Why Test for Mold If I Know It’s There?
Many homeowners are now aware of the health hazards of toxic mold that may be growing inside their home. However, merely visually detecting mold is not an effective way to manage or remediate the problem. Even if you already know that you have mold in your home, you should still call in a professional to collect samples and perform a comprehensive test for mold. Here’s why.
It’s Important to Know What Type of Mold Is in Your Home
There are lots of different types of mold, including “black mold,” aspergillus, penicillium, alternaria, and more. Thus, if someone in your home gets sick and is exhibiting symptoms of toxic mold exposure, it is important to know exactly which type of mold they’ve been exposed to so that it can be effectively treated. The type of mold, however, is impossible to tell with just a visual inspection, so having the mold tested, as soon as you see a sign of this problem in your home, is of the utmost importance.
According to the CDC, some of the most common health effects of mold exposure include:
- Nasal congestion
- Coughing or wheezing
- Throat, eye, or skin irritation
In the case of black mold poisoning, you might also experience fatigue, muscle weakness, headache, loss of memory function, joint pain, skin tingling and numbness, and shortness of breath.
Mold Testing Can Detect Mold in Other Areas of Your Home
Even though you might only see signs of mold on your bathroom ceiling, for instance, it could also be lurking underneath your tiling flooring, carpeting, inside your walls, or in other less noticeable areas of your home. For this reason, a professional should come in to inspect your home for mold, take samples, and send them off for testing to ensure you don’t miss anything when looking for mold yourself.
It’s Better to Have a Professional Interpret the Results
Another benefit of calling in mold testing experts is that a professional will be able to interpret the results of the testing, which can involve a variety of different factors that need to be taken into account before reaching the final result.
Once you get your mold testing results back and a professional explains exactly what they mean, you can then set to work creating a mold remediation plan that will address the specific problem areas that the testing revealed.
Need More Information on Mold Testing?
Whether you’ve already noticed mold growing in your home or you simply want to take preventative measures to ensure the safety of you and your family, getting a mold test can be extremely helpful. Just make sure you are working with an accredited environmental laboratory that offers mold testing.
For more information on how to have your home tested for mold, please feel free to contact IRIS Environmental Laboratories at (908)206-0073 or by using our online contact form. We would be happy to answer any questions you might have and help you better understand the mold testing process.