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How do I know if mold is behind my drywall?

By September 10, 2021October 4th, 2021Mold
How do I know if mold is behind my drywall?

Something smells musty in your basement, it could be mold, but you don’t see any signs of it. The odor makes you sick, and your family doesn’t enjoy spending time there, even though it is beautifully finished with fun toys for the family to enjoy. It may be that there is mold hiding behind your drywall. How do you check?

Home mold testing

An excellent first step to check if you have mold behind your drywall, you can use a moisture meter; if the percentage is at 20% or more, there is very likely mold growing behind the walls. If possible, try cutting a 3 square inch piece of the material using a sharp knife and place it in a Ziploc® bag, label it with the location. Find a mold testing lab locally or online to test the material for the presence, type, and spore count. There are three categories of mold—allergenic, pathogenic, and toxigenic. You may have one or all three. Ask the lab that you choose if they can report on all types of spores.

If you are more concerned with getting to the bottom of the problem, you can hire a mold inspector or an industrial hygienist. A professional will be able to conduct a complete inspection and provide valuable recommendations, interpret the results, help you in the process of getting the mold remediated, and have a network of other professionals that can help you fix the problem.

Mold air testing

A mold air test can be helpful in situations where you can’t see evidence of mold. A mechanical or electric pump is used with a mold trap. The pumps have an airflow calibrator which allows them to capture all the different types of mold colonies. At least two samples are required—one indoor and one outdoor.

Mold testing lab near me

Fortunately, with everyone having access to a computer, high-speed internet, and fast shipping times, you can locate a mold testing lab in your area or one online.  5 Microns Inc. offers mold testing services. They can process your samples and provide detailed results, as well as help interpret them.

 Call 425-440-8787 Now!

Same day mold testing

Can’t wait another day? 5 Microns Inc. offers same-day mold testing services, as long as your pieces are entered into their system by noon. Call 425-440-8787 Now! Hours of operations are 8-5 PM Monday to Friday and 9-3:30 Saturday.

Where to send mold samples for testing

Call 425-440-8787 Now!

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.