What You Need to Know About Mold Testing

Posted: Feb 09, 2024
Author: AdvantaClean of West Knoxville

• When is mold testing necessary? – In general, we don’t recommend mold testing services in situations where there is visible mold growth in a building. If it’s already clear mold is present, we prefer to get to work on removing it instead of spending time on identifying which of the thousands of species of mold it is. On the other hand, we do recommend using mold testing services when someone in your building is experiencing respiratory problems. In this situation, the results of a mold test provide valuable information the person can then bring to their doctor to help in their quest to find relief.
• How does mold testing work? – The most common methods of mold testing are air sample tests and swab tests. In an air sample test, we use a sampling device to move air over a sticky surface, which traps any mold spores present. The sticky sample is then sent to a lab for analysis. Swab tests, in contrast, involve running cotton swabs over the surfaces in a building to collect particles that way. Then, lab technicians examine the swab samples under microscopes to determine if mold is present, and what kind.