RULE 1 FOR MOLD TESTING: If you see mold on indoor surfaces, NO mold testing is needed to confirm that mold growth is present in the building and cleanup is needed.
Exceptions to RULE 1:
If a large remediation project is planned, tests are needed for project control.
If your physician has recommend a mold test in your home, then tests are required to determine the types and approximate concentrations of mold present in the house.
Do-It-Yourself Test Kits - See Rule #1
But, if you feel you just have to do it, please realize that under normal home indoor condtions, they all will come back with a positive result. They have to - unless you live in a sealed home with a HEPA filtered air supply that creates a positive pressure in realtion to the outside atomsphere, you go in and out through air locks and pass through a decontamination chamber before entering. Since there is no such thing as BLACK or TOXIC mold the report cannot say that you have it; Since there is no scientifically determined level of spores that has been proven to effect your health, what will the test results mean to you?
Repeat - see RULE #1 or the links below to the EPA and CDC
Air Sample Testing
A vacuum pump pulls air through a filtered cartridge. Airborne spores are trapped in the filter, which is sent to a lab for analysis.
It is very important to perform a test inside and outside of the house in the same relative time frame.
It may be necessary to obtain samples from more than on location in the home.
Air sampling cannot be performed when it is raining, high winds, or very dusty outdoors
COMMON MOLD TESTING METHODS
Swab and Tape Sample Testing
A contact sample is used to determine if a suspected substance is a mold and the type of mold
A sterile swab, manufactured specifically for obtaining samples of a substance, is gently rubbed over a 1 square-inch area that is suspected to have a mold growth. The swab is then placed in a sealed container and sent to a lab for analysis.
A tape sample uses a piece of clean clear tape that is placed over an area suspected of having a mold growth. Then the tape is removed, placed in a sealed container and sent to a lab for analysis.
Bulk Testing
This sampling method involves removing an area of a surface that is suspected of supporting mold growth.
The sample may be a piece of wood, drywall, fabric, carpet, or anything that may be partially destroyed to obtain the sample.
The evidence is packed in a sealed container and sent a lab for analysis
CHAIN OF EVIDENCE
Whatever the method, all samples sent to a lab must be accompanied with a chain-of-evidence tag. This is the record of evidence that records who has had contact with or had the opportunity to have contact with the samples.
Petri Dish Testing
The petri dish test method uses a small flat dish into which a growth medium (Agar) is placed.
The dish and agar are placed in an open area and you hope that mold spores will fall into the agar and start to grow.
It is the method used by a lab to absolutely classify the genus and species of mold.
This method is best left to the experts.
Not all mold spores will multiply in the same growth medium.
It may be neccesary to sample using different growth mediums.
Non-viable Sample Testing
Non-viable testing involves analysis of mold spores and the remains of dead mold
Viable Sample Testing
Viable sample testing involves analysis of living mold colony.
Petri Dish - Aspergillus Niger
Vaccum Pump
Micro-Cassette for Air Sample
Sample Swabs
MOLD INFORMATION LINKS - Please do not rely upon Wikipedia for information.
- Please do not depend on receiving substantiated scientifically based information from the web sites or advertising of business that sell lab services, test kits, or perform remediation.
JULY 1, 2011 - Virginia Requires Licensing for Mold Inspectors, Test Sampling, and Remediation
Effective July 1st, 2011 any person performing mold inspection, testing, assesments, or remediation must be licensed in Virginia. Due to the new requirements, Virginia Inspection Service no longer provides mold inspection or testing services. I have no problem with the license requirement. Mold inspection and testing was an extra service offered in an effort to provide some honesty and reality to a public service. The amount of mold related work i performed did not justify the added cost and trouble of obtaing and maintaining a license.
