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How can you tell if mold is in your drywall?

By August 12, 2021October 4th, 2021Mold
How can you tell if mold is in your drywall?

It has been three years since your family moved into a new house, and within the last 18 months, your wife develops a health condition that makes her miserable. Concerned, she visits her doctor for advice. After a checkup, her physician determines that her disease could be caused by exposure to mold. But you don’t see any visible evidence of mold in your house. Could it be in your drywall? The only way to know for sure is to get a mold test for your home.

Home mold testing

There are several ways to conduct a mold test for your home. You can buy a mold testing kit and do the mold testing yourself or hire an air quality testing professional to help you with this task.  Here are some techniques that you can use to test your home for mold: a Petri Dish, taking a direct sample using a swab or cellophane tape, cutting a piece of the suspected material with the visible mold on it, and using an electric or diaphragm air pump. Your sample will have to go to a mold testing lab for analysis under PCM (Phase Contrast Microscopy).

Mold air testing

If you suspect mold in your house but you can’t see any visible signs of it, it is best to use the air sample technique, either a Petri Dish, an electric, or a diaphragm air pump. If you are using a Petri Dish, you will need to set it out for some time as specified by the instructions you receive with your kit. The Plate will collect spores that will grow with time. The Dish is sent back to the lab for analysis. Using an electric pump, you will attach an air-o-cell cassette on the top of the pump, place the pump in the suspected area, and calibrate the pump for airflow and duration. The diaphragm works similarly to the electric pump; the main difference is that one is a low volume pump—the electric version—and the other is a high volume pump—the diaphragm pump. An air sample will collect most if not all the present mold spores and therefore provide more data.

Mold testing lab near me

If you suspect mold, but you can not see it, let our team of professionals at 5 Microns Inc help you. We have the expertise and all the right tools to do the work. Plus, we provide a thorough inspection of your home and provide expert advice that will save you time and money. We are open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm, and Saturday from 9 am to 3:30 pm. Call 425-440-8787 Now!

Same day mold testing

If you are in a hurry or concerned for your family’s safety and need a quick mold test, 5  Microns Inc offers same-day mold testing as an option. Samples must be at the lab by noon.

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).

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.