Mold is a type of fungus that thrives in warm and moist environments. While mold is essential to the ecosystem, it’s not something you want growing inside your home or business.
Mold produces spores that travel through the air, allowing them to enter your home through open windows, doors, vents or even your air conditioning unit. These spores can also attach to your clothes or pets and be carried indoors.
While mold particles in the air are typically harmless, they become a problem when they land on wet surfaces inside your home and begin to grow and spread. This mold growth may not be visible to the naked eye and can spread rapidly, putting your home at risk of costly damage to its structural integrity and furnishings if left untreated.
After you’ve completed a mold inspection to determine the possibility of its presence, testing may be the next step in mold remediation. Proper testing can help to identify the type(s) of mold that are growing, provide information on where it is located and determine any associated risks to your home or your health. Testing can also help to uncover the source of moisture that is allowing it to grow, which can help to prevent it from coming back after it’s removed.
Testing for Mold in Your Home or Business
If you suspect any fungus is growing in your home, it’s best to call in the experts. Trade organizations and Consumer Reports both advise against testing for mold yourself using at-home kits, as the results are often inaccurate and deceiving. False positives and false negatives are common when using these tests due to factors like uncontrollable shipping and handling, a lack of expiration dates and neglecting to collect control mold samples for comparison.
Alpha Environmental’s testing procedures are thorough and accurate, giving you the peace of mind you need to know whether your home is mold-free. We use a variety of mold testing techniques to provide the most accurate results based on your situation.
Air Sampling
Mold spore sampling is a process our experts use to collect indoor air samples, which are then tested for elevated levels of mold or other contaminants. This is the most common strategy for testing in indoor air environments.
The air sampling process may vary depending on the amount of visible dust present and the level of activity in your home environment. Our experts will also collect air samples from outside of your home or business to compare mold levels between the two environments.
Tape Lift Sampling
Just like the name implies, tape lift sampling involves laying a piece of adhesive on the affected surface to collect microscopic mold particles for testing. This technique is a non-destructive way to test surfaces for the presence and type of mold spores.
Bulk Sampling
Often used during demolitions and renovations, bulk sampling tests for visible mold in the most obvious way: by examining a piece of the surface on which it is growing. These samples are often taken from scrap building materials and can provide the most direct route for identification.
Swab Sampling
Swab sampling utilizes a sterile cotton swab to collect spores from an area where mold contamination is suspected. These spores are then cultured to identify the type present in an easy and non-destructive technique.
Carpet Cassette Sampling
Using a vacuum to collect fibers and particles to be tested, carpet cassette sampling is used to test for mold on soft surfaces like carpets, curtains, furniture and even insulation. This method can also help to identify what caused the contamination in the first place.
What If Mold is Discovered During Testing?
No matter the type of mold that is found, it’s important to have it removed immediately to prevent further damage to your home or business. Mold removal should only be done by professionals who have the tools and experience needed to rid it in its entirety.
Alpha Environmental will remove mold using the best option for the type that was found and the surfaces on which it has spread. Once it is removed, we recommend testing again to confirm that all problem areas were found and addressed.
Contact Us for Mold Testing
Professional testing is the best way to protect your home or business and its occupants. Contact us today to schedule your mold test.
