Portugal has Europe’s second-worst mold problem and nobody talks about it
The founding essay. Why this problem exists, why it is ignored, and what could change.
Read article →
Independent editorial resource on mold, damp and indoor air quality
Portugal has Europe’s second-worst mold problem. Most people don’t know it.
One in four people in Portugal lives in housing affected by dampness or mold. MoldCheck.pt is Portugal’s only independent resource dedicated to explaining what that means for your health, your home, and what to do next.
The problem
Why does Portugal have so much mold?
82% of buildings in Portugal were built before the year 2000 before any meaningful insulation or energy-efficiency requirements. Porto has an average relative humidity of 77%. Lisbon in winter reaches 84%.
The result: chronic condensation, thermal bridges, and walls that retain moisture for decades.
Mold is not bad luck. It is the predictable result of buildings that were never properly equipped for the climate they exist in.
The conflict of interest
Why the free diagnosis isn’t neutral
Portugal’s major mold treatment companies offer free home diagnoses. It is a smart commercial strategy: the company that diagnoses the problem also sells the solution.
There is no independent entity in Portugal that will assess the mold in your home and tell you what you have without making money from what comes next.
No treatment sales
No remediation commissions
Science-first information
Start here
The essentials for understanding mold in Portugal
Why bleach doesn’t fix mold
Portugal’s most common solution doesn’t work. Here is why and what actually does.
Read article →Is your home affecting your health?
What the WHO established about mold and respiratory disease and the symptoms most people do not connect to their housing.
Read article →Complete guide: assessing mold risk at home
A room-by-room inspection guide with a 20-point checklist and a location-to-cause table.
Read guide →OUR EDITORIAL FOUNDATION
Who is behind this and why
MoldCheck.pt is a FAIRBANK Group initiative. FAIRBANK operates InspectOS, an independent property inspection platform in Portugal.
We do not sell damp treatments. We do not take commissions from remediation companies. When we recommend an inspection or a lab test, it is because we believe you need one not because we profit from whatever treatment comes next.
All content on this site is based on peer-reviewed scientific research, including the 2009 WHO guidelines and the IICRC S520 standard. When the science is uncertain, we say so.