When mold is growing in your home, one way to find out what the extent of the damage may be is to conduct a mold inspection. Often, mold can hide behind walls, in insulation, under carpets and even in basements and go without detection until the odor gets so bad that you have no choice. The idea is to get a mold inspection sooner before the issue becomes to the level where replacing furniture, walls, carpets and upholstery has to be done.
But if you’re wondering whether mold testing is even worth it, consider the below, where we outline how in-depth the mold inspection really is.
Step One: Inspection
Unsurprisingly the very first thing the mold inspectors will do is to take a walk around your space. They often will be looking inside wardrobes, under sinks and in other such spaces. Once they are done taking a look visually, and using their senses to see any signs of mold, they will then use special equipment to conduct a further test to see if mold is growing where it can’t be seen. In addition, they will advise if there is any water damage and if you can undertake immediate preventative measures.
Step Two: Mold Sampling
This step is often reserved for commercial places or if multiple types of mold are suspected, but the mold company may decide to take some samples of the mold and send it to the lab for further testing to determine what type of mold is present and its level of toxicity. To do this, the professionals will often use air sampling to assess the mold spores indoors, compared to the air outside. If the issue is worse than this, bulk sampling may be done where materials are removed and tested.
Step Three: Identification and Analysis
Once samples have been sent off to the lab, the experts conduct an examination to understand the species of mold and can confirm the presence of mycotoxins before they start putting together a plan on how to handle the mold and get rid of it forever. Although there are at-home options for taking samples, you aren’t as well trained as the experts, and they can make sure cross-contamination doesn’t happen.
Step Four: Reporting
Once the tests in the lab are back, the mold professional can let you know what the findings are in your home. You will receive a written or digital report that will contain images and evidence of the mold, and what will be done to remove it. This report is then yours to share. If you’re a tenant in a rental home, this can be used to force your landlords to comply with laws that ensure the health of tenants. If you’re a tenant in a commercial building, you can use the report to once again force the landlords’ hands. In addition to this, if you want to claim insurance due to water damage, this report can come in handy.
Step Five: Remediation
This is the step where the professionals will begin the remediation process. They usually wear protective equipment, close off the area they’re working in and take great pains to remove the mold in its entirety and prevent the spores from spreading further during the cleaning process.
Step Six: Post-Remediation Testing
After the remediation is done and mold has been removed from your space, the company is likely to test one more time for mold. This is to determine the success of remediation efforts and allows you to be aware if the issue has been removed for good. This doesn’t always mean your entire space is fully free of mold as it only re-tests the spaces where the remediation was done.
Why It’s A Smart Idea
When you see the above, you can see that the focus of mold testing is not just to find the mold, it’s to also offer credible results that can give you a path to fixing the mold issues that can then be shared with the relevant parties as needed. This correct mold inspection is often followed by the removal of the mold itself, and when done by professionals, they often come with a guarantee of the mold not returning if you follow instructions to prevent whatever conditions caused the mold to grow.
Who Can Conduct the Testing?
When it comes time to choose mold testing near you, the best option is by far the team at Flood Pros USA. With their 24/7 emergency services and experienced mold remediation team, they can have your space back to looking the way it was intended!
Infographic created by Premier Safety, Trusted Safety Equipment Rental Options
