Molds can be a serious problem at home. If left to grow and populate throughout the house, they can cause serious health problems such as allergies, headache, dizziness, and nausea. Testing for mold is important in order to determine whether there is an increased presence of these fungi in your home. You can conduct your own mold testing or you can have a professional check it for you.
Testing for Mold the Professional Way
Any experienced mold inspector can easily identify if molds are present inside your home. How does the process go?
1. The process usually starts with mold assessment, wherein client’s background information is gathered first, including a comprehensive survey of medical history and other issues and concerns related to molds.
2. Exterior side of the property is also inspected, such as grading and landscaping, type and condition of windows, exterior cladding, and ventilation in roofs.
3. After exterior assessment, an interior inspection follows on many areas as described below:
a. Measuring levels of CO2, CO, radon, and ozone levels
b. Inspecting for moisture invasion and possible growth
c. Thermal imaging
d. Sampling
4. Both exterior and interior assessment will yield reports, which details the findings of the inspection.
5. Samples, usually around three for each location, will be sent to the lab for comprehensive examination and the report will be sent directly to the client within three days to a week.
6. Lab results will be explained in detail by an agent of the mold remediation company. Possible ways of eliminating molds will also be suggested. Most of the time, those who conduct assessment and testing for mold also conduct mold cleanup and removal.
Testing for Mold the Household Way
You can always purchase mold test kits if you want to conduct your own testing for mold. Follow these steps using your kit to track down hidden molds:
1. Conduct mold testing in your rooms all at the same time to allow comparison.
2. Determine which of the rooms resulted to the highest mold spore counts and then conduct a thorough investigation for mold contamination in that particular room.
3. If there is a provided clean up guide along with the kit, you may conduct clean up of the contamination, provided that the space contaminated is small. If the contaminated area is large, you may call for professional help to avoid further spread of the molds.
4. After cleaning the contaminated area, you may conduct a re-test to determine if the presence of these fungi has been reduced. If you are handling molds, it is best to wear a dust mask and rubber gloves to avoid inhaling the mold spores.
Additional Mold Knowledge
Even if you do not conduct testing for mold, you can easily identify the presence of these microscopic fungi based on their smell. Molds have a characteristic stale or dump odor and they can be easily seen on walls as slimy and stained patches. In order to grow, molds require moisture, making the bathroom and basement as their ideal growth environment.
Molds reproduce through spores, which are spread through circulating air. If doors and windows are always open, they can easily enter your home and when they land on the right surfaces that encourage their growth, they can easily spread and colonize.
If left unchecked, molds may cause harm to human health, although the degree of harm cannot be easily determined. Children under the age of one may be more susceptible to the harmful effects of molds than their older counterparts. Those who are sensitive to allergens are usually more affected by the presence of spores in the air. To make sure that your family is safe from the harmful effects of molds, schedule testing for mold as soon as you suspect the presence of these microorganisms inside your home.