Mold Identification for Home and Business
You discover mold in your home, what now?
Why does mold need to be tested?
Some kinds of mold can be toxigenic, which means that they produce mycotoxins. If you have a toxic mold in your home or business, you could have cold or flu like symptoms or in more severe instances, fungal infections. Note that not every instance of cold or flu symptoms is a sign of mold.
Testing the mold also lets your mold remediator know how to best get rid of the mold!
How is mold identified?
Like plants, each species of mold has their own characteristics. The growing environment, geographic location, place found in the home or business, any applicable new health symptoms, and physical characteristics of the mold can point to which kind of mold is growing. Mold is also assessed with various scientific tests to determine its presence, the concentration, and species.
Various testing methods for mold identification
Mold inspections for homes and businesses assess whether a space has mold, where that mold may be coming from, and provide an idea of how much mold a remediator (if needed) may expect. These are common for suspected mold and when a new resident is moving in. An inspector would look in many places throughout the home and use a moisture meter to determine where mold might be.
Mold can be identified via an air test, where the tester runs a special spore catching pump to collect any spores that will be placed into a petri dish to culture. However, the air test may have limited diagnostics.
Surface testing is simple and confirms mold presence on a surface. It’s a simple test involving tape and a testing kit. This test confirms that a substance is mold rather than something else like an old spill.
Lab testing is the most intensive and reveals what kind of mold is growing, as well as the amount of mold growing in a location. These samples are sent to a laboratory and results may take a few days to come in.
1-800 Water Damage Mold Removal and Remediation
Mold generally grows in high moisture areas, with available organic food sources and moderate temperatures. Some molds can begin growth in homes and buildings in less than 3 days. If not treated quickly and properly, mold can be a threat to your property and to your health. As a property owner, if you have or suspect mold in your property, call 1-800 WATER DAMAGE right away. We will assist in determining the source, mitigate the damage and construct a plan to help prevent future mold issues from occurring.
With 1-800 WATER DAMAGE, you never have to worry about hidden costs or similarly unpleasant surprises. We offer upfront, transparent pricing with all our services, including mold removal.
We help you understand what is happening with your home’s mold and what steps make sense for your situation. Enter your zipcode to find a 1-800 WATER DAMAGE location near you and take the next step toward repairing damage in your home.
