If you suspect your home has mold, you might want to have it tested. If you can see mold or if part of your home has a strong musty odor, you may not necessarily need testing done first since it's obvious your home has mold and it needs to be eliminated. In that case, you might want mold testing done after the work is done to make sure all the mold is gone.

Mold testing is common when you suspect your home has mold but you're not sure, or if you want to know the type of mold in your home. You may also want it done when you want to know how bad a mold problem is when the mold is hidden. Mold testing can verify your concerns or put your mind at ease, so you may want it done just to find out if a home you're planning to buy or if your old home has mold, especially if you have kids. Here's how mold testing works.

Air Samples Are Usually Taken

Air samples are taken to test the amount of mold spores in the air. The sample will probably contain some spores even if your home doesn't have a mold problem since mold is everywhere. The mold testing service will probably take air samples outdoors and indoors. The outdoor sample acts as a control that lets you know the natural level of mold spores outdoors, and the indoor sample lets you know how much the amount of spores in your home differs. This type of test is quick and easy to do, and you may have results back in a couple of days.

Surface Samples Might Be Taken Too

The surfaces in the suspected moldy area might be swabbed to check for live spores and to identify the type of mold. This test isn't always done, but you might want it if someone in your home is having health issues and you want to understand your home's mold problem a little better.

The mold testing service swabs a surface and then spreads the swab over a culture dish that contains a growing medium that allows living mold spores to reproduce. It takes several days for the mold to grow so it can be analyzed.

The mold testing service can explain your results and let you know how far from normal they are. The next step is to hire a mold remediation company to find the hidden mold and get rid of it so you can eliminate the health hazard and source of musty odors from your home. For more information on mold testing, contact a professional near you.