Do You Need Mold Testing For Your Home?

MDH prepared a fact sheet to help in explaining why they do not always support mold testing being the first response to concerns related to indoor air quality. It was also created to help people in understanding the things that a mold test can and can’t do. Contrary to popular belief, mold testing isn’t always the best nor is it it the most effective answer to many a person’s question regarding indoor air quality. In fact, many of the cases that they receive mostly require things such as moisture investigation which is something that people can do by themselves.

These mold testing methods come in quite a variety. There are methods that are used to detect the mold particles that are suspended in the air, settled with the dust or are growing on the surfaces of the furnishings or on walls. There are also mold testing methods that are able to identify the different types of living molds in a sample environment but the same methods are not accurate and cannot count those that are not live and those that do not grow well. There are, however, other methods that are able to detect both living and non-living mold varieties but these aren’t good for identifying the specific type of mold they are dealing with.

Even with these limitations, there are situations wherein mold testing which are done by skilled professional investigators and can provide better results. In these cases, the results of the tests can also provide clues that would be very helpful in finding hidden mold and thus removed. Testing is often times advised against by investigators unless it is both warranted and ethical. If the problem can be corrected without it, then it may only be used as a substitute or not at all.

As they say, there isn’t a replacement for actual, visual investigation. Mold testing can actually be relatively expensive. This is why consumers are reminded to check if the company or individual doing it is doing his or her job properly because you wouldn’t want to waste your money on work that isn’t up to standard. In such cases, people are first advised to do the investigation by themselves before hiring another person. The 2 goals here are to find the places where there’s mold growth and to determine where the moisture that keeps them alive comes from. If those 2 goals can be attained through a more budget friendly manner and without the need for a professional then mold testing is definitely out of the question.

So the next time you spot mold growth in your home, take MDH’s advise and do your own investigation first. Doing such would not only save you money but time as well. Just take a few hours on a weekend and check out damp areas in your home, find where the molds thrive in the most and figure out a way to eliminate the moisture. Without moisture, the molds would slowly die and disappear. This would leave you with a mold free home minus the expensive price tag that comes with mold testing and mold clearing professionals.