Mold can sometimes be hard to detect, especially when you can’t see it. There may be a musty smell in your basement or bathroom, or you may be exhibiting some allergic or health symptoms that are related to mold making you suspect its presence. So how do you know if you have invisible mold in your house?
How to test for mold
Getting an air sample in your home for mold will be your best way to find out if there is the presence of mold. A couple of options include a Petri Dish which you can purchase at your local big-box store and set it in some of the rooms at your house. The Petri Dish will collect spores that settle in the plate on the Agar, and mold will begin to grow in the container if mold spores are present. After collecting a sample, the kit is sent back to a mold testing lab, where they will analyze the spore and provide results as to the type of spores found. Then you have an electric pump to which you attach a mold trap. The pump is calibrated to a specific air flow rate and time duration. After collecting the air sample, the mold trap is also sent to a mold testing lab for analysis. The results from this method will show the mold spores found and their levels. The latter will also collect viable and non-viable mold spores, which is essential since non-viable spores can also be a health hazard when reactivated by getting wet. And last but not least is the mechanical pump, with uses an attached clear plastic tube going from the pump to a mold trap. The mechanical pup works similarly to the electric pump, with the main difference being high volume.
How much does mold testing cost?
You can purchase a home mold test kit for about $15 at your local hardware store or online. The lab will also charge you a testing fee of around $40 per sample. If you plan on using an electric or mechanical pump, you can either rent one or hire a specialist who knows how to use them. The latter will cost you around $30 per day for the pump rental, plus $50 per sample. And if you plan on hiring an expert, expect to pay about $150-$200 for their service, plus $50 per sample.
Same day mold testing
5 Microns Inc. is equipped to provide same-day mold testing, with same-day results available. Please speak to one of our experts today for a no-obligation estimate.
Where to send mold samples for 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!
