Know What You're Up Against - Mold & Mold Spore Testing for Your Home

The simplest way to state it that mold that you can't smell and you can't see will most likely mean your home is at a safe level. Visible specks of white, black, brown or green on your walls, or a damp, musty odor is your signal to take immediate action to remedy the situation.

Simply put - moisture. For mold to get out of hand, there must be an increase in humidity - above normal levels. A leaky roof, a compromised foundation, a loose plumbing fitting that is making the drywall nearby damp and punky will all create the right scenario for mold growth.

Mold spore are the airborne scouts that are cast off from a visible growth of mold to find and establish a new mold growth, called a Colony. What makes these a point of key concern is that while they are airborne, they are also easily inhaled where they are taken into your moist lungs where they can cause an allergic reaction, an onset of asthma or worse.

Even worse than the allergies, asthma and irritation, mold inhalation can lead to conditions like hypersensitivity pneumonitis - an inflammation of the lining of the lungs that may feel like the flu, but have far worse consequences. Some molds produce mycotoxins, which can cause toxic reations, immune compromises and adverse responses from the nervous system.

No, mold testing is not always necessary - you can trust your eyes and your nose. If the signs are there, just move onto the response - a plan of action that includes: eliminate the source of moisture, lower the relative humidity of the space, and address the surface and air infestation sites.

Quite honestly, that is entirely up to you, but we are trained and certified to identify mold infestations, to collect samples and interpret laboratory studies and take both the precautions and the actions to rid your home of any dangerous level of mold!