Mold Test Kit Reviews

We’d like to offer you some mold test kit reviews because if you suspect you have a mold problem, you need to have some home tests for mold done so you can determine the extent of the problem and develop a plan of action. You can buy a mold testing kit to use yourself, but we really recommend you have a professional test your home for mold. Professional tests are much more accurate, you’ll know the professional knows how to conduct the test properly, and your home owner’s insurance may even cover the cost.

If you decide to buy a test yourself, you can find them at most home improvement stores. The test kits usually come with complete instructions. You can find the supplies you’ll need to deal with any mold problem at the same store where you buy the test kit, or you can hire remediation company to remove any mold.

Types of Home Tests for Mold

There are different types of home tests for mold, including tests that sample mold on a surface, like a wall or bathtub or floor, and tests that sample the air for floating mold spores. You really need to do both types of tests. That’s because in the early stages of a mold problem, there may not be enough mold spores in the air for the air sample test to come back positive, even if there is mold in your home. However, you need to do an air sample test because if you test a particular surface or two, you may happen to select surfaces that are not contaminated with mold even though other surfaces in your home are contaminated. In that case, an air sample test might pick up something. To make sure you get accurate results, you need to do both types of tests.

Getting accurate results is another reason to have a professional do the tests, though. He or she will know in which room or rooms to do an air sample test and will be able to determine which surfaces to test. To get accurate results, you’ll have to test the right places.

Surface Sampling Home Tests for Mold

You can get a mold test kit that uses swabs or tapes to test surfaces. These tests are generally affordable and reasonably accurate but they may miss mold on porous materials; the mold may be in the pores and therefore not come in contact with the swab or tape that touches the upper surface of the item. Swabs and tapes sometimes don’t pick up samples well on dry surfaces, as well.

Another type of surface sampling is bulk/surface sampling, in which chunks of materials are taken for testing. It’s more accurate with porous items like drywall or sheetrock, but it damages the items being tested.

Air Sampling Home Tests for Mold

A mold test kit like the Anderson N-6 Bioaerosol Sampler or the Zefon Air-O-Cell Cassette can be used to check for mold spores in the air. These tests are fairly accurate, but some of them like the Anderson N-6 Bioaerosol Sampler only pick up live mold spores, not dead mold spores. That’s a problem because dead mold spores can still cause significant health problems so if you have dead mold spores in your home, you want to know about it. At least if the mold in your home is dead, you don’t have to worry about it growing and spreading, but it can still make you sick so if you are purchasing a mold test kit, you really want one that will pick up both live and dead mold spores.

When doing air sampling for mold, some experts recommend taking an air sample from the HVAC system as well as from an open room.

When Home Tests May Not Be Enough

Home mold test kits are not always as accurate as professional mold tests, although in many instances they work well enough. Under some circumstances, though, it really is better to call a professional. We recommend having a professional test your home for mold if:

You’ve done home mold tests and they were negative, yet you still smell a musty odor that usually indicates the presence of mold somewhere.
You’ve done home mold tests and they were negative, yet you continue to experience symptoms typical of exposure to mold, such as breathing problems, extreme fatigue, skin rashes or hives, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, and general malaise.
You’ve done an air sampling test yourself that indicated the presence of mold spores in the air, but you can’t find the location where the mold is growing in order to remove it.
You or a family member has been experiencing severe symptoms of mold exposure, or you or a family member have asthma or other serious health problems. In such cases, it’s imperative that all the mold in your home is located and removed, and you shouldn’t take the chance of using a home test that may not be reliable.

Follow this link to find certified professionals that can test your home for mold.

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