How Is Mold Testing Conducted?

by | Aug 23, 2019 | Home Improvement

Air testing for mold in Tulsa OK is a specific procedure that is performed; the objective is to find evidence, if any, of mold in a building. Mold testing will not located the source of the mold nor will the test identify the specific type of mold, but it most certainly provides the professionals with information about the mold population. Although there are some environmental quality agencies that will conduct tests, in most cases homeowners order tests through private laboratories that either dispatch personnel to conduct the tests or the send the homeowner a kit which is used to collect samples and then returned for lab analysis.

It is very difficult to avoid mold, it is naturally present in most structures. Molds however are extremely diverse and not all molds are harmful to humans. It is always a good idea to conduct air testing service for mold testing in Tulsa OK to find signs of mold but do not be overly concerned with a positive test result because a positive result is not always a sign if a problem. Mold tests are like any other tests, they are only representative of a snapshot in time, this can mean that not all the molds present are recognized and if the tests indicate toxic molds are there, the test will not determine if they are putting off toxins.

There are different tests that can be done to determine if mold is present or not, one of which uses a handheld sniffer that looks for spores of different types of mold that are in the air. The sniffers that are used can be sensitized so they can identify a particular mold species and give a quick assessment of the types present. Other means of testing rely on collecting samples from areas in the structure where one would expect mold to grow, these samples can be analyzed in the lab and the type of mold can be determined.

If the occupant of a building should begin having health problems or they smell the presence of a mold colony or see it then they must track down the colony and eliminate the source of moisture, killing the mold in the process. When the mold colony can be found it is not always necessary to conduct further testing unless there is documented history of the building having problems in the past with toxic molds and that special measures should be taken while the cleanup is in process to stop the spread of the spores or inhaling toxins. Click here for more information.

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