A few weeks after moving into a new apartment, you started having a constant cough that you’d never had before. The home has a musty smell, and it is constantly humid. You think it might be mold because you also noticed what appears to be black mold around your windows. So how do you know that your cough is from mold?
The first thing you need to do is to make sure that you keep your home well ventilated, and if you live somewhere that is constantly humid, get a good dehumidifier. After trying the solutions mentioned above, you should see some improvement in not only the odor in your home, but it will also feel less humid, and your cough might also subside. By the way, I should mention that this post is not medical advice, and you should seek the assistance of your physician with any health concerns. After following the advice above regarding ventilation and using a dehumidifier does not change your coughing condition, you need to talk to your doctor. They may refer you to an allergy specialist if you think it’s mold-related.
Home mold testing
It is good to test your home for mold once or twice per year, especially if you live in an area where it can get humid. Home mold test kits are available online or at your local hardware store. The kits should come with instructions to perform the task yourself, but if you want a thorough and professional inspection and want to get to the root cause, you need to hire a professional.
Mold air testing
An excellent way to test your home for mold is a mold air test. Using a pump with an attached air-o-cell cassette—a mold trap—you can determine the air quality in your home. The cassette will trap all the spore colonies in your house. After getting a sample, the media is analyzed by a lab technician.
Mold testing lab near me
If you need the cassette media analyzed for the presence of mold, you will need to send it to a mold testing lad. You may be able to locate a mold testing lab near you by doing a google search. If there is no lab close to you, send it to a remote lab. The technician will utilize the Phase Contract Microscopy method to read the sample and determine the type of mold spores present and the raw count in a report. The information should also provide a glossary of fungi.
Same day mold testing
In the case of an emergency, you can always ask the mold testing lab if they offer same-day mold testing, though this type of service comes at a premium. Be sure to ask them for pricing before ordering the same-day option. 5 Microns Inc. offers same-day mold testing at a competitive price and provides a complete, easy-to-understand report. Call 425-440-8787 Now!
