So, you think that you might have mold, but you are not certain. You have a moldy odor and/or you see a location that looks like mold on your walls or ceilings. While beginning to panic, you look online and see that there are Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Mold Test Kits. Given that this appears far more economical than hiring a professional (which can cost around $350.00 for mold testing), you head to the nearest store to pick one up! But if you consider hiring a mold expert to get the job done, click to read more.
At the shop, you see different brands and the expenses are a lot more affordable than you at first thought – generally between $10 and $30. As soon as you get the package house, you open it to find a petri dish and sticky option which you position in the space that you think might have mold. You thoroughly follow the directions and after the designated 24-48 hours, figure out that you certainly have some kind of mold growth. To discover precisely what type of mold you have, you now send your sample off to the company for “lab testing” (there are over 1,000 kinds of mold typically found inside your home). Around a week later on, the results come back and they inform you certainly have mold and the specific type of mold you have.
However, there are a couple of concerns with your outcomes.
Initially, the majority of the mold test companies inform you to send in 2 samples. One from the room you believe is contaminated and the other from outdoors. This is because there are mold spores all over and they need to compare the difference in between within and outdoors to identify if there is an issue. Regrettably, the test sample from outdoors is difficult to get accurate outcomes due to climate conditions, placement, sun exposure, etc. Since they want 2 samples to compare, you have now doubled your initial expenditure for the kits.
The next issue about DIY test kits is the Petri meal sampling.
While this can be an efficient approach, it is important to keep in mind that mold will grow on nearly any surface if the conditions are right. If a mold spore strikes the surface in the Petri meal (which can easily have been available in on your clothing or through an open window), it will grow, however, it may not be because of mold growth in that specific room.
Too, molds grow at various rates. So, your “laboratory results” that inform you of the types of mold present in your home can be unreliable. A specific mold may be more popular in your results just because it grows faster than the other molds and choked them out in the Petri meal during incubation. Furthermore, these tests always come with the disclaimer that False Negatives and False Positives are a possibility due to the truth that the purchaser/user is not mold professionals and might have made mistakes during the testing.
However, the most aggravating issue with the DIY testing packages is the cash. While it appeared like such an excellent rate, the lab charges are additional. And because they suggest 2 kits, that is double that total up to get outcomes that may or may not be very accurate! Besides, much of the “laboratory results” come back with a suggestion of working with a mold testing company to confirm their findings. That implies that you invested in between $100 and $150 for the DIY testing and now they desire you to hire the experts for the extra cost! When all is stated and done, this process only cost you more cash than you would have invested employing the professional in the first place!
The bottom line is that Do It Yourself Mold Testing Kits while seeming low-cost, does not develop precise useable and useful information to cause understanding the mold problem you have. It also doesn’t guide you on appropriate mold treatments that ought to be utilized, or whether it is smart to do the clean-up yourself or employ a Certified Mold Remediation Contractor. While these kits appear excellent in theory, with you and your household’s health at stake, it is a good idea to have an expert assess this severe scenario. Just click here https://moldinspectiontallahassee.net/ to know more about mold services.