Mold Testing
Mold Testing
Mold sampling and testing can be performed to find out if there is a mold problem in your home and to measure the amount of mold spores in the air. Mold tests can also tell you what species of mold is in your home.
In homes there is always a small amount of mold particles and spores which blow in from outside and humans can tolerate this. However mold testing and sampling can tell you if there is a problematic level of mold spores in the air in your home. A high level can cause health problems for you and your family and can indicate that mold is growing somewhere.
When to Test for Mold
Mold testing in the home can be useful in situations where there is a mold smell or someone is suffering health symptoms which they suspect are caused by mold but no mold can be found. In this situation testing can confirm whether mold in the house is the cause of the problems and can help to locate the mold by reporting which rooms have the highest concentrations of spores. Air tests would usually be used in these cases.
Mold testing can also be useful to answer specific questions, such as what is the amount of mold spores in the air or whether a visible mold colony is a toxic species. A portion of the mold colony itself would be taken and tested in a lab in the latter case.
Who should Test for Mold
Ideally, mold testing should be performed for you by a qualified mold professional with experience in collecting mold samples and in analysing the tests in a laboratory to interpret the results.
However there are companies who offer mold test kits which can be sent out for you to collect samples yourself. This is a less expensive option than having a mold inspector come out to test your house. In this scenario samples you collect are sent away to a professional mold testing laboratory who will get back to you with the results.
Types of Tests
The three main types of mold sampling and testing are:
- Air testing: where the sample of mold particles is collected from the air in a home.
- Surface testing: where the sample of mold particles is collected from surfaces in a home.
- Bulk testing: where materials with mold particles on them are removed from the home and tested.
Ideally you should use all three types of tests in your home because each sampling method has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Besides having a few different types of tests done, it's also a good idea to get tests at several different times. A mold test can only provide a snapshot of the mold in the air or on surfaces at a given time and a given area. However the amount of mold and spores in a building fluctuates over time and in different rooms. Performing a number of tests at different times and locations gives a more complete picture and accurate representation of the mold situation in your home.
Air Testing
Air sampling tests the concentration of mold particles and spores in the air in your home. Samples are taken from the air and the particles examined under a microscope. Air tests can tell you if you have a mold problem even if you cannot find any visible mold growth. However the amount of airborne mold in the air of your home can change drastically in a very small amount of time, giving different results.
Surface Testing
Surface testing takes samples from surfaces to examine the mold growth and amount of spores deposited around your home. Samples are collected through such methods as swabbing or tape lifting and the sample examined in a laboratory. However mold growth or spores might not be spread evenly across all areas in your home and can also change over a period of time so results can also be misleading. It also cannot accurately identify the concentration of mold spores in the air like air sampling can.
Culture Tests
Mold tests which collect samples from your home and grow the mold particles in a laboratory can identify species of molds and concentrations. However this test will only detect living or viable mold which will grow from the sample, yet dead mold particles are still hazardous to human health. Other tests might be able to detect both living and non-living mold in your environment but might not be able to identify the species of molds.
Why you should Test for Mold
If you have health problems, particularly allergies, then home mold testing can be well worth the cost to rule out or confirm mold as the cause. This can give you peace of mind and save you time by allowing you to treat your symptoms more effectively.
Mold Testing to Confirm Mold
As already mentioned, mold testing can be useful for confirming the presence of mold in your home even though you might not have been able to find it, especially if you have symptoms which you suspect are being caused by mold. Mold can often grow hidden away such as behind walls and so mold testing is needed to locate it.
Mold tests can narrow down the area of mold by telling you which areas in the house the air has the highest concentration of spores. Surface tests can also tell you the surfaces where there is a heavy build up of mold particles and spores.
Mold Testing for Indoor Air Quality
Even if there is no mold growing in your home yet you are symptomatic, air tests could tell you whether there is an unhealthy level of spores in your home caused by such things as previous mold growth inside or spores being brought into your home from somewhere else.
A high level of spores means it's more likely for mold to begin to grow so mold testing in this situation could also prevent mold later beginning to grow in your home. And if mold is growing in your home then detecting it early through testing will prevent it from worsening greatly and could save you time and money in the long run.
Mold Testing to Identify Species
There are also mold tests which identify the species of mold growing in your home. When you find dark mold spots on your wall these might be just small colonies of mold beginning to grow or they could be the signs of a toxic mold colony behind the wall beginning to grow through. Even a trained mold inspector cannot be certain of a mold species just by looking at it.
By performing tests on mold which appears to resemble a toxic species you can know for sure what steps to take to remediate the mold safely. Also, If you have symptoms which you suspect are toxic you should have mold testing done on any mold in your home before beginning removal and remediation.
Mold Testing after Remediation
Finally mold testing can be a useful option after the mold removal process has been completed as it is one of the best ways to tell if mold remediation was successful. Surface sampling can show whether an area has been properly cleaned of mold and air testing some time after the remediation can reveal if the spores in the house have been reduced to a safe level. This option might not always be practical because of the costs of testing however.
Mold Inspection before Testing
Before resorting to mold testing a thorough mold inspection should be done by yourself or a trained mold inspector. A mold inspection consists of thoroughly searching for visual signs of mold growth or for mold odor in your home.
The goals of a mold inspection are to find both where any mold is growing and the moisture source for the mold. If you can achieve both these things without performing mold testing then usually tests should not be done.
Likewise if you already can see visible mold growth then usually you don't need to perform any tests on it before starting the removal and remediation process. One exception might be in cases where you need to identify the species of mold such as if you suspect you have a toxic mold problem.
The Mold Inspection Process
The mold inspection starts with a visual search of each room of the house for mold including the basement and the attic. Important places to look during a mold inspection are spots where there is commonly moisture problems such as near pipes, sinks, the shower, ceiling, and abnormal wall surfaces such as cracked or bubbling wallpaper or paint. If you can smell a mold odor, use it to narrow down the area where mold is growing.
If mold is found during the inspection then usually testing isn't necessary and you can move straight into removing and remediating the mold and eliminating the moisture source as soon as possible. However if you need to identify the species of mold then further tests should be taken, as portions of the mold can be collected and examined in a laboratory.
An inspection should always be the first response to a mold problem and mold testing should never be done to avoid doing a proper inspection. A good mold inspector should not always have to rely on mold testing to find mold problems. However if you did not find the mold during the inspection or if you want to identify the species of any mold you did find then it's time to turn to mold testing.