Testing Mold
Example Of a Mold Report. Three Areas Of the Home were Affected By Air Born Mold.
On our Mold Remediation page, we mention the need for testing mold before ever having a remediation done. Testing mold is a vital step to the mold remediation process and should be completed by an industrial hygienist that is certified in microbial testing. Legally, testing can be completed by anyone, and a certification is not necessary, however, more accurate testing can be performed by someone who is certified. This is why All Pro Restoration partners with Weecycle Environmental for all mold testing.
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Air Sampling – Testing Mold
There are several kinds of mold testing. The most common is air sampling. Air sampling is the act of “collecting air” in a vial. That vial is taken to an environmental lab, like Reservoirs Environmental, where the mold spores in that sample are counted, one by one. Each sample from the inside of an affected area is compared to a sample from the air directly outside of the affected building. Air sampling is the only way to test for mold in a situation where no visual growth is present.
Mold is not just a visual growth. Mold actually floats in the air and can spread to other areas of a building via duct systems, natural air movement, etc. Air sampling is also the best way to also test for air born mold spread in other areas of the building.
Tape Lift Sampling – Testing Mold
Another type of mold sampling is tape lift sampling. Tape lifting can be used on clothing, furniture, drywall and more. It is not just for visual growth but is primarily used for visual growth areas of a building. Tape lift samples tell a remediation team exactly what kind of mold is growing on any given surface material.
Swabbing – Testing Mold
Swabbing is also another form of mold sampling and is typically used inside the duct system of a building. Since HVAC systems are common transporters of mold spores, it is usually a good idea to have the inside of the ducts swabbed for mold spores. If the swab comes back as positive for spores, the likelihood of those spores being spread throughout the house the next time you use the HVAC system is very high. During most mold remediations, it is recommended that the HVAC filters replaced & the ducts cleaned to remove any of these lingering mold spores.
Essentially mold testing tells us what kind of mold needs to be remediated and where in the building that mold has spread to. This helps the All Pro Restoration mold remediation technicians better serve you as our customer.
