser

Date: Building: Floor: Roo
Instructions Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool

 About the Form 

Assessment Cycle 

1. Assess 

Use the 

Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool 

in all rooms and areas of your

building(s). 

Determine the source(s) of

dampness or mold identified in

STEP 1 by further investigating

where the moisture is 

coming from. 

Facilities staff or trained

professionals should repair all

identified sources of dampness and

mold and remediate damaged areas 

following proper guidelines.* 

2. Identify 

3. Repair & 

Remediate 

Schedule regular building

assessments to prevent new or

worsening problems and

repeat STEP 1. 

4. REPEAT 

*Mold Remediation in School and Commercial Buildings—Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

www.epa.gov/mold/mold-remediation-schools-and-commercial-buildings-guide 

6 
Instructions Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool

 About the Form 

NOTICE TO USERS 

Building assessments using the Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool will likely be done in areas 

that may pose health problems for some people. Use caution if you have asthma, allergies, or are

having current respiratory health symptoms. 

7 
Instructions Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool

 

 

 

 

 

 Using the Form 

1) General Building Information 

Complete the top of the form by entering the following information. 

Date: Month, day, and year of the assessment.

Observer: Name of the person that is performing the assessment.

Building: Unique reference of the school (such as main, annex, portable).

Floor: Floor number or level. 

Room: Room number or name. 

2) Room/Area Type 

Fill in the bubble that most closely represents the use of the room/area being assessed. Only one

room can be selected. 

Example:  Cafeteria/Dining 

 Computer Room 

 Conference Room 

 Copy Room 

 Crawlspace/Pipe Chase 

 Custodial Closet 

 Daycare 

 Entrance/Lobby 

 Gym 

 Hallway 



If the type of room/area you are assessing is not listed, write in the room/area type after Other. 

Example  Nurse/Medical 

 Other:

 Office Space Loading dock 

 Sleeping Area 

 Stairwell 

 Storage Area 

8 
Instructions Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool

 

 Using the Form 

3) Mold Odor 

If you detect a mold odor, assess it. Be sure to smell for mold odor when you first walk into each room. 

Determine subjectively whether a smell is mild, moderate, or strong, and identify the odor's source. 

Example: 

None Mild 

Moderate Strong Describe source of mold odor: flooring Source Unknown 

If you cannot determine the source, fill in the Source Unknown bubble. 

4) Room Components 

Place a check () in the first (green) column for all of the room components found in the room you 

are assessing. Because all areas must have a ceiling, walls, and a floor, those components are 

automatically checked. Assess components systematically in the order given from top to bottom. 

Example: 

• Windows includes internal, external, and skylights. 

 Check if component 

is in the room/area. 

 Ceiling 

 Walls 

 Floor 

Windows 

Furnishings 

HVAC systems 

Supplies & Materials 

Pipes 







• Furnishings includes furniture, sinks, toilets, printers and Automatically copiers. checked 

• HVAC systems includes all systems used to heat/cool the

room or area including unit ventilators, radiators, forcedair systems, window units, and fans. 

• Supplies & Materials includes books, paper, boxes, gym

equipment, kitchen supplies. 

• Pipes includes any exposed pipes in the room. 

9 
Instructions Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool

 

 Using the Form 

5) Nothing Found 

Look closely at all components identified in the room for any damage, mold, or wetness. Place a

check () in the third (gray) column for all of the room components where no issues are identified.

Check if Example: nothing

found 

 Check if component 

is in the room/area. 

 Ceiling 

 Walls 

 Floor 

Windows 

Furnishings 

HVAC systems 

Supplies & Materials 

Pipes 

In this example, no damage, mold, or wetness

was found on the floor, the furnishings, or

supplies & materials. 

6) Assessing Damage and Scoring 

Assessing Damage 

Use the three different columns of damage types for the assessment.

1) Damage or Stains 

This refers to any water-related damage or stains identified per component. 

• Damage could include peeling paint, efflorescence, rust, warping,

and deteriorated or crumbling building materials. 

Damage to wall caused by

flooding.

10 
Instructions Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool

 

 

 Using the Form 

• Stains could include discoloration caused by possible water leaks, flooding 

or condensation. 

2) Visible Mold 

Note if you see visible mold growth or suspect mold growth. 

• Mold can include patches or spots that are colored differently than the

underlying material (typically gray, brown, or black). Mold can appear

fuzzy and can have a musty or earthy odor. 

3) Wet or Damp 

Note any areas of wetness or dampness that are visible. 

• Wet or damp conditions could include visible signs of moisture, such

as water beads or condensation, humidity, water leaks, or flooding.

Scoring 

Scoring is based on the size of all affected areas combined. Individual sizes of each affected area are

added together to obtain a combined size. Scoring examples are provided in the Appendix (pages

11–13). 

= No problem areas identified.

= The combined area of damage is the size of a standard sheet of paper

(81⁄2 inches X 11 inches) or smaller. 

= The combined area of damage is greater than the size of a standard sheet of

paper (8 1/2” x 11”) and less than the size of a standard interior door (32” x 80”). 

= The combined area of damage is greater than the size of a standard interior door Interior door

(32” x 80”). 

Water stained ceiling panels. 

Mold on a wall. 

Wet area on floor and side 

of wall. 

11 
Instructions Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool

 Using the Form 

Score each component by filling in the appropriate assessment score in the Damage or Stains, Visible

Mold, or Wet and Damp columns. If the affected area is within 3 feet of an exterior wall, place a check ()

in the yellow column after each scoring column. 

Example: Check Check Check 

Damage if near Visible if near Wet or if near 

or Stains exterior Mold exterior Damp exterior 

wall* wall* wall* 

See scoring 

below  See scoring below  See scoring below 

   

These evaluations are subjective, so you should try to be consistent in the way you observe the

conditions and then score each assessment. 

A score of 3 for Damage or Stains, Visible Mold, or Wet or Damp should trigger immediate attention to

identify problem sources and to remediate. Likewise, a score of 3 for Mold Odor should trigger

attention to identify areas of hidden mold. Scores should also be used for comparison of rooms/areas

over time to see if remediation works or if problems get worse. 

7) Component & Assessment Notes 

This section collects more information that you observe for each of the room components: 

• "Component Notes" includes information on the material or location affected.

• "Assessment Notes" includes information on common indicators of dampness. 

Fill in the bubble(s) that most accurately apply to your observational assessment. 

Example: 

Component Notes Assessment Notes 

Fill in the bubbles for the 

type of material that is affected.

Fill in the bubbles for additional detail. 

Describe if “Other” 

Ceiling tile Plaster Concrete 

Sheet rock Metal Wood 

 Peeling paint Rust 

Other: 



Sheet rock Plaster Concrete 

Block Brick Tile Wood 

 Peeling paint Efflorescence 

Other: rt corner crumbling 12 
Instructions Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool

 Appendix 

Scoring Example 1 

Combine both stained 

areas to get one score. 

In this assessment, these two stains are the only problem areas identified on this room's ceiling.

Therefore, combine the size of both stained areas to determine a score. 

Damage or Stains 

The stains on these ceiling tiles are

very visible. A score for this would be 

a 2 because both stains combined 

are bigger than the size of a standard

sheet of paper but smaller than an 

interior door. 

Both stains are not within 3 feet of an 

exterior wall. 

Visible Mold 

There does not appear to be any

mold growth on these two stains

at this point. The visible mold score

would be 0. 

Both stains are not within 3 feet of an 

exterior wall. 

Wet or Damp 

Both areas were formed after a 

recent rain and appear wet.

Together, they are larger than the 

size of a standard sheet of paper but

smaller that the size of an interior 

door. This example would have a score 

of 2. 

Both stains are not within 3 feet of an 

exterior wall. 

Check Check Check

Damage if near Visible if near Wet or if near 

or Stains exterior Mold exterior Damp exterior 

wall* wall* wall* 

 Ceiling  

13 
Instructions Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool

 Appendix 

Scoring Example 2 

Damage in this area is severe and includes two wall sections that meet at the corner. Determine scores

based on the combined size of this entire area. 

Damage or Stains 

The damage to this wall is extensive,

and the area is larger than the size of

an interior door. Therefore, the score

should be a 3. 

This area is within 3 feet of an 

exterior wall. 

Visible Mold 

The visible mold on this damaged

wall area is larger than the size of an

interior door, so the score should be 

a 3. 

This area is within 3 feet of an 

exterior wall. 

Wet or Damp 

The damage to this wall is very

discolored and likely wet.The size of

the dampness is larger than an

interior door, so the score should be 

a 3. 

This area is within 3 feet of an 

exterior wall. 

Check Check Check

Damage if near Visible if near Wet or if near 

or Stains exterior Mold exterior Damp exterior 

wall* wall* wall* 

 Walls      

Note this damage in the "General Notes" section of the form for immediate attention. 14 
Instructions Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool

 Appendix 

Scoring Example 3 

This entryway carpet is visibly saturated along the edges. Therefore, combine the size of the wet edges

for scoring. 

Damage or Stains 

This entryway appears extremely

wet. The size of the sides combined 

are larger than a sheet of paper, but

smaller than an interior door, so the 

score would be a 2. 

This area is within 3 feet of an 

exterior wall. 

Visible Mold 

The carpet does not seem to have

any visible mold. The score would be 

a 0. 

This area is within 3 feet of an 

exterior wall. 

Wet or Damp 

As with the Damage and Stains 

score, this extremely wet carpet is

larger than a sheet of paper, but

smaller than an interior door, so the 

score would be a 2. 

This area is within 3 feet of an 

exterior wall. 

Check Check Check 

Damage if near if near if near Visible Wet or 

or Stains exterior Mold exterior Damp exterior 

wall* wall* wall* 

 Floor      

15 
Instructions Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool

 

 

 

Special Notes 

Is it a stain or is it mold? 

Many times this is difficult to determine. If you are not certain what you see is mold:

1) Score as 0 in the Visible Mold column. 

2) Write a note in the General Notes section of the form for further evaluation. 

Pipes   

General Notes Not sure if mold or something else? 

Photographs can be useful for documenting conditions. You may consider 

taking a photograph of an area that seems severe and referring to the

photograph in the General Notes section of the form. 

16 
Questions? Contact NIOSHBreathe@cdc.gov.