If you are a consumer who believes that there may be some presence of mold in your home then you generally have two alternatives – 1) An over-the-counter home mold test kit, or 2) Hire a mold inspector.
An over-the-counter home mold test kit may seem like an appealing and more affordable alternative than hiring a home mold inspector for new homes old stone crossing but there are some important facts you should keep in mind before investing in one of these kits. If people want shower regrouting melbourne , they can hire them for the best bathroom and shower fixture services.
How Do Home Mold Test Kits Work?
There are three different types of home mold test kits. Here is a summary of how each type of home mold test kit works:
1) Air check – Samples are taken in specific areas of a home, fixed to “test cassettes,” and sent to a lab for analysis for the specific type of mold present.
2) Instant – Instant result kits use chemical strips to test whether mold is present from a collected sample. The sample is mixed with a neutral liquid, and then the strip, which contains a reagent, is dipped into the mixture. The test strip will change color depending on whether mold is present. If so, more advanced testing is required to determine what type of mold is present.
3) Settling plates – This testing method uses petri dishes or films that are placed near suspected areas of mold growth to collect air particles. The collector is left out for a few hours, so air particles can settle onto the sticky surface of the film or petri dish, after which the user covers and incubates it for a week. If mold grows, the sample should be sent to a lab for further analysis.
What Information Do I Need To Know About Mold In My Home?
- The type of mold present in your home
- Where the mold is located
- The source of the moisture in your home
- What can be done to rid your home of mold
Home mold test kits do provide homeowners with a test sample that will tell you what kind and quantity of mold is growing in the area tested, but lack the thorough inspection that a professional will provide, as well as a remediation plan.
Other disadvantages of using a home mold test kit include:
- When mailing your kit to the lab for analysis, you risk inaccurate results because you don’t know whether the specimen was handled properly during the shipping process.
- Don’t panic when we say this but there are always mold spores floating in the air we breathe, meaning your home mold test kit will more than likely show a positive result. The key information missing is where the level and growth of the mold is, and how to remove it.
- Mold kits don’t provide a control sample, therefore, without a baseline, you aren’t able to assess the level of elevation of the spores.
- The United States Environmental Protection Agency advises against home mold test kits. They advise leaving this to the professionals, like MoldGone. Here’s what the United States Environmental Protection Agency has to say about mold testing:
“Sampling for mold should be conducted by professionals who have specific experience in designing mold sampling protocols, sampling methods, and interpreting results. Sample analysis should follow analytical methods recommended by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), or other professional organizations.”
Benefits Of Using A Home Mold Inspector
- A comprehensive visual inspection of all building materials
- A post-inspection written report of the findings
- Laboratory reports
- Any recommendations for remediation based on the findings
- A mold expert familiar with your home’s mold situation to ask follow up questions to
Ultimately, hiring a professional home mold inspector is the best way to protect your home and loved ones from the dangers of mold. If you or a loved one have been struggling with allergies or you have reason to believe your home has a mold issue, don’t hesitate to call MoldGone to have a proper inspection performed.