When you suspect mold, it’s because there’s a musty smell in your house, or you can see mold growing on your walls, windows, seals, books, carpet, couches, etc. To confirm that you have mold, you should get the material or the space air tested for mold.
What are the different types of mold spores?
There are several types of mold spores, and they all have different health effects. You have allergenic, pathogenic, and toxigenic mold. Allergenic mold causes sneezing, itching, runny nose, watery eyes, and congestion. Pathogenic mold can cause infections in people, and toxigenic mold is probably the most dangerous type. Toxigenic mold spores can be absorbed through the skin, ingested, and inhaled. Toxigenic mold can produce mycotoxins that can get deep into your lung sac and prevent oxygen from taking proteins to the rest of your body when inhaled.
Air mold test
Air mold testing involves using a mechanical or electric pup to capture mold spores. Those mentioned above are very accurate because you can calibrate the pump airflow, capturing different colonies of mold spores.
Petri Dish
Mold spores settle in the Petri Dish gel, which is called AGAR. Once the spores settle, mold will start to grow in the dish, and you can see that you have mold. The problem with this method is that the AGAR will expire, and the Petri Dish will not come with an expiration date which can yield erroneous results.
Direct mold sample
Tape lift and swab samples provide information on the visible mold spores. Tape lifts are ideal for flat surfaces, and swabs are suitable for both flat and uneven surfaces. It is best to use lab-grade kits with these two options for better quality control.
How much should mold testing cost?
Air mold testing costs can cost $260, including the service of qualified professionals and testing results. Petri Dish mold testing cost is the least expensive at about $50 with the testing result if you use a do-it-yourself kit and about $150 if a technician comes out to perform the sampling for you. Tape lift and Swab mold testing costs are around $50 per sample, and add $155 for a service technician. The benefit of hiring a professional is that this individual can also conduct a proper inspection to get to the root cause and provide recommendations.
How to test for mold
If you want to send a sample to test for mold, collect a piece or take a tape lift or swab of the mold and send it into a mold testing lab for analysis under the direct microscope. 5 Microns Inc can assist you with your mold testing need. To send a sample, wear some latex gloves, cut about a 4-inch piece, place it in a small Ziploc© bag, and label each bag with many locations. If you use the tape lift method, use clear packing tape and place it directly on the surface. Peel it back slowly, put it on a small Ziploc© plastic bag, label the lab with a number and location, apply the similar step with a cotton swab by identifying it in a small plastic bag and marking each.
Where can I send a sample for mold testing?
Mail in mold testing:
5 Microns Inc.
7100 Fort Dent Way #100
Tukwila, WA 98188
IMPORTANT-MUST READ FIRST: All mail-in samples must have a tracking number and include our general chain of custody form to be processed. If the chain of custody form is missing, your sample(s) will not be accepted and processed. Drop-offs MUST have the COC form inside your package but not in the sample bag. DO NOT MAIL YOUR SAMPLES BY FIRST CLASS MAIL. Send your sample(s) via USPS Priority Mail, UPS, and FedEx. It is essential to closely follow these directions so our asbestos testing lab can promptly process your sample(s).
*PLEASE NOTE FOR ALL DROP-OFFS: All samples must be dropped off at the back of the office building located at 7100 Fort Dent Way Tukwila WA outside the Tabor 100 Office and placed inside the black drop-box pictured below. Do not take your samples to the front desk. The front desk will not accept drop-offs over the counter, NO EXCEPTIONS!
