Many people might think that is a lot cheaper and efficient to engage in DIY mold tests. However, it is strongly advised not to do this. Many DIY mold testing kits are inaccurate and unreliable. These products are not credible enough to be accepted by legal experts, insurance companies and even doctors. It has been shown that some unopened testing kits were already moldy the moment they were bought. They are also easily contaminable and a waste of your money. You would most definitely be better off by hiring professional mold inspectors who know exactly what they are doing. Here at Iris Environmental Laboratories, we have years of expertise in mold inspection and remediation services that are affordable and trustworthy. Below are some of the main reasons why you should always avoid using these DIY mold testing kits.
There are No Expiration Dates
From the time that the testing kits are shelved, to the moment that you purchase them, a large amount of time might have passed. They can be stored in the shop’s storage areas for extended periods of time, increasing the chances of the agar in the petri dish being contaminated by other substances. Since there are no expiry dates on these products, it is not possible for the results to be credible because we cannot confirm how they were handled or what kind of compounds they could have been exposed to before purchase.
They Lack a Control Sample
For professional laboratory tests for mold, there is always a control sample so that the test sample can be compared against it. A control sample can act as a useful reference point and make the test results more reliable. However, most DIY mold testing kits do not have such control samples and this makes them less accurate.
There is No Inspection
DIY mold testing kits are usually inflexible and one-dimensional. This means that they cannot provide us with a proper understanding about the mold infestation. Mold testing that is comprehensive should include inspection that can only be done with specialized equipment. This includes tools such as digital moisture meters and even infrared cameras that allow for visual observation of spores that otherwise cannot be seen by the naked eye.
Inaccurate When Brought to the Lab
Ultimately, DIY mold testing kits have been shown to be extremely inaccurate. After using the DIY test kits, even when the results show that there is a high mold spore count, the actual results speak otherwise when brought to the laboratory. On the other hand, when the mold spore count is low in actuality, the actual results showed that it was high. There should therefore be no reason why you should ever want to use DIY mold testing kits.
False Advertising
Many people fall for the marketing gimmicks of such mold testing kits because of the language used. Many of these kits ensure customers that they can be used to quantify the mold that is in their home. In actual fact, after conducting such tests with the kits, the samples have to be sent to the lab for further tests. This would make the purchase meaningless if the test kit cannot even tell you what kind of mold you are dealing with.