The largest amount of phone calls we get at Safe Homes is about Mold and Allergies. We get phone calls from across the country from people that think that Mold in their home is making them sick. My experience has been that a lot of these phone calls were unnecessary worrying because of something they read in a newspaper or heard from a friend. These are what I call "Mold News Phobia" that the News Media like to blow out of proportion for sensationalism. This is sad but it works on scaring people.
Microbial Growth has received so much media coverage relating to deaths and loss of property that people are frighted. Always remember that these spores are everywhere and can grow anywhere if conditions are right. A lot of individuals have no reaction to most microbial growth. I was in a house recently that had growth under the carpet and no one in the house was ill. There are others that are sensitive or allergic to microbial growth and others that are chemically injured or immune compromised.
Safe Homes does not recommend using the DIY Microbial Test Kits because if you open one of these test kits in a clean home, you will get fungal growth due to the existing spores that are in the air that will settle into the Petri Dish Media. This is a common sense approach to this problem. You will find them advertising on the Internet to send you a Fungal Test Kit to solve your problem. If you are concerned about the possibility of allergens in your home, do an Internet search for the name of The Indoor Air Quality Association and find a Professionally trained Microbial Inspector.
The procedure that we at Safe Homes recommend is that an intrusive visual inspection of the entire property be done first before any thought of microbial testing. During our initial inspection we do moisture mapping first to see if there is a moisture problem within the walls and look for visible signs of moisture intrusion. If there is visible fungal growth, then we ask the client what they want to do. If they are under a Doctors care, sometimes the Doctor wants to know what species is in the house for Allergy Testing purposes. Then we will test per the Doctors request for the client.
One thing you always need to remember, "No Moisture No Mold", is our motto at Safe Homes. If your windows are older and have never been checked by a licensed Window Contractor, the odds are that they are leaking. I had a brand Hurricane Glass Window installed in my own house recently and it was leaking everytime it rained. I did not notice it for 6 months till the water intrusion stain started to show up on the drywall. So we are all susceptible to window leaks, including me. Windows are moisture resistant, not waterproof.
In conclusion, do not let the sensationalism of the news media cause you undue worry. DIY Mold Test Kits will grow mold in a clean house on the Petri Dish Media. To help stop your worries, hire a professionally trained inspector from the Indoor Air Quality Association with credentials. Visual inspection and Moisture Testing should be done before any fungal testing on the home. We are all susceptible to water leaks because all windows can leak, even new windows.
If you have any questions, feel free to call us or visit our website.
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