Are Mold Test Kits Accurate

Lack Of Certification Or Accreditation

Many of the where DIY mold kids are delivered are not certified or endorsed by an accredited agency. Their procedures are often too neglectful when it comes to things like transfer documentation or lab acceptance of these kits.

Without the proper certification, it makes it difficult to track your datas kit, which is important to the chemical process of determining whether or not you have mold. Without an accreditation body to validate the lab, theres no proof that the techniques theyre using are safe or the results theyre finding are correct.

For Detecting And Tackling Mold Spores

• Email

Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the bestproducts youcan learn more about ourreview process here.We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.

The Spruce / Chloe Jeong

Mold can grow anywhere it finds moisture and organic nutrients, like wood or paper, to feed on. You may find it in a corner of your bathroom, laundry room, or basement, or any space that doesn’t have quality ventilation. If you come across mold, it’s imperative to remove it quickly and safely, as mold can be detrimental to your familys health. However, it can be a little difficult to know if mold exists in your home , which is where at-home mold testing comes in.

Mold testing kits help you detect and even identify growing spores in your home, through samples collected via the air or from the surface in question. Some give you results right away, while others ask you to package the samples and send them back to a lab for professional examination. With the resulting information, you can get the peace-of-mind that you’re looking for while making all of the necessary arrangements to remove the harmful fungi, or know your cleaning efforts were effective.

Here, the best at-home mold tests, that are both easy to use and effective.

Screen Check Home Mold Test Kit

Developed by the environmental scientists at Building Health Check/Pure Air Control Services, an award-winning indoor air quality environmental firm, the Screen Check Home Mold Test Kit is an industry-leading product that tests for hundreds of different types of mold in your indoor air, including toxic molds like Stachybotrys and Aspergillus. This do-it-yourself test kit can be used even if there are no visible signs of mold or mildew in your indoor environment as the advanced Bio-Scan 400 sampling device is designed to collect mold spores/fungal fragments that have precipitated out of the air and settled on surfaces. Screen Checks tape-lift method is a simple and highly accurate way of measuring mold levels in your home or workplace, and is considered superior to the petri-dish methodology used by some other home mold test kits.

Like all Screen Check test kits, the Home Mold Test Kit is economical, reliable and easy to use. The test kit comes complete with everything you need to collect a surface sample for analysis. Simply take the Bio-Scan 400 test strip out of the case, peel away the backing, press the adhesive side against the test surface , reseal the strip and youre done! Immediately mail the sample to the lab for analysis in the addressed envelope provided .

Want to see other home air quality test kits? See

Also Check: Mold In My Bathroom Ceiling

Myths And Facts About Mold Test Kits

Viable mold testing is not a reliable mold testing method.viable mold testing kitsYou need to rent expensive equipment to get accurate air quality results.All DIY home mold testing kits are pretty much the same.onlyThe danger from mold is overhyped.

• allergies

• irritation of the eyes, nose or throat
• loss of memory

Youll Still Need A Mold Remediation Company

Knowing that you have a mold problem is one small step on the path to remediation. Youll still need to call a trustworthy professional mold remediation company to remove the mold. Any mold removal company worth their salt isnt going to rely on the results of your at-home test kit when deciding how best to treat your mold problem.

So in essence, if you buy a kit, and it tells you theres mold , youre just paying for an extra step. Youll have to call a professional, who will collect and analyze their own samples. Essentially, youre paying for testing twice in this scenario.

You May Like: How To Stop Mold From Growing On Wood

The Best Mold Test Kits: We Review The Most Accurate & User

Are you suspecting a mold infestation in your home? Molds like to grow in damp places. When indoor humidity level is above 60%, this is when molds start appearing. Before you call an expert to get rid of the molds, do a home mold test first using a mold test kit.

There are a lot of mold test kits out there but we can help you find the one that is easy to use in your home. This guide will review the most reliable mold test kits out there and take a closer look at their features, so you can decide better which of the best mold test kit out there has the features that work best for your specific needs.

In This Guide

This mold test kit is the most comprehensive surface tests we have seen, being capable of testing not one, not two, but all types of molds.

The reason why we think this is the best overall mold test kit is because it tests for all types of molds, not just one or two. Because of this, it is easier what kind of mold lurks in the corners of your home. It is an inexpensive mold test kit that contain 3 tape lifts to be used for your surface test. Inside the package you will also find a quick start guide to let you know how to get started in testing your home for molds. After getting the samples, simply send them through mail to a reputable lab.

Pros:

It is easy to use. Just get your sample in areas of the house you suspect has an infestation, put it in the mail, send it to the lab and wait for your results.

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

How Common Is Mold In Homes

Unfortunately, mold is very common in homes because it grows in areas with lots of moisture or where there has been flooding. According to advice from the CDC, most building materials are particularly conducive for the growth of some molds especially on wet materials like paper, cardboard, ceiling tiles and wood. But other common household materials like paint, wallpaper, carpet, clothes and upholstery also support mold growth.

Mold is particularly prominent around leaks in roofs, pipes or windows. You will most likely spot this nuisance problem in bathrooms, toilets, kitchens and basements. Mold can enter your home in many different ways. Whether this is through cracks and crevices, windows, open doors or via heating and air conditioning systems. It can also attach itself to clothing, shoes and pets and be brought into your home this way.

Read Also: How To Get Rid Of Mold On Shower Ceiling

Tape Lift Style Sample Kits

These sampling kits get their name from the lifting of spores from a surface. A bit like lifting a fingerprint, a tape lift kit utilizes a sticky tape like material to pull spores from a surface. The tape is applied to a plastic or glass slide and sent to the lab. The lab examines the slide under a microscope, looking for mold spores. Typically, the lab reports the type of mold and a rough evaluation of the quantity .

The tape lift kits available online are quite similar to those used by professional mold inspectors. Lets look at some of the limitations.

Limited ability to measure human exposure

The greatest shortcoming of these kits is their inability to evaluate the amount of mold in your homes air. From a health standpoint, this is a major detraction. Why? Because mold growing on a surface does not necessarily correlate to the amount of mold spores in the air. You might have a wall covered in mold growth and yet very low quantities of mold in the air. Molds release their spores during specific phases of their growth cycle. The age, available water, temperature, etc. all play a role in the release of spores.

Homes can also have the opposite circumstance. A basement with a damp carpet will often have no visible growth. And yet the room may have hundreds of thousands of spores per cubic meter. A tape lift sample cannot accurately assess either of these situations.

It verifies the obvious

Pros

• Doesnt measure human exposure
• Cant determine the severity of the growth.

Things To Remember If You Have A Professional Test Your Home For Mold

• Most professionals that conduct mold tests are engineers. Ask about a professionals education and experience before hiring them.
• If mold is detected in your home, ask what type of mold it is and what health risks, if any, are associated with that kind of mold.
• Make sure you get a written report detailing the extent of the mold problem in your home.
• The report should also include information about safety precautions necessary when removing mold from the home.
• Make sure the professional plans to return to test for mold again after the cleanup has been completed so you are sure all mold has been removed.
• If you plan to hire a professional to remove mold from your home, hire someone else to test the home for mold. That way you know you are getting objective information.

To find professionals that can test for mold in your area,

You May Like: Skin Rash From Mold

How Do I Know If I Have Black Mold Poisoning

The most common black mold symptoms and health effects are associated with a respiratory response. Chronic coughing and sneezing, irritation to the eyes, mucus membranes of the nose and throat, rashes, chronic fatigue and persistent headaches can all be symptomatic of black mold exposure or black mold poisoning.

How Does The Air Quality Test For Mold

The indoor air quality test method tests the indoor air for mold spores. The air conditioning and heating sampling method tests the air from a forced air heating and air conditioning unit. The surface sampling testing method is used if you already have mold growing and want to know the type of mold it is.

There are several types of devices used to collect air samples that can be analyzed for mold. The most common devices are: Impaction samplers that use a calibrated air pump to impact spores onto a prepared microscope slide.

Previous Post

Recommended Reading: How To Fix Mold On Bathroom Ceiling

Can You Test The Air For Mold

Yes, you can. You can use 3 different methods for air testing. First, you can leave the sample dish in the area where you suspect there is molds and leave it there for hours. Second, you can use the AC or heating mold sampling tests. This collects samples from your HVAC units. Third, get the sample directly from the growing mold.

Professional Testing For Mold

We recommend having a professional come in and conduct testing for mold if you arent sure youve located all the mold in your home or if youre having health problems that might be related to mold. Most professionals that do mold testing are actually engineers and they are trained to conduct mold tests with precision to ensure accurate results. They also know where to test for mold in order to make sure all the mold in the home is located. Their tests can tell you what type or types of mold is growing in your home, information which may help your physician in formulating the best treatment plan if youre suffering from mold-related health problems. A certified mold tester can also tell you the expected and safe levels of mold in the home and let you know if the levels in your home are unusual or unsafe. For a list of certified mold testers in your area, follow the link.

Additional Reading:

Home Mold Test Kit Reviews – Although the home mold testing kits are generally inaccurate and the results vary greatly due to improper testing techniques and handling, we get questions about them every week. To answer those questions we have published our reviews of the most popular home testing kits for mold.

Don’t Miss: Basement Mold Removal Diy

What Does Mold Do To Your Skin

Mold reproduces by creating tiny spores that are carried through the air. When you breathe in these spores, they can trigger an allergic reaction, meaning your immune system overreacts. This overreaction leads to the production of antibodies, inflammation, and a variety of nonspecific symptoms that can include a rash.

Diy Mold Test Kits Are Not Accurate

Here at Air Quality Consultants, we get asked about the accuracy of DIY mold test kits on a regular basis. Many home or business owners want to find a quick, cheap way to qualify and quantify the severity of their mold problem. The fact is, a DIY mold test is not the way to do it.

Most DIY mold test kits come back 100% positive.

The truth is, every home has mold in it. It is virtually impossible to eliminate 100% of the mold spores in your home. The good thing is, not all kinds of mold are unhealthy. DIY mold test kits will sometimes test positive based merely on the presence of harmless mold in your house. When homeowners see a positive result, they often get scared, and it can lead to them spending a lot of unnecessary time and money trying to eliminate harmless mold spores from the air.

DIY mold test kit companies are built on the idea that when people think they have mold in their house, they get scared. Yet, all the kits can do is answer this question Is there mold in my house? The answer will almost always be yes, but the tests dont tell you if its harmful mold or harmless a lot of mold or a little.

DIY Mold Test Kit Expiration Dates

Mold test kits dont have expiration dates, and could end up sitting on warehouse shelves for far too long. When buying a kit, there is no way of knowing how long it has been on the shelf or how much exposure or handling your kit has experienced.

DIY Mold Test Kit Labs are NOT Legit

Recommended Reading: How Do You Remove Mold From Leather

Is Professional Mold Testing Accurate

If you had a dollar for every time some company or TV commercial promised you something impossible, youd probably be able to retire tomorrow. It seems like everywhere we look these days, outlandish claims are being made. Lose weight simply by taking pills or wearing a special brace. Make millions by using a proven system that doubles or triples your investments in days. Make your natural hair grow back simply by applying a special cream to your head.

Are any of these claims legitimate? No everybody knows theyre bogus, except the people who actually believe the sales pitch and spend their money. They have to find out the hard way that the claims they bought into were totally inaccurate.

So what about something more practical, like mold testing? Does this fall into the category of a hoax, or an attempt to make people believe they have a mold problem when they really dont? Or is mold testing truly reliable and accurate?

When mold testing is performed by a real professional, samples are collected and transferred to a scientific laboratory, where they are fully analyzed using modern mold testing equipment and microscopes. Because mold professionals have so much experience and knowledge, theyre usually able to determine very quickly what kind of mold youre dealing with, and what the best solution may be.

The Best Approach For Mold Testing And Cleanup

The home testing kits can be a good start to determine if mold is present, but the best approach is to work with a professional mold tester who can identify the extent of the problem. These professionals are trained to know where mold typically grows, and they can advise you on the proper cleanup process to get rid of the mold completely.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that the mold cleanup process is as simple as wiping down the area with a rag and household cleaner, because standard cleaning techniques will not kill all the mold spores. Professional equipment needs to be used in order to prevent cross contamination, and also help you to avoid future mold problems.

Don’t Miss: How To Clean Mold Off Ceiling Above Shower

Why Diy Mold Testing Kits Are Not Accurate

There are plenty of DIY mold testing kits promoted commercially with convenient shipping. Their appeal lies in their accessibility and ease. All you need to do is set out the Petri dishes for a certain amount of time in order to detect whether or not theres mold in your home.

However, over-the-counter solutions like these DIY mold testing kits are inaccurate. There are many issues behind them that you should be aware of before making this purchase. For this reason, many lawyers, insurance companies, and doctors do not accept the results of these testing kits.

How We Evaluated The Best Mold Test Kits For Home Use

While we didn’t test these kits ourselves, we did compare their supplies, testing methods and support features to determine which were the easiest to use. Since mold can greatly impact you and your loved ones’ health, we gave more points to kits that require shorter incubation times and have faster lab turnaround.

We also checked to see what kinds of testing methods each kit offers. Typically, kits that offer more testing methods scored higher in our comparison since they give you more options to work with.

We gave more points to kits that could detect a larger number of growths, including yeast, mold, fungus and bacteria. Kits that let you take HVAC samples and outdoor tests and that allow you to submit physical samples scored higher since they were more inclusive. Scores were also higher for kits that provide professional supplies like petri dishes, swabs, sample bags and adhesive strips.

Similarly, the amount of support offered by the company influenced our rankings. If there are multiple customer contact options and multiple ways to find answers to questions, including a FAQs page and video tutorials, companies scored higher.

While we didn’t score testing kits based on their prices, we did determine whether or not a product’s price was warranted. The total cost of a mold testing experience includes the initial price of the kit and the price of the lab analysis. Some products cost very little initially but are expensive if a lab test is needed.

You May Like: How To Clean Mold Off Of Bathroom Ceiling