The presence of mold in your home can significantly reduce indoor air quality and potentially lead to costly damages. Unfortunately, mold problems won’t go away without proper remediation and sanitization. When even a small amount of mold is present, it can quickly spread and take over the entire area within as little as 24 to 48 hours. This is why you must schedule a professional mold test immediately if you suspect mold growth in your home. Here is an overview of how mold testing works and why professional testing is always the best choice.
How Mold Testing Works
At Pur360, our professional mold testing service starts with certified technicians performing an on-site inspection to look for any visible signs of mold growth. They will also look for any signs of water damage on the walls, floors, and ceilings because this can point to areas where mold may be present. Once the visual inspection is complete, the technician will test for mold using surface sampling, air quality sampling, or both methods.
A surface test is performed whenever visible mold or an unknown substance is found on a surface. This process involves taking samples of whatever substances are present, analyzing them, and determining what type of mold they are, if any. Surface sampling is also usually used when there are visible signs of water damage, such as water stains, bubbling paint, or peeling wallpaper. In these situations, it is sometimes necessary to make a small hole in the surface to take samples and test for mold presence inside the wall or ceiling.
If there is no visible mold growth or water damage in the building, only air quality samples might be taken. Again, this involves using specialized equipment to retrieve air samples in different parts of the building to detect how much mold and what specific types are present.
After performing the visual inspection, the technician will suggest where to test for mold. Nonetheless, the final decision of where the samples should come from is always up to you. For this reason, it is smart to check the building yourself before the technician arrives so that you have a better idea of where mold may be present. If any areas of the building smell dank or musty, these are good places to start. Mold is especially common in crawl spaces, basements, and attics, so these are all areas you may want to have tested.
Once the samples are acquired, they are labeled and sent to an AIHA-accredited laboratory for testing. After analysis, the lab will send you a Certificate of Mold Analysis that states the types of mold and how much mold was present in each sample. The report will also include the lab’s conclusion as to whether remediation is necessary based on the types and amounts of mold present in your building. If the lab recommends remediation, our team will work with you to schedule an appointment and inform you of what you need to do to prepare for the process and what it will involve.
The Importance of Post-Treatment Testing
Pre-treatment testing helps to identify mold presence and determines if remediation is necessary. Nonetheless, post-treatment testing is equally important for ensuring that all mold has been eliminated from the building.
Our patented mold remediation process only takes 24 hours to fully eradicate all surface and airborne mold from your entire building. Once this process is complete, the technician will repeat air and surface samples from all of the same areas as previously so that they can be analyzed by a laboratory once again. You will receive another Certificate of Mold Analysis proving that your building is 100% mold-free.
Home Test Kits vs. Professional Mold Testing
DIY mold testing kits are available, and many people use them in an effort to save money. However, any mold expert will tell you that professional testing is best. Home test kits are generally not all that accurate. These tests frequently return false positive or negative results.
Most home mold test kits use a process known as surface plate sampling, which uses a petri dish that you are supposed to leave out for between 24 and 48 hours. The idea is that mold spores in the air will fall into the dish and start growing, telling you that mold is present in the building.
The only problem with this type of sampling is that mold spores circulating through the air inside the building do not necessarily mean that mold is growing inside or that you need mold remediation. Mold spores are always present in the air in every building, which is why mold eventually starts to grow on bread and old food.
The air outside contains lots of different mold spores. Any time you open a door or window, some of these mold spores will always get inside. Most buildings also have structural gaps that allow outdoor air and mold spores to enter. This helps to explain why home test kits are inaccurate and frequently return false positive results.
Another issue with home test kits is they don’t tell you what type of mold is present in the building, and knowing the specific type of mold is essential for determining what type of remediation is necessary to eliminate it. Some kits allow you to send the dish back to the manufacturer and pay an additional fee to have them tell you what type of mold is present. If you go this route, you will still need a professional mold remediation company to determine what steps are necessary to eliminate the issue.
Trying to perform mold remediation on your own can be hazardous because it will almost always cause spores to release into the air, putting you at risk of mold poisoning. Homeowners also typically don’t have the right tools or the necessary knowledge to eliminate all of the mold in the air and on surfaces. As such, the problem will usually return quickly unless you hire a professional mold remediation company.
Another thing to consider is that you generally have no way to eliminate mold within your walls without cutting out the drywall and removing mold-infested insulation. Our professional mold remediation service will eliminate all mold within your ceilings, walls, and everywhere else without damaging any parts of your home. Occasionally, some parts will need to be removed, but we will always do our best to save whatever is possible. In many cases, we can save moldy, water-damaged sheet rock without removing it.
Our Professional Services
At Pur360, we are the top choice for mold testing and mold remediation. In addition, we offer carpet removal, drywall removal, attic stain removal, painting, and dehumidifier rental to complement our mold remediation services. If you are worried about mold in your home or business, contact Pur360 today to schedule a mold test and to get the expert support and service you need to ensure your mold issues are a thing of the past.
