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What You Should Know About Testing For Stachybotrys Mold
Mon 29 Jan 2007 - 09:14
What You Should Know About Testing For Stachybotrys Mold
By Rich Fuller
Stachy-what??
Stachybotrys is the name of that nasty black mold that you commonly see growing in homes. It causes all kinds of health problems and should be removed immediately.
Unfortunately, we don't often see black mold. In many cases it remains hidden in the home. It may be difficult for you to pinpoint your own mold problem.
Why Testing For Mold?
There are generally two reasons why you might want to seek testing for stachybotrys mold:
* You are suffering from mold-related health problems but cannot find the mold yourself. There are people all over the web who tell you how terrible mold in your home can be, and then follow it up by telling you that they'll test it for you. You might be surprised to learn this, but mold cleanup is a big business and there are mold scams out there!
Because mold can be a serious health risk, testing for stachybotrys mold may be a good idea if you suspect there's hidden mold in hard-to-reach places. But, keep in mind that it is not cheap, and the money you pay for testing does not go towards cleanup. If you are sure that you have a mold problem, you might be better off shelling out the cash to just have it cleaned.
* You are a landlord, you are selling your home, or you are making an insurance claim. In this case, someone may ask you to get evidence of stachybotrys in your home. If you are asked for a sample, you may want to just send them a sample. Carefully get a tiny bit of mold on some material in your house, carefully seal it up (this point is very important!) and give it to the interested party.
There are no federal standards for testing. In other words, there is no "rate of mold infestation" or "spore count" or any kind of yardstick like that to measure it against. A mold test can basically tell you whether you have a mold problem or not.
What Do They Do When They Test For Mold?
If you definitely need the tests done, you will have to have a mold inspector come to your home and take samples. These samples must be laboratory inspected and certified (that's why it costs so much!). This will provide official lab-tested evidence that there is mold in the home.
You may be able to get a mold inspection done for as little as a couple hundred dollars. Other companies charge much more than that. Another option is to get a mold inspection kit that you can use by yourself to determine how much mold there is in your house. You can buy them at your local hardware or home goods store.
A mold inspection kit is especially good if you are trying to find hidden mold in your house. It will tell you exactly where the problem is, and you can save your money for the cleanup.
When testing for mold, or doing anything at all involving mold, make sure you are protected. Wear goggles, a face mask, gloves, and protective clothing. When handling mold, make sure it does not get onto anything else in your house. Make sure you have proper ventilation, because the mold spores may get all over the place while you clean.
Learn more about black mold on vinyl siding on our site. You'll also find other information such as health problems with toxic mold and toxic black mold removal. ToxicBlackMoldHelp.org is a comprehensive resource to help individuals to test and inspect, identify health symptoms and removal of toxic black mold.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rich_Fuller
http://EzineArticles.com/?What-You-Should-Know-About-Testing-For-Stachybotrys-Mold&id=434943
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