The spore levels that the laboratory analyzes are not accurate and cannot detect hidden mold, so the owner cannot properly assess the situation. Often, people do too little or too much based on these results. Homemade Mold Test Kits Use “Seat Plate” Applications. Place the dish provided for a specified period of time, usually 24 to 48 hours, and the spores are supposed to fall into the dish.
Unfortunately, false negatives and false positives are common in home mold tests. In addition, even if the test finds that you have mold, it does not identify the type of mold and whether it is toxic or not. To get this important information, you need to send the dish with the collected samples back to the company that distributes the test kit, of course, at an additional cost. DIY kits do not provide a general understanding of mold contamination.
A critical part of a thorough mold investigation is the inspection process. Requires specialized instrumentation such as digital humidity meters, hygrometers, infrared cameras. And other tools along with expert visual observation. After testing, samples should be sent to the laboratory.
There are no lab fees, although users may have to pay to send the test kit by mail. Once received, the lab can process the results in just 1 day, contacting the user via email with a detailed lab report and expert consultation to help understand the results and next steps to treat a potential mold problem. This mold test kit does not have an associated laboratory fee, strictly depending on the user to properly use the Petri dish test in the desired area and review the results. The kit comes with 10 petri dishes to place at home.
It's not necessary to use every Petri dish, but by using more Petri dishes, the results can help trace the high mold content to the source of growth, such as a bathroom or kitchen. While these home mold testing kits offer convenience and low price, they are susceptible to some drawbacks. The first problem with these home mold testing kits is that the AGAR may have already expired by the time you receive it. They don't offer an expiration date.
The other problem is that since mold is always present in the air, mold will grow, but only viable mold. Non-viable mold can also cause health problems and will not provide these data. You're not going to get the big picture. It is likely that some mold spore colonies will not appear because the ability to control the speed of air flow would be required to capture these other spores.
The only way to achieve this is to use an electric or mechanical pump with a flow valve, a connected media cassette, with an internal filter. When you return the kit, temperature extremes from one point to another can damage the kit and cause unreliable results. Therefore, to answer the question: “Are mold testing kits for home reliable? The answer is that they can. You just need to do your research and make sure you're getting measurable, value-added results.
Reputable mold testing companies include their phone numbers and email addresses on their websites. In addition to contact information, you may want to select a company that has robust support options, including FAQs and video tutorials. In addition to our two main products, Pro-Lab Mold Test Kit and Viable Mold Test Kit for Home Mold Lab, you can find complete customer support with Healthful Home's 5 Minute Mold Test and Whole House Mold Test. The stachybotrys test will show a single line if an unhealthy amount of mold is detected in the sample, while the test for aspergillus and penicillium will show two lines if unhealthy amounts of mold are found.
Although this kit will not test for mold in the air, it will hit the bottom to determine if there is mold growing on surfaces. Some consumers who purchased this mold test kit complained about getting positive results when they didn't really have mold in the home. Usually dark green or black in appearance, black mold is a type of fungus and refers to several species of mold. Most standards and guidelines refer to mold spores per cubic meter or coliform forming unit, but obtaining a level of mold per volume of air is impossible without controlled airflow by using a mechanical pump.
To learn more about mold testing kits, such as how they work and if these kits expire, read below for answers to these questions and several additional FAQs about the best mold testing kits. When ordering one of the best mold testing kits, you'll also want to weigh where exactly you'll test for mold. However, companies that understand the diagnostic process needed to qualify and quantify the growth of potentially hazardous mold need to address the real issues related. Instead of saying that you have black mold or that you need a remedy for black mold, for example, you will give you the scientific term “stachybotrys”.
The difference between testing mold air samples and mold surface samples is that air samples can be taken and analyzed in a variety of ways. You will then place the container in a shipping package and mail it to the mold testing lab indicated in the instructions to test the spores for mold. Mold Armor Do It Yourself Test Kit requires very little setup and testing for mold in air, HVAC systems and surfaces. Don't wait in a Petri dish to slowly collect a sample when the My Mold Detective Mold Test Kit comes with an air sampling pump for quick 5-minute air quality samples from indoor and outdoor locations.
Get professional lab analysis and expert consultation on test results, as well as a full-color lab report detailing the exact gender of the mold with this DIY mold testing kit. It's up to you to figure out what kind of mold this is and whether you need to remove the mold or remedy it. . .
