Guest guest Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 , I will give you a relatively short answer to your question " Do mold tests work? " The full answer requires a textbook-type answer. But don't be discouraged by the " negative " reasons. There is help available. 1. There are no definitive tests for mold other than " this sample containes mold, " or not. Mold is an entire Kingdom containing hundreds of thousand of different genera and species not unlike the Kingdom of plants and animals, each of which contains many, many specifics. 2. Current mold testing only identifies the spores (the seeds) and not the rest of the mold organism (like a plant has leaves and stems and roots, not just the seeds). A specialized method of sampling can identify mold to the level of the variation of a species but it is limited to only 36 of the hundreds of thousands of species). 3. Straight comparison of inside to outside levels - even if accurate which they are not - was discredited years ago. The outside always changes faster than inside and the comparisons must be precise. Routine testing only compares generalities. Unfortunately, many continue to use it for a variety of reasons too lengthy to detail here. Mostly, though, because it is easy and profitable. The claim of only finding only 2 houses with mold problems is a dead giveaway of a lack of professional education and experience. There are at least a dozen other methods of comparing inside to outside, none of which are recognized by cognizant experts as definitive or particularly informative. A recent presentation showed how understanding the ecology of where the mold is growing is more important than simple numbers. 4. People react to more than just the spore. Other possible components include glucans, enzymes, proteins, VOCs and mycotoxins. None of these are detected by conventional sampling methods. 5. Bacteria and other filth plus release of chemicals from water damaged materials are created by the same dampness that cause mold to grow. Many components of which can cause the odors and other reactions usually attributed only to mold. 6. The information you gave us indicates your concern is whether or not mold testing can determine that a house is safe for you. No it cannot. There are no regulations or Permissable Exposure Levels (PEL) for mold because there are too many molds involved; there is no extensive, reliable method of identifying them; quantity in a sample is not the same as what a person is exposed to; each individual reacts to different components of different molds at different levels of exposure at different times and manifest different symptoms. Think about peanut allergy. Most people have no problem. But some individuals will die from exposure to something that was previously in contact with peanuts. 7. About 1/2 the time mold is suspected something else, such as chemicals, bacteria, odors or allergens, are involved instead. When mold is a part of the puzzle, about 1/3 of the time it is not only mold. Other components are involved. Which means removing only the mold will not stop the reactions. The other exposure sources need to be identified, localized, and removed. 8. A more effective way of answering the question " Is my house safe for me? " is with an open-ended, professional inspection and assessment of the house which includes building type and use, structure, climate, materials, history of moisture or fires, pets, contents, etc and especially the profile of the occupants. If you have cat dander, for example, but aren't reactive to cats you don't have to remove the cat dander. But if you are, then even a thorough removal of cat dander may not be sufficient to stop reactions. I suggest you visit some Web sites of professional non-profit organizations who train and certify consultants. www.iaqa.org for membership and education www.iaqcouncil.org for independent certifications www.restorationindustry.org for trained water damage and mold contractors www.nadca.com/ for professional duct cleaning www.acca.org for professional duct cleaning and A/C issues http://www.cdc.gov/NCEH/publications/books/housing/housing.ht m for the free Healthy Housing Reference Manual. It is based on 7 principles of a heathy house. Mold is only one of them. Just remember that education and certification does not guarantee ethical behavior. Check references and ask members of this group for their experience and advise. Carl Grimes Healthy Habitats LLC ----- > > Hello, > > Do mold tests work? > > Three months ago, I moved into a duplex that turned out to have visible > black mold on the wall (I foolishly didn't view it empty when renting > it). The mold was visible once the furniture was removed. > > The landlord washed off the mold and painted over it with bleach and > Kilz. Last week, my roommate hired a mold inspector to test for mold. > > He says that if there are more mold spores outside than inside, we have > a mold problem. And that in all his years of doing mold tests, he's > only found 2 homes with mold problems. > > Personally, I seem to be showing signs of mold sickness and the place > smells of mold. > > Thanks, > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 Hi , Not sure what mold tests were actually done for you but in my home the mold tester actually took mold swab samples and send them into a lab for species identification. Those really work as long as you are sending it to a reputable lab ofcourse. Eli --- On Sun, 3/1/09, heliotropium@... Do mold tests work? Three months ago, I moved into a duplex that turned out to have visible black mold on the wall (I foolishly didn't view it empty when renting it). The mold was visible once the furniture was removed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 2, 2009 Report Share Posted March 2, 2009 Carl, Great answer! , you write that you seem to be showing signs and you can smell mold. If you can smell it, it is probably there. Also, I would not think it typical that someone who is called in as a professional to inspect for mold has only found it twice in all his professional experience. Unfortunately, this is not a licensed field. There are those that generate income by not finding mold..even when it is there. Not saying this is your situation, but it does occur. And, you probably had a typo, but it is the exact opposite of what you wrote that indicates a problem. If there are more mold spores Inside than out, you may have a problem. (Or maybe this " more outside than in " approach could explain why your guy rarely finds a problem!) Carl is right about the limitations of absolute conclusions that may be formed based solely on mold testing. However, when done properly they can help as an investigative tool. Logic would say to me that if you are not feeling well and you can smell mold in a duplex that you know mold was painted over; that there is a better chance your body is right about mold being in the building.. over the professional inspector who has oddly only found mold twice in his entire career. If it were me, I wouldn't take this negative result indicating no mold problem as the end all be all. I would do more investigating. Sharon In a message dated 3/1/2009 1:50:09 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, grimes@... writes: , I will give you a relatively short answer to your question " Do mold tests work? " The full answer requires a textbook-type answer. But don't be discouraged by the " negative " reasons. There is help available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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