Mold Testing FAQ's Frequently Asked Questions

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Florida Mold Testing FAQ's

Our comprehensive mold testing provides three important pieces of information:

  1. Presence of mold. Several types of sampling are used to determine if a suspected area contains mold growth.
  2. Type of mold. Stachybotrys, Aspergillus, Cladosporium. Distinguishing between different types of mold growth is difficult without laboratory sampling. Our mold testing accurately determines the species of mold growth in your building.
  3. Quantity of mold. Mold spores can be found in the cleanest building. Therefore we measure the quantity of mold to determine if a mold problem is present.

Types of mold testing available

  • Airborne
  • Surface
  • Bulk
  • Dust
  • PCR

How many mold tests do I need?
The amount of mold testing performed will be based on the visual inspection of your home or office.  Air samples are based on the size of the building. Typically one air sample per floor or 1,000 sq ft. is recommended.

I know I’ve got a mold problem, do I still need testing?
In certain situations, mold testing is not necessary. For example, attic mold rarely has any affect on indoor air quality; therefore airborne mold testing is not critical. However, mold growth occurring indoors produces a wide variety of affects on the indoor air quality. In these cases, airborne mold testing is beneficial. These results help us determine the scope of the necessary cleaning procedures.

What is the most common type of mold testing?
Non-viable air sampling is the most common type of testing used in a mold inspection. This test provides us with two key pieces of information: the type and quantity of mold spores present in the indoor air.

What is the turnaround time?
Laboratory results are typically available within 2-3 days. After the samples are collected during the inspection, they are shipped overnight to a certified laboratory. Next day results are available for a nominal fee.

What is the difference between professional mold testing and mold test kits available in hardware stores?
Several types of DIY mold testing kits are commonly available at hardware stores. Typically these rely on a Petri dish sampling technique. Though inexpensive, unfortunately these kits provide very little useful data. Petri dish sampling relies on gravity to bring mold spores onto the collection plate. These spores are then allowed to grow in ideal conditions. The problem of course is that mold spores are everywhere. With Petri dish kits, even the cleanest house will show a mold problem.

Professional testing follows a scientific methodology of collection. A uniform amount of air is passed through a collection cassette. This is compared to an outside control sample collected in the same manner. This comparison allows us to accurately determine if a building has an unusual amount of mold spores in the air.