Mold Bacteria Consulting Services

Serving Ontario and British Columbia

You are here: Home / iBlog

Indoor Air Quality: Testing for Mold Contamination in Buildings

Testing for mold contamination in buildings may involve collection and analysis of the following types of samples:

Air Samples

Air samples may be collected for total spore/hyphal fragment count (non-culture analysis) or for culture analysis. The analysis includes enumeration and identification of significant species. Both non-culture and culture analyses have some limitations. For example with non-culture analysis, identification of mold spores to species is difficult and for culture analysis only the viable spores/hyphal fragments are detected. In some situations, a combination of the 2 types of samples is recommended.

Tape, Bulk, Swab, Dust Samples for Direct Microscopic and Culture Analysis

Tape, swab, and dust samples are taken from surfaces suspected of mold contamination. For bulk, a piece building material such as a piece of carpet, drywall, insulation material or wood is collected. The analyses of these samples by direct microscopy allows identification to genus but experienced mycologists may identify some molds to species.

If identification to species is required, the samples are cultured in some suitable media. However, as was mentioned for air samples, only viable mold would grow in media. It is therefore recommended that both direct microscopy and culturing are used when identification of species is required.

For details on types of mold testing, click Services.

What Type of Black Mold is Growing in My Home?

If a house is constantly damp due to leaks or condensation black mold can sometimes be found growing on paper of dry wall, windowsills, wood, behind wall paper, baseboards, carpets or on ceiling tiles. A number of molds are potentially toxic fungi and have been associated with adverse health effects in some individuals. Current Canadian recommendations advise building occupants to clean-up and/or remove visible mold growth. The Canadian Construction Association has provided guidelines on how to deal with indoor mold growth. The key to control mold growth is to reduce or eliminate moisture.

If you see visible mold growth, you may submit tape or bulk samples directly to the laboratory to determine what type of black mold is growing in your house. The laboratory report will include health effects (if known) associated with the identified mold. It is also recommended that you contact a mold professional or a public health inspector in your area who may help to assess the level of mold contamination and advise on clean-up.

For information on how to collect and send a tape or bulk sample to the lab click Mold in Home. For a list of mold testing companies in your area, click Mold Testing Companies Directory.

What Are the Early Signs of Mould Growth?

A concerned homeowner wanted to know the early signs of mould growth. At the initial stages of growth, mould may not be visible to the unaided eye. However, prevailing indoor conditions are a good indicator of potential mould growth. If the building has excess moisture due to roof or pipe leaks, flooding or condensation one would expect visible mould growth to appear on the damp surfaces at some point.

Musty or earthy odour could suggest there was some hidden microbial growth behind and underneath surfaces, such as carpets, wallpaper, cabinets, and walls. Visible mould growth may appear hairy or as slimy coloured patches that increase in size as the mould grows. It is difficult to tell the type of mould growing on a surface on the basis of colour. It is erroneously thought that visible black mould growth is Stachybotrys. There are many other indoor moulds that appear black or grey. The best way to know the type of mould growing indoors is to send a sample to a reputable laboratory for testing. For details on how one can take and send a sample to a laboratory click Mould in Your House.

Mould Training And Certification

The mould inspection and remediation industry has created a demand for mould training at various levels. Some organizations provide mould awareness seminars to property managers, renovation and general contractors, lawyers dealing with mould issues and insurance adjusters among others. The mould awareness seminars are not meant to turn an individual to professional mould inspectors. The seminars usually cover topics such as the causes of mould growth, mould growth control and mould remediation.

Short courses leading to some sort of certification are also out there. Whereas short mould training courses may be adequate to equip one with basic mould investigation and sample collection, a longer mould training or a strong background in microbiology is required for one to be able to deal with the intricacies of mould investigation and testing.

If looking for a comprehensive short mould training course, visit http://www.moldbacteria.com/training.html. This course is meant for:

  • Industrial hygienists,
  • Environmental consultants,
  • Home Inspectors,
  • General contractors,
  • Cleaning and restoration contractors,
  • Property managers,
  • Insurance adjusters, financial, and legal professionals who deal with mould issues.

Mould Growth: When Should One Be Concerned?

People are today more aware of health effects associated with mould than they were 10-15 years ago. When should one be concerned with indoor mould growth? The simple answer is that mould should never be allowed to grow indoors. Apart from being unsightly and a potential health hazard, mould breaks down the materials it is growing on thus reducing their value and structural integrity.

If one happens to find mould growth in their homes or offices, my advice would be not to panic but to seek professional help. There are close to 200 mould species that have been reported from indoor environment and most of these are quite rare indoors. Also, only a few of these would be considered a health risk. The amount of mould growth, the types of mould present, individual health status and for how long one has been exposed to airborne mould (spores and hyphal fragments) are some of the factors that would determine if one is at risk or not. A professional would be able to determine some of these factors and be able to advise occupants if they were possibly at risk of mould exposure.

Should you have a mould problem or question, please call (905)290-9101.

Salmonella food poisoning and symptoms

Salmonella food poisoning has been a growing concern in recent news. It has frequently lead to recalls of beef, salads and organic products and, even peanut butter products. Salmonella food poisoning occurs when one eats raw or undercooked foods such meat, poultry, eggs or egg products. Properly cooked food can get contaminated with Salmonella if […]

Legionella pneumophila – Guidelines for Laboratory Interpretation

Legionella pneumophila is a Gram negative, aerobic bacteria that is characterized as an opportunistic pathogen. It is the cause of Legionnaires’ Disease, a severe form of pneumonia and, it is the cause of Pontiac fever, a non-pneumonic form of L. pneumophila infection. Legionella spp.’s mode of transmission is through aerosols or aspiration of contaminated water. The Public Health […]

The Indoor Mold Is An Early Warning Device

The mold (or mould, in the Queen’s English) has been the victim of a bad press. Mention the word and it conjures up an image of something rotting or in the process of decomposition. And yet, were it not for the mold that inspired the discovery of penicillin millions of lives would have been lost. […]