About Derrick Fredendall: Nurse, Veteran, Independent Inspector

My Brain Doesn't Work Like Most People's

I'm autistic. For most of my life, that's meant struggling with things that came easy to everyone else — small talk, social cues, "going with the flow."

But in environmental inspection? It's a superpower. My wife says I have "very specific interests." She's being polite. I have obsessions. Right now it's moisture intrusion patterns. Before that it was spore trap methodology. Before that it was... actually, let's not go back that far.

I notice what others miss

Patterns, inconsistencies, tiny details. My brain flags them whether I want it to or not.

I can't cut corners

It's not discipline. It's how I'm wired. Skipping steps feels physically wrong.

I absorb technical standards

IICRC protocols, EPA guidelines, OSHA regs — I read them for fun. I quote them accurately.

I explain until you understand

Not because I like talking, but because I can't stand the idea of you making decisions with incomplete information.

Why "TrueSight"?

I named my company after an ability in Dungeons & Dragons. If you've never played — that's fine, here's why it matters:

Truesight is a power that lets you see through illusions. You see what's actually there, not what someone wants you to see.

That's exactly what mold inspection should be. No sales pitch. No inflated scope. Just: here's what's actually in your home.

The gaming connection runs deeper:

In D&D

I'm the player who reads the entire rulebook before session one. My friends stopped letting me be the rules lawyer. They said I was "too accurate."

In Mold Inspection

I read the IICRC S520 like a spellbook. I know the industry standards better than most people who work in it.

Questions People Actually Ask Me

"You're new. Why should I trust you?"

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Because I have everything to prove and nothing to hide. I don't have a reputation to protect — I'm building one. Every single inspection I do matters for my future. That's a better alignment than someone who's been doing this for 20 years and has gotten comfortable. Also: 15 years in nursing. Army veteran. I've been tested in situations where mistakes have real consequences.

"Why don't you just do remediation too? You'd make more money."

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I know. Trust me, I know. But here's the math: if I find mold AND I fix mold, I have a $10,000+ reason to find more than what's there. You can't trust my diagnosis if I profit from the prescription. I'm the diagnosis. Someone else is the treatment. That's the whole point.

"What if you don't find anything?"

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Then you get a report that says I didn't find anything. That's still valuable — now you know. Some clients are relieved. Some are frustrated because they still have symptoms and want answers. Either way, I tell you the truth. I don't get paid more for finding problems. Good news pays the same as bad news.

"How thorough are you, really?"

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My wife would tell you I'm "thorough" in a tone that suggests it's not always a compliment. My inspections run 2+ hours because I check everything I can access — attic, crawlspace, HVAC system, behind furniture, under sinks. I use thermal imaging to find moisture behind walls. I explain everything as I go. By the time I leave, you'll know what I found — and what I didn't find — before I'm out of your driveway.

"Are you the weird guy who reads mold standards for fun?"

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Yes. I am exactly that guy. I've spent weekends reading IICRC protocols the way normal people watch Netflix. When you're wired like I am, this stuff is genuinely interesting. The upside for you is that I actually know the standards I'm supposed to follow — not just the shortcuts.

The Credentials Behind the Nerd Brain

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Nurse (15 years)

ER and hospital work. Learned to assess fast, communicate clearly, and never sugarcoat bad news.

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U.S. Army Veteran

Oklahoma Army National Guard. Operation Iraqi Freedom. This state raised me.

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IICRC Certified

Water Restoration, Applied Microbial Remediation, Applied Structural Drying. This matters for understanding mold growth.

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Mold Assessment Consultant

Certified to inspect and assess mold. Not certified to remediate — by choice.

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Asbestos Inspector

Oklahoma-licensed. Required for any pre-1980 renovation projects where asbestos might be present.

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Former Remediator

I've worked the remediation side. I know what proper cleanup looks like — and what shortcuts get taken.

The Way I Think Is the Point