Mold growth is complicated. For one, it can spread quickly without your knowledge because it tends to grow in dark, unseen places in your home when moisture is present. Secondly, if it’s not growing in plain sight there’s a chance you might not ever know it’s there because the signs of mold growth in your home can be tricky.
One of the most distinguishing factors of mold colonies is their smell. Mold has a very musty odor and one that you probably associate with basements or maybe even old houses in general. Secondly, if you don’t suffer from mold allergies and neither does anyone in your family, it could be growing for an extended period of time without you ever being aware. Third, one of the main signs of mold growth in a home is an elevated moisture content but just because your home can get humid from time to time or you bathroom gets extra steamy, it doesn’t always guarantee you have mold. (There’s a pretty big chance you do, but like I said, it’s not a guarantee.)
This is where mold testing comes in to play.
There are a few different tests that are run when testing a home for mold.
Moisture Meter
Mold requires moisture and a feeding source to survive and since mold can thrive on a long list of items for food, excess moisture is a better gauge on a mold situation.
When we test a home for mold we use a moisture meter and it does it exactly what it sounds like it should do – measures for moisture. As opposed to you just “feeling” like there’s an abnormal amount of moisture in a room, a moisture meter will be able to measure the amounts.
This device is great when mold growth is suspected in a wall and not in plain sight for us to verify it’s presence. The moisture meter can test for elevated levels of moisture in anything from your drywall to your baseboards to your windows and doors. Signs of elevated moisture point us to the area where either mold is going to grow or where mold is already currently growing.
This helps us narrow down specific areas where mold growth is likely and what steps we need to take next.
Thermal Imaging
We use thermal imaging cameras to give us a better idea of how extensive the patch of mold is, if any happens to be growing in your wall.
Instead of taking regular pictures, the thermal imaging camera picks up differences in temperature. (Have you ever seen the movie Predator? The alien basically sees in thermal-vision.) The different colors that show up on the screen can show us where the mold is growing and if it happens to be inside your wall the thermal imaging camera will show us where we need to get inside your walls as opposed to tearing out areas that aren’t affected by mold growth just yet.
Air Sampling
Whether we like it or not, we’re never going to fully eliminate the existence of mold from our lives. Mold spores are everywhere – inside and outdoors. The key is how much mold you’re dealing with.
When we do an air sample we take a sample of the air outside your home and compare it to the air inside your home. Those results, if your house is “mold-free” should essentially be the same. However, it’s when find elevated numbers of mold spores inside the home.
This indicates there’s an abnormal amount of mold growth in your home and a remediation process set into motion.
Regardless of what type of mold is found, if the spore counts are elevated, it has to be removed. Because there are so many different types of mold, it’s can be hard to narrow down to exact types, and in the end, the type of mold doesn’t matter because we always recommend remediation.
Professional Help
It can be tempting to test for mold on your own but, unfortunately, those tests aren’t always accurate and if you suspect mold is causing problems for you or family’s health, it’s better to use a professional remediation service like Mold Solutions. Our crew of mold removal specialists will answer any questions you have about mold growth in your home and we’ll help you come up with a plan to get rid of it. Contact us today!
