Were you feeling sick lately? Maybe you’re coughing, sneezing, and your skin is itchy. Or perhaps you see black spots on the walls or ceiling that you suspect are mold. It may be a sign that there are mold spores in your house that are either allergenic, pathogenic, or toxigenic. So how do you check mold spores in your home?
Home mold testing
Various ways are available to check mold spores in your house. You can buy yourself one of these popular home mold test kits from a big box store, or you can order one online. These generally come with instructions. The kits come with a petri dish, and once you have collected the sample, you will send it back to a mold testing lab for analysis. Then you also can conduct a mold air quality test that utilizes an electric pump that you will attach a mold trap on top of and collect an air sample. You can rent these machines from a lab and send them the air sample cassettes for observation. Obtain a direct example of visible mold by cutting a 3 square inch piece of the material or using a bit of cellophane tape by placing the adhesive part on the surface of the affected surface, placing some pressure, and slowly removing the tape for a sample.
After obtaining the pieces, a mold testing lab will need to perform a PCM—Phase Contrast Microscopy—analysis for the presence, type, and spore count. Finding a mold testing lab in your area should be easy if you live near a large metropolitan area. But if you don’t have a lab near you, check online for a lab that offers mail-in mold testing services.
Mold testing cost
Home mold testing kits are very affordable, you can buy one for about $15, but the lab will charge you a fee for the lab testing portion, which can cost about $40-$50 per sample, and perhaps more if you choose expedited service. Renting a mold pump can cost you around $30 per day, and some labs even let you use theirs for free as long as you send them the samples for testing.
Mold testing lab
You can also mail in your samples for testing. 5 Microns Inc performs mold testing services with a standard turnaround time of 2 business days, but if you are in a hurry, they offer 24 hour and same-day service options. Contact their staff for support at 425-440-8787 for assistance. Or email: clientservices@5microns.tech.
Where to send mold samples for testing
5 Microns Inc.
7100 Fort Dent Way #100
Tukwila, WA 98188
O 425-440-8787
M-F 9-5, Sat 9-3:30
Asbestos
Mold
Drinking-Water
Radon Gas
Air Quality
Testing Lab
MBE, DBE: D3M0026650
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 piece (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).
Do not take your samples to the front desk. The front desk will not accept drop-offs over the counter, NO EXCEPTIONS! *PLEASE NOTE FOR ALL DROP-OFFS: All pieces 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.
Mold testing lab near me
5 Microns Inc.
7100 Fort Dent Way #100
Tukwila, WA 98188
O 425-440-8787
M-F 9-5, Sat 9-3:30
5 Microns Inc. Sample Drop Box
