Immunolytics Value Test Kit: Best Mold Test Kit For Ease Of Use
A basic mold test kit, like the ImmunoLytics Mold Test Kit, can help determine whether your house has a mold problem. With it, you can test indoor air. The best feature of the ImmunoLytics kit is that full laboratory analysis is included at no extra cost youâll also get a report that you can present to mold removal and remediation specialists, which can save you money.By opening up the included petri dish and leaving it exposed for an hour to the air you want to test, youâll have successfully collected a sample. The petri dish is ready to use, and you wonât have to add a growth medium. You can start testing the sample immediately with the assembled kit.
If you want to get a more detailed report, you can submit your sample to the lab for testing, but keep in mind that ImmunoLytics is not certified by the American Industrial Hygiene Association.
- Read our ImmunoLytics Mold Test Kit review
How To Test For Black Mold
Do you keep getting a whiff of something musty in your bathroom or basement? Afraid it might be mold? Learn about three of the most popular kits to test for mold at home.
Its no secret that damp areas of the home provide the perfect conditions for mold and mildew to grow. Whether your nose knows, or your eyes spy dark spots in strategic locations, you want to make sure.
Mold doesnt just eat away at your wood, wallpaper, or grout. Its spores get airborne and cause all kinds of health problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says enough evidence exists to link mold to upper respiratory tract symptoms like itchy eyes and runny nose to cough and wheeze in otherwise healthy people.
Mold Test Kit By Healthful Home 5
* As Seen on the Today Show. Detect Mold Spores & Allergens in Minutes. Even If You Cant See It. No Waiting for Labs. * Accurate and Safe! The only test that also detects spores and allergy-causing mold-particulates. * Easy-to-use. . . three quick steps. Test for mold yourself before you rent or buy. * Most sensitive test available. Patented technology from the U. S. * Includes Expert Consultation! * Detects the worst mold types that are often missed by air sampling.
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Why Trust The Spruce
This article was written by Erica Puisis, who has been researching strategies to improve everyday life and health for The Spruce since 2017. To find the best options for at-home mold testing kits, she considered a wide range of products that include both self-monitored and lab-evaluated options. When comparing options, she considered the type of test, the number of samples for each kit, how long it takes to receive results, the cost of any necessary lab fees, and whether or not additional help is available from an expert. All of the at-home mold testing kits on this list that are lab-evaluated are handled by an AIHA-accredited facility.
In the research process, we also interviewed Dr. John Balmes, a professor of medicine at UCSF and professor of environmental health sciences in the School of Public Health at UC Berkley. He shared insights on the most common types of residential mold, as well as the conditions that are most favorable for its growth. In addition, we spoke to Elías Rodríguez, the Deputy Director of Public Affairs for Region 2 of the EPA, regarding testing guidance and the role that moisture plays in the development of mold growth.
How To Choose The Best Mold Test Kit
There are a few key things to consider when selecting a mold test kit. These include the types of supplies that are included and the customer support that’s available. Here are the main factors to think about to make sure you choose the best mold test kit for your situation.
Test supplies
It is important to find a mold test kit that includes all of the equipment necessary to collect complete samples. If a test kit can collect surface samples but does not include swabs or adhesive strips, youâll have to look elsewhere to buy these items at an added cost. Usually, you can determine the types of tests the kit can perform by looking at the included supplies.
Help and support
Reputable mold test companies include their telephone numbers and email addresses on their websites. In addition to contact information, you might want to select a company that has strong support options, including FAQs and video tutorials. Aside from our top two products, the Pro-Lab Mold Test Kit and the Home Mold Laboratory Viable Mold Test Kit, you can find full customer support with Healthful Home’s 5-Minute Mold Test and the Mold Check Whole House Mold Test.
It also is handy if either the kit itself or the website offers a guidebook to tell you how to test for mold and identify what you find.
Also Check: How To Prevent Mold In Dishwasher
Home Mold Laboratory Viable Mold Test Kit: Easiest To Use
The Home Mold Laborator Viable Mold Test Kit provides accurate results. It also happens to be one of the easiest test kits to use, since the supplies are ready to use right out of the box and don’t require any preparation. However, bear in mind that because the supplies are prepared ahead of time, these mold test kits have expiration dates, which you will want to keep note of.
You can use this kit to detect dangerous growth colonies like black mold, but it cannot detect bacteria or fungus. There are three different testing methods you can use. All three testing methods require that you incubate samples for three to seven days to make sure you give time for slow-growing mold and yeast to appear.
Should you find mold growing within this time frame, you’ll want to send a sample to the lab for analysis. This company charges $50 per sample that you submit, which is more than some other companies. Additionally, it can take up to eight days to get a sample back from the lab, which is longer than most other companies.The easiest sampling method requires that you leave a petri dish in a room for an hour before sealing it up and letting it incubate. The second has you use a swab to determine whether the visible mold that you find in your home is alive or not. The last and most difficult testing method requires that you place a test kit on the air vent farthest away from your central air system.
Product Description And Features
The Healthful Home 5-minutes Mold test is a DIY mold test kit that can give you results in as little as 5 minutes. It can help detect the 2 worst types of mold on the wall and on other surfaces. You can also use it to detect spores that cause mold.
When you purchase this product, you get a 1 rapid test, an all-in-one collection swap, and 1 ASP. The ASP will be used for control while the rapid test does the testing. You also get well-detailed instructions to follow in order to carry out a successful mold test.
After collecting your samples, using the rapid test to check for mold is easy and safe as well. It is very sensitive as it uses a lateral flow assay technology and has 2 square testers, each labeled accordingly.
If you choose to have your samples confirmed in the lab, you use the collection swap to mail it to the producers. This will be tested in an AIHA-accredited laboratory and your results sent to you in a couple of days. This is ideal if you wish to test the air for mold. However, this attracts a little service fee.
Expert consultation is also available if the results of your test are not completely understood. There is a toll-free number in the kit you can call for that. The Healthful Home 5-minutes Mold test can only be used once, it does not work for the second time.
Also Check: How To Remove Mold Spots From Bathroom Ceiling
Why Trust Us On Mold Test Kits
We have been reviewing mold test kits for over 11 years. For our most recent evaluation, we spent over 30 hours comparing each kit’s testing methods, included supplies, ease of use, prices and certifications. We wanted the number one option to detect black mold and other dangerous growth colonies while still being easy to use.
Additionally, we wanted our best overall pick to offer fast results and fast lab turnaround times so you could respond quickly to any threats to you and your family’s health. The most highly ranked test kits in our lineup are AIHA certified and offer professional staff to help you get support via phone and email.
Mold Testing Kit Concerns
As helpful as mold testing kits can be, sometimes they are not the best choice. Surprisingly, there isnt a standard for what is acceptable regarding indoor mold.
Naturally, mold is everywhere. When you perform a mold test sampling, youll find that mold is ubiquitous. The mere presence of mold does not automatically indicate a problem or a potential health risk.
Recommended Reading: Do It Yourself Mold Test Kit Home Depot
Air Quality Monitor Formaldehyde Detector Pollution Meter Sensor Tester
The Air Quality Monitor and Pollution Meter is a special mold kit. It allows you to test for more than toxic mold spores. The device is rated to determine if there is anything floating around your home that could cause illness or grow within your walls thats hard to find.
Lab tested and easy to use, more so than other kits. Youll understand the need for remediation or other cleaning. You can spot check moisture levels in any home with the portability of the testing unit. The built-in fan means you dont have to work at anything. It draws air into the unit for sampling.
The unit is rated to determine the presence of a number of substances, not just the most common types of mold. You can test for formaldehyde concentration. The tester will detect volatile organic compounds coming from natural and synthetic sources that might be the source of odors.
Tiny dust particles and other molecules can travel through your breathing tract, entering your lungs and affecting asthma conditions.
The tester has a 2.8 inch color LED display that makes it easy to read results so you can analyze your home or office space and decide if you need to take action. Customer service line is available where you can speak to a professional about the results.
Pros:
Heres a quick rundown of the types of mold that test kits look for:
What To Look For In A Mold Test Kit
Youll want to make sure that you buy the best mold test kit for your needs. A DIY mold test kit is great to have at home as mold testing is serious business.
The best mold test kits are those that perform multiple tasks and not only detect mold. You dont want to make a mistake that could taint the results. Also, youll want to assure that lab fees and extra reports are covered in the total cost of your mold detection kit.
Make sure every tool to collect samples, like an air pump, petri dish, adhesive strips, and swabs are included. The best mold kits dont require additional purchases or make you pay for extra test materials.
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My Mold Detective Mmd103 Mold Test Kit 3
The My Mold Detective mold test kit is a comprehensive kit that allows you to test multiple spaces so that, if there is extensive water damage or questionable visible substances that seem suspicious, you can easily cover everything with a single kit.
The test is quick and simple to complete, taking only five minutes, and a timer so you dont mistakenly cut the sample off too soon or waste extra time waiting. You also have options regarding how many samples you want. There are three indoor cartridges and one outdoor cartridge for collecting samples.
Rather than collecting samples in a petri dish, the 15-liter air sampling pump draws in air to test the quality and capture any mold spores or other allergens that are potentially harmful to your family. Once youve completed the sampling, the cartridges can be shipped to the lab technicians for standard analysis.
These require additional fees at the time you go online to register your samples for review. Because the device is reusable, youll never have to rent other expensive equipment to test your space or have a professional come in to take samples for high fees.
When the lab finishes its analysis, they will provide you with results that let you know if you have any problems you need to address, detailing for you what types, if any, of harmful mold and toxins are found in the air samples.
Pros:
What Is A Good Diy Method To Test Mold
A quick test for mold can be done by dipping a swab in diluted bleach. Mix one part bleach with 16 parts water and use a clean cloth and dab it on the surface you are testing. If the spot changes to a light color or keeps coming back after its cleaned, you can assume you have mold. With surface testing, it will depend on the surface.
Recommended Reading: How To Get Mold Spots Off Bathroom Ceiling
Mold Armor: Fg500 Do It Yourself Mold Test Kit
The Mold Armor Do It Yourself mold detection kit thats safe and offers a quick way to test your home for several mold types. Not only will it test indoor samples for mold, but also test indoor air quality. It can detect mold spores and will tell you if mold is on the outside of your home.
The kit is safe and easy to use. You can take physical samples from your affected areas. You can take air samples from your HVAC to determine if mold spores are present in your airflow system.
The mold kit includes petri dishes, swabs, and an agent to make the mold grow for each sample. This allows you to see results within 48 hours of taking the samples. If you find mold growth, the next step is to figure out if its toxic or harmless.
Youll need to mail in the mold sample for lab analysis and expert consultation.
Pros:
- Tests indoor air quality for unseen mold
- Tests for the presence of mold within 48 hours
Cons:
Top Ten Reviews Verdict
This mold detector is easy to use and is able to determine whether black mold is growing in your house, but you can only sample small areas for mold growth.
Pros
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Lab tests are extra
The Healthful Home 5-Minute Home Mold Test is one of the only mold tests we reviewed that gives you results in under ten minutes. Even the best mold test kits require sampled mold to incubate for an hour or two before sending the sample into a lab for further analysis. This test tells you if you have mold in about five minutes, as the name suggests, and you can see if you have black mold growing in your house immediately. Like other mold detectors, you have to send a sample into a lab to get a full mycology report.
This kit uses a swab and two collection trays to detect mold. To begin testing for mold, you wipe the swab across dust or visible mold and secure the cap. The cap is a liquid bulb that you break, which releases liquid over the collection sample. You then put five drops of this liquid into the collection trays, and after five minutes, the test indicates whether it detected mold or not. One of the two collection trays is dedicated to detecting black mold, so you can see if your home has the infamous mold in your house. However, because the kit has such a small sample area, a negative reading on the test does not guarantee that mold is not growing in your house. This is one of the kits limitations.
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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.
Mold Armor Do It Yourself: Best Mold Test Kit From A Known Brand
The Mold Armor Do It Yourself test kit requires very little setup and tests for mold in the air, HVAC systems and surfaces. The tests take at least two days to incubate and mature, or you can send samples to a certified mycology laboratory to help you identify the exact types of mold in your home.
Laboratory tests cost extra, and it takes three weeks for you to receive a custom report â the longest wait time of all the test kits we reviewed. Mold Armorâs lab is certified monthly by the American Industrial Hygiene Association , so you can rest assured that the results are accurate and thorough.This kit costs less than $8 and comes with all of the supplies for conducting the three available tests. You get a petri dish, a growth agar and a cotton swab. The instructions suggest testing both indoor and outdoor air, but because the kit comes with only one dish and one growth agar, testing both indoor and outdoor air requires two kits.
The Mold Armor kit doesnât identify fungus, yeast or pollen, and you donât have the option to send a carpet, fabric or wall sample to the lab for analysis.
- Read our Mold Armor Test Kit
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