Home Air Quality Test Kit for Mold: What to Know

Indoor air quality is important to the health of you and your family. Unfortunately, there are many allergens in the home that make us ill. However, a home air quality test kit for mold provides the answer. Once homeowners identify the source of the allergen, remediation follows.

What is Mold?

Mold is a part of our natural world. Mold is a type of fungi and they break down organic material such as dead leaves, animals, and insects. This returns minerals to the soil and encourages plant growth. Mold spreads when a colony releases tiny spores into the air. When they land in a suitable area a new colony forms. Mold spores are everywhere both indoors and out.

Inside the home, mold develops in damp areas where the temperature is between 60 and 80° F. This could be a humid basement, the areas around leaky windows, and under sinks. The dampness caused by flooding presents an ideal environment for mold growth. Mold spots are usually black in color. You may see them on floors, walls, and ceilings or they could be hidden from view behind drywall and baseboards.

Once mold develops, the colony goes to work breaking down the surrounding materials. This could be a wood floor or baseboards, but also drywall, carpeting, and furniture. This causes structural and cosmetic damage in the home, but it poses another risk as well: mold allergies. A mold test kit is the first step to preventing this.

Mold Allergy Symptoms

A mold allergy occurs when you breathe in mold spores and your body’s immune system goes into overdrive to protect you. The result of this defensive position includes symptoms such as: 

• Coughing and sneezing
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Itchy, watery eyes, 
• Itchy, irritated nose and throat
• Dry skin

If you experience any of these symptoms, a home air quality test kit for mold lets you know whether mold is a possible trigger. If so, it’s important to get rid of the problem before further complications set in such as asthma and other respiratory problems. There are medications available that reduce mold allergy symptoms, but the problem itself must be addressed.

A home air quality test kit for mold is an inexpensive way to find out if you have a mold problem. Use the kit to collect samples from around the home them mail them to the lab. The lab analyzes the samples and provides results within 3-5 days. 

Using a Mold Test Kit in the Home

Complete the following steps when using a micro test kit or mold screening kit.

1. Purchase a home mold test kit and read the instructions. 
2. Find a spot to test. Look for dark spots on walls, around windows and doors, under sinks, near baseboards, and in the basement. 
3. When testing in a room, close all doors and windows for 24 hours before to prevent a disruption to the colony. This increases the number of spores you collect.
4. Use the collection strip included in the mold test kit to retrieve samples from a single location in the home.
5. Place the collection strip in the case, fill out a chain of custody form, then use the postage-paid envelope to send it to the environmental lab.
6. Receive the results in a detailed report sent via email within 3-5 days.

Getting Rid of Mold

The next step after using the mold test kit is remediation. Bleach and other household cleaners are effective. There are also many non-toxic cleaners such as vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda. No matter how severe your mold problem is, it’s important to protect yourself during cleanup. The CDC recommends wearing protective gloves, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, goggles or protective eyewear, waterproof boots, and an N-95 respirator.

To prevent future problems, consider using air-cleaning technologies to filter out mold spores and other allergens. A home air purifier reduces mold risk. Choose a model with Air Multiplier technology which sends over 77 gallons of airflow per second and uses carbon and HEPA filters will trap up to 99.97% of allergens. It’s also important to keep ventilation systems in top working order. Routine inspections of HVAC systems prevent the spread of allergens as well as future mold growth. It is also essential that you repair leaky faucets and pipes as well as any cracks in the foundation where water can enter the building.

Get a Home Air Quality Test Kit for Mold

If you or someone in your family is experiencing allergy symptoms and you believe it could be caused by mold, find out for sure. Order a home air quality test kit for mold today. For more information, call 727-572-4550.