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There's always plenty of text stating that exposure to these molds is life-threatening and you'd better get a complete mold inspection fast. We at Gray Environmental have been conducting Indoor Air Quality and Mold Inspections since 1998 and have found that the majority of homeowners and property owners who seek a mold inspection turn out to have minor problems......problems they could have taken care of themselves. Of course most are happy that their problems are minor but after a while it's human nature to be unhappy when they realize they have paid $800. to $1,500. (or more) for an inspection and what they find turns out to be 'nothing.'
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What do you need to know to
effectively test for mold in your home?
When testing your home for mold the most important things for you to find out are:
- 1) Is it mold?
- 2) Where it is located?
- 3) What is the extent of your mold problem?
- 4) What is the mold spore concentration and what is it doing to the air quality in your home?
- 5) Do you need help from a Professional Indoor Air-Quality Consultant?
To answer question number '1) Is it mold?' you can use testing methods such as: 'Tape Lifts,' Petri Plates and volumetric air sampling.
Question '2) Where it is located?' and '3) What is the extent of your mold problem?' can be partially answered if you can see the mold. If the mold is suspected of being inside the walls (inside the 'building envelop'), to determine its 'extent' you must either tear out walls...or, you can do what the professional Air Quality Consultant does and conduct volumetric air sampling.
Question '4) What is the mold spore concentration and what is it doing to the air quality in your home?' can only be answered by volumetric air sampling.
Having the answers to the first 4 questions will enable you to answer number 5 and make an informed decision as to whether further investigation and/or remedial action is necessary.
If the results point towards further investigation you will be equipped with un-biased results that will help you determine the quality of future investigation.
If the results point towards the need for remedial action you will be equipped with results you gathered yourself and in which you can have confidence.
Why You Need to Conduct Volumetric Air Sampling
to Achieve an Accurate Mold Inspection of Your Home:
Because mold is frequently hidden. Sometimes mold is visible. You can see it along the baseboard or creeping up the wall. More often it is only suspected: a family member is experiencing health problems of unknown origin, the wall appears stained, or the house smells musty. Mold, especially Stachybotrys chartarum (atra), is often hidden within the building envelop (i.e., inside the walls).
Mold spores are 'aerodynamic.' In other words, they are designed to float in the air.
The simple and non-intrusive way to find hidden mold is to test the air.
The Protocol for a Professional Mold Inspection:
All effective environmental testing begins with the collection of at least one volumetric air sample from the outside and one or more interior volumetric air samples from what we call the 'areas of concern'...an 'AOC'.
The volumetric air samples will be collected with an air pump to which plastic tubing and a special kind of filter cassette are attached. The pump's "flow-rate" will be set ("calibrated") to draw a specified volume of air - for a specified length of time - through the filter. The sample is later examined under magnification to identify and count mold structures - dead or alive. This is important as dead ('non-viable') mold spores can cause allergy problems, too. (Petri dish sampling will only give you information about LIVING molds.)
We all know that molds are a normal part of our world...both inside and outside our homes and structures. And, as most buildings are ventilated with outdoor air....anything contained in the outdoor air can get inside - including dust, pollutants, pollens...and mold spores. Therefore, the 1st air sample is collected outside the structure or residence to determine the 'normal' mold spore counts in the air for that particular area or region.
The 2nd air sample is taken indoors, in the 'area of concern.' From a minimum of two samples we can make a comparison between the outside air and the inside air.
Why Is This Comparison Important?
When the laboratory receives the air samples the number of collected mold spores will be counted. Then the sampling times and the flow rate will be calculated by the laboratory and the result will be the number of spores that are contained in a cubic meter of air.
A normal, healthy indoor environment can be defined as:
Species or types of mold that are found on the inside air sample are also found on the outside air sample - this is referred to as normal 'mirroring' or 'trapping.'
However:
The number of mold spores found inside should not be greater than the number of mold spores found outside. (The general rule-of-thumb is that INSIDE spore counts should be between 10% and 70% of the OUTSIDE spore count.)
Tape Lift Sampling is useful for identifying mold and determining if a mold is living and growing. Most inspections include at least one tape lift sample.
How to Conduct Your Own 'Professional' Mold Inspection:
Collection of Volumetric Air Samples
The 1st step is to carefully read the instructions that will be sent to you with the RENTED sampling equipment.
The 2nd step is to determine the 'Areas of Concern.' As experienced Indoor Air Quality Consultants, we start by identifying the 'AOC.' The AOC might be a musty-smelling bath or bedroom, a room where there has been a plumbing problem or roof leak, or in a bedroom where an allergic child sleeps. Indicators are musty smells, deterioration from water damage and of course, visible 'suspect' mold.
The 3rd step is to conduct "volumetric" air sampling in those areas using our easy to use testing system exactly like a professional consultant.
Collection of Tape Lift Samples
The 4th step is the collection of one or more Tape Lift samples of suspected or visible mold. The samples are conducted by gently pressing a piece of clear adhesive tape onto the surface of the visible mold.
The 5th step is that the collected air samples, tape lift samples and the RENTED sampling equipment will BE RETURNED TO US. We will submit the samples to an independent laboratory that specializes in microbiology analysis.
By comparing the indoor result to the outdoor result you will gain valuable information regarding your Area of Concern.... and to know if you have a 'problem interior.'
Remember With Mold: It's not WHAT you have but HOW MUCH you have!
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Mold Testing Kit............$320. + Shipping* The Kit Includes:
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*Shipping charges will vary according to your needs. Options are: