Mold Bacteria Consulting Services

Serving Ontario and British Columbia

You are here: Home / Archives for mold in home

How Do I Know If I Have Black Mold in My Home

The only way to know whether you have black mold in your house is to have the mold tested by a qualified mold laboratory. If you have visible mold growth, you can easily take samples for laboratory testing by using clear scotch tape. All you need to do is to cut 2-3 inches of clear scotch tape and stick it onto the surface with mold growth. Then remove the tape and stick it onto a plastic bag and then send it to a lab. For details on mold testing click Mold Testing Kits For Homeowners And Property Managers.

If the mold is not visible but there is musty smell, you can take air samples. While negative air samples do not necessarily mean there is no mold growth, air samples can help in detecting hidden mold growth. For details on how to take air samples, please call 905-290-9101.

Do I Have Toxic Mold In My Home?

Often, people will ask the laboratory if it tests for toxic mold. The lab can test and identify any mold. If a mold is known to produce toxins (mycotoxins) the lab can provide this information. It is good to remember toxigenic molds (what the public refers to as toxic mold) do not produce the toxins all the time. Therefore, presence of a toxigenic mold in a house does not necessarily mean the occupants were exposed to mycotoxins. However, some of the toxic molds are also capable of causing mold allergy. Learn more on toxic mold in the article “Mycotoxins In Indoor Environment, Their Health Effects and the Moulds Producing Them”.

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. […]