Mold Inspection and Testing

Mold inspection and testing is the process by which the existence of mold is confirmed, and the extend to which is it is present.  This can be as simple as a visual verification of both the mold itself, and the source of the moisture causing the mold to grow, or it can involved pulling down portions of the wall to find possible hidden sources of mold.  This second method might be used if a person is feeling the symptoms of a mold presence but a visual check is unable to locate the mold.  It might involved air and surface testing throughout the home to narrow down the possible locations of the mold, and then the inspector might have to dig deeper to discover not only the mold itself, but the source or cause of the mold.

This is something you can do on your own with a diy mold testing kit, or you may be required to contact a professional inspector.

Visual Mold Inspection is the Easiest Route

A simple visual inspection can be done to determine the presence of mold.  Sometimes, an infrared camera may be employed to determine the presence of mold where it might be difficult to catch with the naked eye.  Besides visual inspection, you might use the typical oder of mold to help determine it's whereabouts.  Once you've discovered its location, you have to try to get a handle on how extensive the damage is, and whether or not it's something you can handle on your own, or if you'll need to bring in a mold remediation service.  This might involved the moving of furniture,  opening of walls, pulling up of baseboards and carpeting, and really checking anywhere in the area where mold might hide.

Aside from just inspecting for the presence of mold, you should try to locate the source of the moisture that the mold is feeding off of.  It could be a leaky pipe, or it might be moisture in the air being caused by running the shower or washing machine.  If it's a pipe, fix it.  If it's excessive moisture from a source that you can't really reduce because it is used regularly, then set portable dehumidifier in the area to see if that helps curb the situation.

Testing for mold can be expensive, especially when you have a professional do it for you. This should mainly be done in cases where the mold absolutely can not be located via a simple inspection. This generally happens when someone is having the symptoms of mold infestation but can't find the source. If you just can't seem to narrow down the location of the mold, then testing the surfaces and the air throughout your house will not only determine that you have a mold problem, but will help you figure out where it might be emanating from.

You might also consider testing for the spore count in your home after you've conducted your mold remediation.  For some, simply seeing that the mold is gone, and having the symptoms of its presence go away isn't enough.  There's a certain peace of mind that will come with testing the air to make sure you've done the job thoroughly.  For this, a home testing kit is best because it is the cheapest option and is sufficient for this particular job.

Mold inspection and testing can be either free, or quite expensive, depending on how you go about doing the job.  If you do it yourself, clearly that will be a bit cheaper than going to a professional.  Whether you have to resort to professional help for both the inspection and testing as well as for the remediation will be determined by how bad your mold problem is.