VISIBLE MOLD:
Active fungal/mold growth in indoor environments is potentially hazardous as it may lead to exposure and adverse health effects. If you have identified visible mold growth in your home or business, you should remember mold can only affect you or get into your body one of three ways:
~ Touching it (which can include it getting into your eyes)
~ Eating it
~ Breathing it

Since people do not touch or lick mold they see, their primary concern should be “Has the mold sporulated and gone airborne?” Therefore, airborne mold is your primary exposure point. Mold is a two-headed monster, the mold you can visually see and the mold spores that may be airborne which you cannot see. Air testing must be performed prior to beginning mold remediation so the restoration company can understand how much of the ‘mold problem’ is airborne that also needs to be addressed in addition to removing the visual surface mold. It’s possible that the visual mold has not sporulated and is not airborne, but testing should be performed to either confirm or deny its presence and your exposure level.

SUSPECTED MOLD:
It is common for us to hear from individuals who suspect the presence of mold, even though there is nothing visible. Sometimes there has been previous water damage, other times they are experiencing a musty smell etc, and need the peace of mind to know if there is a mold problem.
While there is no technology available to identify hidden mold, like in a wall cavity etc, industry best practices do recommend an air test be performed. If abnormal airborne mold levels are found, it is an indication there is a source somewhere.

Mold Testing is necessary:

-> If your residence, commercial property, or building has had a flood, leak, or sewage back-up and third party restoration scope evaluation or clearance documentation is necessary (e.g. related to garment, content, HVAC, and structural contamination),

-> If you are experiencing foul, moldy or musty odors,

-> If you intend to purchase or lease ANY property,

-> If an individual(s) has been diagnosed with a disease or allergies that is or may be associated with a fungal exposure,

-> If the presence of mold is suspected (e.g., musty odors) but cannot be identified by a visual inspection or bulk sampling (e.g., mold growth behind walls),

-> Or if there is evidence from a visual inspection or bulk sampling that the ventilation system may be contaminated. The purpose of such air monitoring is to assess the extent of contamination throughout a building.

Mold Testing could also be necessary,
-> To identify specific fungal contaminants as part of a medical evaluation or occupant risk evaluation (e.g. occupants are experiencing symptoms which may be related to fungal exposure),

-> Or to evaluate the levels of airborne contamination. Crawl spaces, for example, may have a number of unrelated fungal sources that are not readily observed.

Mold does not balance itself out, what you find in one room is not what you will find in all rooms. Airborne mold moves with air movement caused by natural pressurization, heating and air-conditioning, fans, open doors and windows etc.. Therefore, it is critical to test every room in the building.

Think about the difference between a film camera and a digital camera. With a film camera you have to buy the film, take pictures, send the film away for processing, wait to get your pictures back etc. with a digital camera you take a picture have instant results.

Digital Optics Technology: With our digital optics technology you can affordably test every room, with real-time detection and characterization of airborne biological particles and get an instant report. Additionally, this instrument moves throughout the entire room during testing for a broader and more accurate statistical sampling. With the digital technology, you’ll get the most accurate results available to make sure the air has been tested properly.

Cartridge/Cassette Method: This ‘antiquated’ method was developed in the last century. Like a film camera, it involves buying cassettes, taking samples, sending the samples away for processing and waiting days or up to a week for results. The testing device is stationary, so it takes a very limited statistical sample, and it is generally cost prohibitive to sample more than a couple rooms.