Mold is something that every homeowner dreads finding. At the very least, it means you need to take care of that mold and then find the leak that was causing it initially. Sometimes the remediation is the biggest step and can take the form of significant construction or remodeling jobs to get rid of the colonized or rotted structural components. The best, most reliable way to combat mold is to be aware of it, know how to recognize it, and of course, periodically test for it.
When it comes to the testing part, many homeowners understandably want to save a little money when it comes to the actual process and tend to want to take the DIY approach.
Are Home Mold Test Kits Reliable?
The short answer is no, while they can perform the most basic function of detecting if mold spores were present and collected during the test, that is all they can do. Since mold is literally everywhere, simply detecting mold doesn’t mean anything, and is often a gimmick used to sell more tests. There has to be context and meaning behind the test results, and for this to happen they need to be collected in a very specific way by a professional trained in mold testing and inspection.
Why Aren’t Home Mold Test Kits Reliable?
While there are many reasons why a homeowner should defer to professional testing for their mold investigation, we’re only going to cover some of the most significant ones here.
The Inspection Matters More Than The Samples
When you have a professional come out to your home for a full mold inspection, like the ones at Home Biotesting, they will perform a comprehensive evaluation of your home. This means they aren’t going to just check areas that are visible to the naked eye, they will take samples from inside the walls and other areas where mold may be growing that can’t be seen easily. The samples that the professional takes during the inspection aren’t to determine if you have mold, they are to confirm which type or strain of mold it is. In some severe cases, just being exposed to certain strains of mold means there might need to be medical prophylaxis.
Mold Test Kits Remove All Meaning From The Test
One of the biggest issues with home mold test kits is that they only test for the presence of mold in the air currents of the home. They often consist of a plate where spores carried in the air can potentially settle. The problem is that since molds are everywhere, simply opening the door to your home while the test is being used can contaminate it, and eating a sandwich next to the test could contaminate it.
Mold Test Kits Work Primarily On Fear
We know that there are mold spores everywhere, and that home kits will pick them up. This is part of how they are designed to fundamentally operate, not by detecting dangerous molds in your home, but by detecting molds anywhere. This keeps the homeowner buying more kits for ongoing sampling, which means revenue for the testing company. Consumer Reports states that home mold kits are not recommended for a long list of reasons.
Partner With Home Biotesting For Your Mold Testing & Survey
There are a lot of companies out there trying to sell people home Petri dishes that produce meaningless results, but Home Biotesting is here to provide insightful inspections and actionable solutions for anything found in the results. If you need mold testing, don’t waste your money on fear-based marketing, reach out to Home Biotesting and talk with one of our experts about your concerns.