Steps of Professional Mold Testing

 

What Are the Steps of Receiving Professional Mold Testing?

Mold spores are everywhere, even inside your home. These microscopic fungal particles are almost impossible to eliminate from a house, but they are usually harmless. If they land on a dark, moist surface, however, they will grow and multiply. These spots will eventually produce foul, mildew-like odors, and may aggravate your respiratory system. 

Depending on the severity of the mold, you might need an industrial hygienist or environmental hygienist to assist. For most mold occurrences at home, mold testing and inspections by Dallas Mold Consultants will successfully identify the presence of problematic fungus and help you arrange for removal. 

When to Schedule a Mold Inspection

Seeing mold along your walls, floors, and ceiling is an indication of mold growing inside your house. At this point, it is likely spreading spores, so you should schedule a mold inspection. 

Unfortunately, mold can also grow in areas that you cannot see, such as behind walls or inside air ducts. When this happens, you might notice a musty smell or walls that are soft to the touch. 

Aside from these incidents, here are other times to schedule a mold inspection.

• Water Damage: Because mold requires moisture to grow and thrive, water leaks from floods, plumbing issues, or roof damage are the most common causes of fungal growths. If your home sustains any water damage, mold inspection is necessary.
• Buying a New Home: During your initial walkthrough of a new residence, you need to know if any underlying problems could lead to severe issues. Hiring a mold testing and inspection company will tell you if mold is growing in the home.
• After Mold Remediation: Once a home has received mold testing and remediation – a process to rid the property of mold and bring spores to reasonable levels – you will need additional mold testing to ensure the remediation’s efficiency.

Importance of Mold Testing

Once an inspection determines the presence of mold, mold testing will identify the fungal species growing in the house and how much is present. 

Mold spores fall under one of three categories: 

• Allergenic spores produce mold that can irritate the respiratory system, causing sneezing, coughing, or trigger asthma.
• Hyper-allergenic spores are harmless to humans and animals.
• Toxic mold spores produce severe allergy symptoms, asthma attacks, headaches, and other serious adverse health effects.

Types of Mold Testing

Because mold growth is not always visible, inspectors will test for mold by collecting samples. Mold assessment technicians will conduct either an air or surface sample to check for mold. 

• Air Quality Test: Because spores are airborne, mold testing professionals may use a spore trap with a sticky surface to trap ambient air and check for the presence of spores.
• Surface Test: Depending on the size of the potentially affected area, specialists may remove an entire item, rub it with a cotton swab, or press clear tape on its surface to collect spore samples.

Once the specialists choose their sample, they send it to a mold testing lab for analysis. Laboratory technicians will then examine the selection under a microscope or use it to grow mold in a petri dish. 

Contact Dallas Mold Consultants

Dallas Mold Consultants is one of the leading advanced mold testing companies serving residents throughout Dallas, Texas. They provide thorough mold testing at home, collect swab samples, and send their findings to an independent laboratory for prompt results, usually within one to two days. Depending on the test results, they will develop a protocol for the remediation process. Their experienced technicians will also provide referrals for mold remediation services. 

Connect with the mold testing experts at Dallas Mold Consultants by calling (972) 945-MOLD (6653) today.

Contact Information:

10440 N Central Expressway

Suite 800 

Dallas, TX 75231

office@dallasmoldconsultants.com

• 
  +
• 
  +