Prepare For Your Mold Inspection

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Better Preparation = Better Results

Remember these steps when preparing for mold inspections and get ready to breathe easier today.

  1. Keep all doors and windows closed for a period of two hours

    before any testing begins. If the windows and doors have been left open, we can only test diluted air. That won’t give you a valid result.

  2. Turn off air purification machines for twenty-four hours


    before the appointment. If your portable or inline air purification has been left on, the results we get from testing will show how good your purification system is working. Again, not useful for you.
  3. Turn off HVAC/central heating systems for a minimum of two hours before testing.
  4. If this is a residential inspection, please do not bathe within 12 hours of the appointment. This assists the inspectors in determining the sources/s of possible plumbing leaks in bathrooms.
  5. No landscaping (cutting) for four hours before your appointment. Outside landscaping stirs up the natural background mold, so our outside baseline air will not be accurate.

Valid Mold Outside Baselines Should Not Be Performed Within The First 24 Hours After Rain

Why? Mold needs food (cellulose) and water to grow. 

Immediately after rain, mold grows quickly. It “blooms”. We compare inside air to the outside air. If the outside air has a lot of mold spores or mold bloom in the air, we may not see an indoor problem.

Yes, mold “blooms” will drift into buildings. The HVAC will circulate most mold spores from mold “bloom” you of your building usually within an hour. If you don’t have HVAC, then a portable HEPA air purifier will remove 99% of the mold spores in a room. See the manufacturer’s directions on how many air exchanges per hour your product produces. That will tell you how long it will take to remove airborne mold.

When Will I Get My Results?

Depending on the type of testing performed, lab results are usually ready within three business days. If the results are needed sooner, rush service is available. Let us know what you need – results in four hours are possible.

Please schedule other inspectors to begin their work after the inspection. The outside are is measures so there will be a baseline to compare your inside levels against. If the doors and windows are closed and all air purification machines are turned off, a far more accurate measurement can be obtained.

Sometimes if you can see discoloration or mold growth, an initial mold inspection may not be necessary. But, if you want cleanup directions, then expert mold inspections are a great benefit. Using our company you will receive detailed cleanup instruction. Most important is finding the source/s of water intrusions or humidity that cause mold growth. You MUST fix the leaks/high humidity or mold is likely to return.

See our mold credentials on ACAC.org.

Prepare for Your Mold Inspection

You have questions and concerns about your upcoming mold inspection. We are glad to answer any questions that you may have. Our goal is to give you the best, most accurate mold inspection available.

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