I disagree that we as home inspectors should stay clear of using words like fungus or mold.

Most everyone knows what mold looks like. I would find it very hard to believe that anyone over the age of 10 has not seen at one time or another, some food that was left in the refrigerator way too long and started growing that fuzzy stuff on top. We all now what it is. We may not know what kind of mold it is, or if it is harmful - but we do know it is mold.

The dictionary uses mold and fungus to define each other.

I see nothing wrong with calling out something that looks like mold/fungus in my report. I'm not telling them WHAT kind it is, or if it is harmful - just that it's there.

I once got a call from a pissed off seller. He said I had called out fungus in his basement (I even took a photo). He said "Did you test it?"- "no".- "How do you know it's mold?" - "Because I know what it looks like". After a couple minutes I asked him, "You ever see fuzzy stuff on chesse in your refrigerator?" - "Yes"

"What is it?" - "Mold" - "How do you know if you didn't test it?" He then hung up the phone.

Just my opinion
JF