Mold is a natural microorganism, which can be found everywhere. In nature, it is found on dead wood, fallen leaves, and soil where it grows on moist, decomposing organic matter. When the conditions are right, mold produces billions of microscopic spores and releases them into the air. With the particle size between 2.5 to 20 microns, the spores can stay in the air for up to a few hours and travel with the wind miles and miles from the source. When mold precipitates, it stays dormant awaiting the opportunity to germinate and grow.
During warm months, environmental mold finds its way into your house, where it eventually precipitates with other dust particles. Usually, indoor conditions are too uncomfortable for mold: it is too dry for the mold’s taste, and “food” is limited. As a result, the concentration of indoor mold in the average Canadian house is 2-5 times lower than the outdoor mold level.
The situation changes dramatically when water gets inside the house. Damp wood, paper, drywall, and even plastic tuns into mold breeding grounds and it is a matter of a few days before you will see mold stains on water-damaged materials. Another indication of a mold outbreak would be the characteristic musty smell of a wet basement.
We, at LCS Laboratory, have many years of experience in collecting and analysis of mold spores. Our service includes a site visit, air sampling of the indoor air, laboratory tests of the samples of air, and a comprehensive review and analysis of the laboratory results. We use multiple tools in order to pinpoint a mold outbreak: Comparison of indoor and outdoor levels; exploring areas with unusually high mold concentration, and we compare mold concentrations inside of your house with historical data for North American houses.
Why is it important to check your house for mold:
Mold testing is a proactive way of detecting possible issues around your house.
- Mold spores are common allergens and can be responsible for a “sick house syndrome” – you feel sick every time you spend some time in your own house.
- Some species of mold may cause diseases and especially in immunocompromised people.
- Excessive concentration of mold spores in the air is the earliest indicator of water damage to your house.
- Actively growing mold emits unpleasant odors annoying to tenants and visitors
Air-O-Cell cassette with inlet on the right
Who should test the air for mold in the air?
- Homeowners who experienced water leaks or floods should check the air quality in their homes to make sure that the family is safe.
- Mold remediation professionals should evaluate mold distribution throughout the house to be sure that the hidden pockets of the mold are not overlooked.
- Tenants who are unaware of water damage, but are experiencing allergic reactions when are in their houses, should check if their symptoms are mold-related.
- If you sell an older house with a history of water damage or mold remediation, you may use air testing as a way to demonstrate that the house is clean.
- When you are ready to give an offer for an older house, one more thing to consider is the air quality of your future home. Invite us to check mold level in the house.
- When your tenants are concerned about mold in the house, we can evaluate the objective evidence of air quality.
Service availability. We offer this service to residents of SW Ontario
What is the typical cost of the service? The cost depends on the driving distance to your property, the number of rooms that need to be tested, and the urgency of the project. For example, a test of a small apartment in London ON starts from $365. At the same time, a survey of a large property 2 hours away from our office, with the results reported the next day can cost as high as $1500.
To request a quote, please send us an email to info@lcslaboratory.com Tell us that you are looking for a mold testing estimate, introduce yourself, tell us where is the property that we need to visit, the number of rooms to be tested, and tell us how fast you need the results to be reported to you. We will reply back with an estimate.
About LCS Laboratory Inc., and this test. We are a professional testing laboratory located in London, Ontario. We offer this and other services for homeowners and construction professionals. Please email us if you have any questions. Thank you for your interest and stay safe.
