Do You Need An Mold Inspection or Actual Testing

3/6/2019 (Permalink)

Hidden Mold

Once you see visible mold, as in you can see it on the walls, ceiling or floor, testing is a waste of money.

Why is it unnecessary if you already see mold? Because it will save most people a lot of money and time! Just because you see mold does not mean you need to test to find out what type it is. You may think we need to know what kind of mold it is especially if it is “toxic” but surprisingly, we do not.  Once you see visible mold, knowing what type it is, is usually irrelevant because at this point, you simply need to get rid of the mold following proper mold remediation as outlined in the IICRC guidelines.

When should a mold inspection and mold testing be considered?

• When visible mold is not present, but the smell of mold is. Here a mold inspection and mold test can reveal whether there is indeed elevated mold, and where it is located.
• There have been plumbing leaks or water issues and there is a suspicion that elevated mold may exist in the air and/or behind walls.
• Post Mold Removal Clearance Testing to ensure that the previous mold issues has been resolved and mold counts have returned to levels found in normal environments of the same type.
• Health Concerns: In some cases a doctor or the patient has a health issue that they cannot pinpoint the cause but seems to be related to mold symptoms (coughing, sneezing, headaches, etc). Here, a mold inspection and test may help to confirm whether the doctor’s or patient’s suspicions that a mold problem exists.
• For real estate transactions for the protection of Buyers and Sellers.
• Landlord/Tenant disputes as to whether there is a mold problem.
• Someone thinks they see or smell mold but are not sure.
• Someone is interested in a general Indoor Air Quality test of their environment.