Mold can be a huge health hazard, even in small amounts. If not addressed early, it can grow into a much larger issue. Sometimes mold can develop in a home unbeknownst to the homeowners, growing in hidden areas and wreaking havoc on the health of all who enter.
Mold testing offers a solution to unseen mold growth, but how does it work and is mold testing the right choice for you?
If you’re moving into a new home, buying a new investment property, or you feel like you’ve had trouble breathing in your current home, the following information might be useful to you.
What is Mold Testing?
Mold testing involves taking surface and/or air samples from a property where mold is present to determine the type of mold and it’s severity.
The mold inspector will likely conduct both a swab test or tape-lift test and possibly an air sample test as well.
Anyone who claims to be a mold inspector can enter your home with a swab and take a sample or use a mold spore trap to collect samples in the air. However, an experienced inspector uses proper documentation to obtain useful results.
A good inspector will not only take the time to collect samples, but they will inspect the property as well. By inspecting your home, they can let you know what areas of your home need repairs or regular inspections to prevent future mold growth.
Once a professional has gathered mold samples, they send them to a lab to have a full report generated. Though they can run some home tests and get immediate results, they aren’t as thorough and accurate as those from alab.
Lab technicians can determine the different types of mold spores that are present in your home and how much of them are floating in your air.
Should I Have Mold Testing Done in My Home?
Are you experiencing difficulty breathing at home? Are you suffering from headaches or sneezing a lot? Mold could be the culprit. Testing the air quality of your home is never a bad idea, though there are some situations in which having a mold test conducted isn’t necessary.
If you have an obvious leak in your roof and notice mold growth, it’s evident that you have a mold issue. In such a situation, instead of ordering the mold test, you can go straight toward mold removal.
If you aren’t sure if mold is present, then a test is necessary to know for sure. If you’re buying a new home, it’s a good time to have the air tested so you know ahead of time if you’ve got a mold issue on your hands. Mold-growth can affect a home’s value and cause you to reconsider your offer. You wouldn’t want to find yourself in a position where you’ve already bought a home only to find out too late that it has mold growth.
Why Test for Mold?
Your health and the health of your loved ones is the number one reason why you should consider having a mold test performed. If you’ve already spotted mold, then you know that you need to have it removed as quickly as possible.
If you haven’t seen mold but you’ve noticed that musty smell present in the home and you’ve been sneezing a lot, your health might be at risk. The test will confirm whether mold is to blame.
Besides being detrimental to your health, mold growth can be destructive to any surface it touches. If you want to protect your furniture, any valuable heirlooms, paintings, photographs, or any other valuables in your home, you’ll have to address a mold problem early on. A mold test can help you discover if mold is present, and how serious the mold problem has gotten.
If a mold problem gets out of hand, it can impact the value of our home and your ability to sell it. You might also find that family and friends are hesitant to visit you. Mold can also cause your pets to become ill and have difficulty breathing. Address a potential mold problem head-on before it ever becomes serious by having a mold test done early.
How Can I Choose the Right Mold Test Company?
Before you hire a company to conduct mold testing in your home, there are some questions you should ask to make sure you’re hiring someone trustworthy for the job. Some questions you might want to ask ahead of time include:
- What are your qualifications?
- Are you certified to test for mold?
- Do you remove the mold yourself or refer another company to do the job?
- How long have you been in business?
- How many mold tests have your inspector performed in the last year?
- What kind of qualifications does your mold lab have and how long have they been in business?
- How long will it take to get my results back?
- What are the next steps if my test results are positive?
- How much does your mold testing cost?
Asking these questions will help you determine if the company in question is up to the task and if you can trust them to do the job well.
Contact Us Today!
If you’re ready to learn more about mold testing and schedule your mold test in your home, we invite you to contact us today! We’ve served countless customers in need of reliable mold testing and we’re here to do the same for you!
