Mold Testing 101

Over the last few weeks, we stressed the importance of keeping an eye on mold accumulation in your basement. Your health and the health of your friends and family depend on it. If you are unsure whether or not your home — particularly the basement — is invested with a dangerous form of mold, it may be time to call in a professional to conduct the proper mold test. Here, we will look at what a professional mold test includes and explain its importance in maintaining your basement’s integrity.

Step One: Visual Inspection

Every professional mold test begins with a basic eye-balling of your home, the basement, and the foundation — each being a common stomping ground for danger mold accumulation. This step is a visual inspection of the area to determine the spread of mold and the extent of the water infiltration in your home. If specialists don’t immediately see signs of mold, but have reason to believe it is nonetheless present, an air sample will help use identify where it is and its potential dangers.

Step Second: Surface Samples

Following a thorough visual examination, a professional specialist will collect a surface sample, which can be taken in a number of different ways. Using a cotton swab or specialty tape, the mold sample will be collect and preserved for closer examination — ultimately identifying the type of mold with which you and your family are dealing. If traces of black mold are detected, some serious actions are up next, aiming to protect your family from any dangerous black mold spores to which they may have already been exposed.

Step Third: Air Samples

Even if the professional specialist needn’t have conducted an air sample at the beginning, at this point in their inspection, one might truly be warranted. The most common method of taking an air sample is by setting a spore trap around your home. These sticky traps capture particles to be analyzed at a laboratory, giving the most comprehensive identification of the forms of mold found and the most effective measure to take in eradicating it from your home.

Mold Testing with All Aspects Waterproofing

For more information on how to protect your home from mold and allergens, contact All Aspects Waterproofing, a Better Business Bureau A+ rated company with over 30 years of experience in the Washington, DC. /Maryland/Virginia area. Contact us online or by calling 1-866-999-3110 or 301-766-4420.  To see what we’re up to, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Houzz.