Your next-door neighbor’s gutter was draining next to your house and flooded your basement with an inch of water. Now you have water in your drywall and you are worried about mold growing inside your walls. So how do you test a mold sample?
How to test for mold
There are a couple of ways to test a mold sample. You can hire a certified mold inspector to come out to your home and conduct a thorough inspection of mold. He or she will look for the potential source of the mold and will conduct a moisture test throughout the home. The professional will also be able to point out potential issues and make recommendations. The inspector can with your permission, cut a piece of the wall and submit it for testing to a mold testing lab for analysis under a microscope. The mold testing lab will be able to determine the type of mold spore that is present and its level on the material sampled. At the completion of the work, the consultant will produce a report with his findings and include recommended actions to remediate the mold. If the mold is visible on the surface, a tape lift or a swab sample can also be collected for analysis. The method is chosen depending on the type of surface and whether or not the wall is already physically damage and can take a piece from it to test.
You could also test for mold yourself. Just make sure to do this safely. Make sure to wear latex gloves and a mask to protect yourself. It is important to note that it is not recommended that mold testing and removal be performed by the same person as it is a conflict of interest to do so.
Mold testing cost
Depending on where you live, if you hire someone to come to your home to perform this service, you can expect to pay anywhere from $160 for a service call, plus $50 per sample. This should include a full report with recommendations. The benefits of hiring a professional are that you will get the proper inspection and expert advice. If you want to send a sample for mold testing to a mold testing lab, it can cost $50-$60 per sample.
Same day mold testing
If you suspect that you have mold on a piece of material, you can send a sample to test for mold to 5 Microns Inc. We offer same-day mold testing from receipt. We also have a 24-hour drop box where you can leave us a sample for testing.
Where can I send a sample for mold testing?
Mail in samples to the following address:
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!
