​Mold Testing

You’ve had this cough that you can’t seem to get rid of.  It has been weeks since you had the flu.  In fact, your daughter has been coughing and complaining of dizziness.  You start to run through your mind, trying to recall any change in diet, detergent and cleaning solutions.  After eliminating a variety of items, the coughing and dizziness will not cease.  While watching a 20/20 exposé on how homes can kill, you panic and call Mold Inspection NYC straight away.  Our goal is not to scare you into mold testing.  Most of our competitors use the good ol’ ‘black mold scare tactic’ to lure in clients.  Our goal is to educate so that you can make informed decisions moving forward about your life and your health.
 
 
Tape Test
 
The purpose of a mold test is to determine if the fungi is present within and around a building.  These tests are conducted for residences, factories and all types of businesses.  First, we want to stress that every home and business has mold.  Mold is a multi-cellular fungus.  Think of it as a living, breathing organism –because it is.  Like bacteria, some mold is good for you and some is bad.  We test for any and all presence of mold.  One of the tests we use is called a tape test.  We place the tape in an area where we think mold may be present.  It is then placed on a slide and sent to the lab for results. 
 
 
Swab Test
 
A swab test is similar to what you may use the ancestral DNA tests that are so popular these days.  We literally take a Q-tip with a long handle and swab areas thought to be affected.  It is important to test indoors and outdoors in an effort to get an understanding of the big picture.  The swab is sent to the lab.  Once we receive the results we can create an action plan if necessary.  Swab results give us a good indication of the level of health and safety.  This test yields specific information about the type of mold present.  
 
 
Spore Trap
 
The spore trap is the most common type of mold test.  We conduct a spore trap analysis using a spore trap cartridge.  A certified mold inspector will take indoor and outdoor samples of your location.  The cartridge is sent to the lab.  Once we receive the lab results, the inspector will conduct a comparative analysis.  Based on these results, we will be able to use science to properly inform you of the presence of mold in your household or business.  Often, there is no toxic mold present.  This is a relief and allows you to focus your attention on an alternate cause for illness and low quality indoor air. 
 
 
ERMI TEST
 
There are 200,000 different types of known mold.  As mentioned earlier, every indoor and outdoor space has mold present.  What is most important when testing for mold is understanding that not all mold is bad for you.  Just like not all bacteria is harmful.  The ERMI test is rarely used.  It is typically employed when we need to determine if mold is the cause of a variety of physical ailments.  ERMI was developed by the Environmental Protection Agency.  It is an acronym that stands for environmental relative molding index.  One of our licensed mold inspectors will conduct this test when we receive a call from a client complaining about health issues.   

Mold Testing