You suspect mold in your home. Someone in your family has symptoms that baffle doctors. Where do you start?
Test your home before cutting into any drywall or lifting any carpet. Disturbing the mold spores can make a situation much worse.
Preliminary testing can be done with a simple moisture meter obtained from a local hardware store. Place probes in suspected wall to see if hidden moisture is present.
Thermal imaging is a new technology that peeks behind walls without disturbing spores. Personal thermal imaging devices are now available through FLIR ONE.
There are several options for testing. Mold plates found in hardware stores do not “pull” the air and provide a limited picture of your air. A toxic mold issue can easily be missed when using this product.
Initial testing can include an ERMI (Environmental Relative Moldiness Index) test. This involves a dust sample. Labs which offer this service include EMSL Analytical, EMLab P&K, EnviroBiomics, and Mycometrics.
The ERMI analysis offered by Mycometrics is available for $290 plus return shipping. Mycometrics also offers the HERTSMI test, which tests for 5 species of mold for $155 plus return shipping. Both tests use a Swiffer-type cloth to obtain the dust. You may order either test through the momsAWARE Online Store.
For more information on the ERMI testing method, see the posts How to Test for Toxic Mold and How to Interpret ERMI Mold Tests.
Another option is an air test, which is less optimal than a dust or tape sample. However, when taken in conjunction with dust samples, it can be a valuable tool.
A third option is a tape sample. This can be used if the mold is visible. EMLab P&K charges $30 per sample, with a $50 minimum. (Prices subject to change.)
A fourth option is a combination of carpet dust samples, air samples, and tape lifts done by a hygienist. If you believe litigation will be involved, it is important to hire a hygienist.
Questions to ask before you hire a hygienist:
1. Do you believe mold is harmful? The answer must be yes.
2. What constitutes a “safe” level of mold? In an air sample, mold counts should be equal to or below outdoor counts. There should be no stachybotrys. Not one spore. Aspergillus should be present only at negligible levels. The standard in Belgium requires no more than 2 1/2 percent aspergillus in the total count. Our hygienist cleared our home with 40% aspergillus. I wish I had known to look for this.
3. Can I see the report? Do not rely on a hygienist’s word. It’s important to see your counts for yourself. Especially when it comes to levels of aspergillus.
If your symptoms are severe, consider leaving the environment to see if you feel better.
The cost associated with mold testing is often a stumbling block, but it can save you thousands of dollars later. And think of what you would save if you have this kind of test done when buying a home! Our family’s story is proof of this.
For mold remediation, you will want to choose a qualified company. See the post How to Choose a Mold Remediation Company.
Where do you begin medically? You can take the VCS test available through Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker. This is an affordable way to determine if mold exposure is making you ill. There is a urine test available through RealTime Labs. This urine test is also available through Direct Laboratory Services, Inc. Look for the aflatoxin, ochratoxin, and tricothecene tests under the Allergy category.
It can be difficult to find a physician who understands toxic exposure. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine has a list of doctors who may or may not be familiar with toxic mold. The American Board of Environmental Medicine is preparing an Internet list of physicians. Another option is the Institute for Functional Medicine. The website Truth About Mold offers this list of physicians, mold experts, and attorneys.
The website Surviving Mold offers a list of certified physicians as well.
If you have a primary doctor willing to consider mold exposure as a cause of illness, ask for specific labwork such as c4a, VEGF, MSH, and leptin. Or ask for the full set of labs. Alternative health care offers a wide range of diagnostic and detox options, as well.
The mold journey is a daunting one, but knowledge is power. It is better to deal with mold than ignore it. Our story is extreme. I know of “happier” mold stories where mold was suspected, testing was done, and remediation performed. No one got sick, because the mold was dealt with quickly and thoroughly. I know of others who suspected mold and found nothing harmful.
We spent eight years without the knowledge that our home was making us sick. We’ve spent the time since vacating our home (October 2008) with it. Believe me, it’s much better to choose knowledge. It’s painful, but with truth, there is freedom.
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thanks for this great collation of info, andrea.
i’m looking at an old report, may i ask if i’m reading it correctly?
aspergillus:
raw count = 3
% = 43
ct/m3 = 158
this was before remediation, i’m ordering an ERMI to update. but the % seems high even though it was a normal company’s test, not an ERMI; are the results similar in reliability?
if a sensor was attached to ceiling for a week what should humidity read? in the room it’s about 35%.
thank you. glad you’re doing so much better.
I’m looking at the species – aspergillus is toxic and raises a red flag. I would definitely order a dust sample and see what you find. You’re smart to be asking this question. Humidity levels of less than 50% are recommended. Sounds like you’re on track with that.
I am suspecting very early stages of mold in my home, what test will give the most bang for my buck? I have 4 young children do money is tight, and when I do this I want to do it right!!! Thanks!
I would suggest the ERMI kit listed in this article. There are three labs that offer it. Extensive testing can cost thousands of dollars but this is less than 200 dollars (with the exception of Mycometrics which is 275 dollars)…It tests for 36 types of mold and can go a long way to helping you assess the situation. I’d be happy to look over any results with you. andrea@it-takes-time.com
I’ve recently moved into a rental home that turned out to have a mold problem- which I realized after I started having health issues and allergic reactions. The landlord confessed that there was a problem with water in the basement in the past. They had a mold company in to test the air and the levels came back positive for 6 different types of mold, 4 on my main living area: Ascospores 37.7%; Aspergillus|Penicillium 37.7%; Basidiospores 12.3%; Cladosporium 12.3%. In spite of these numbers the mold company gave it a “pass”. I’ve insisted that the landlord take action because I can no longer stay in the house for any length of time without the reaction. They just phoned to say they are running an ionizing machine in it this weekend. Do you know anything about this treatment and whether it is effective for mold/safe for humans? I will be gone for several days after they run it. They also have a mold company scheduled to come out in a week to fumigate. I have a really uneasy feeling and just wonder if you have any advice you can offer.
Thanks in advance and for all the information you have worked so hard to provide.
Fumigating doesn’t remove the source of the problem, which is why you’re uncomfortable. The air tests show a mold problem. Aspergillus should be no more than 2-3% of the total. (Standard in Belgium). This wasn’t even a dust sample which would likely show more types of mold. I know that I would not feel good about their plan of action. On the positive side, at least they are not going to tear into walls which would make this much worse. Keep trusting your gut, though. It’s your health and in the end you’re the expert. This is my direct email: andrea@it-takes-time.com
Thanks for all this info. Best web sight I’ve found! Can I trust someone that came into my home and said what kind of mold I had without testing? He didn’t tell me to get out but wanted to start remediation. This man seemed really trust worthy, has a good reputation, I just want to make sure. It’s a lot of money. Can an experienced person tell by examining the mold.
There is absolutely no way to assess a situation like this without proper testing. I would steer clear of this company and look for someone more qualified. This post should help:
http://it-takes-time.com/2015/06/how-to-choose-a-mold-remediation-company.html
You’re right to be asking this question, Georgia.
What circumstance would indicate that I should buy the more expensive test? I want to be as thorough as possible but money is extremely tight.
Thank you for any input.
It’s really hard to say, Molly. If there are serious health problems and visible mold sometimes that’s enough to evaluate a home.I always prefer the ERMI over the HERTSMI for a foundational test, but some people find what they need with the smaller test. I definitely would stay away from petri dish tests or cheap tests that don’t use dust to test.
Thank you. I have nine children with a variety of issues such as extreme exhaustion, allergies, OCD, learning difficulties, anxiety, and I’ve been ill for almost a year with joint and muscle pain, exhaustion, depression, abdominal issues, and memory problems. I plan to have is all tested for Lyme but want to investigate all possibilities. My husband has finally agreed to test for mold. We have several areas that have had water damage, plus a bathroom that is full of what my husband says is “just mildew” but I’m worried it is more than that.
So, I guess I was wondering how to know if there a to know if it is possibly something other than the five varieties the less expensive test covers. But I want to be as thorough as possible to get some answers.
Thank you for your quick response!
Hi!
I’m a young man from France suffering from severe chronic health issues (high functioning autism with tons of sensory issues, dysautonomia, horrible dysbiosis/IBS, cognitive issues/brain fog, CFS, mood problems, allergies…etc).
We have discovered very visible mold, probably surface only, in my parents tiny and poorly ventilated bathroom.
The basement has been flooded two times during the past 20 years but the water was like an inch tops, plus it dried out pretty quickly (minutes after the flooding), with no signs of visible mold growth.
We would like to test if there is a significant mold issue in our house due to the bathroom, but living in Europe, we cannot find any lab that does ERMI. Any pointers you’d be able to share? That would help us immensely!
Also judging by this, if there is indeed a mold problem because of the bathroom, do you think our other possessions could be harmed or necessitate costly decontamination (clothes, bedding, books…etc), even if the space where there’s mold growth Is very confined and limited to a very small, mostly closed, area?
Thanks a lot for your kind help and sharing your story
Kind regards
Unfortunately I don’t know what testing options exist in France. I believe Mycometrics offers its services internationally. It might be good to contact them. This sounds like a very serious mold situation. I would consider relocating until you figure this out. Good job making this connection.
Hi, thank you for sharing your story and taking the time to help people and answer questions. Sorry – this might be long but I will try to cut it down. My daughter (11) has had some serious health issues since 2015, which took almost a year to figure out. She has been in treatment now for Lyme and co plus PANDAS for about 1.5 years and is doing much better now but not 100%. Her specialist has suspected mold as my dd has MARCoNS, frequent congestion, asthma, and skin issues (eg rashes, dermatographia) plus her blood work shows elevated results for TGF-B 1 and multiple types of mold including stachy. She has tested moderately allergic to cladosporium and dust mites as well. Over the past couple of years my son (10) has struggled with diarrhea, ocular migraines, ear ringing, and periodic nausea/vomiting plus he is always congested with tons of mucus production. Anyhow, we have done an ERMI, which was not really significant as far as I know (-0.47) but it did show 1 of stachy and I was reading your post that said there should not even be 1. Plus there was another one that I remember reading about that was toxic that we had 2 of. We do have a leak that we have tried to fix that goes from our upstairs master bathroom into our kitchen ceiling and cupboard but we have never fully repaired it nor looked into possible damage or remediation. We are in so much debt due to paying out of pocket for my dd’s illnesses and I feel I have been in denial about mold. Today our master bath leaked again and we had someone come for a free estimate. He said there were a couple patches of mold in the drywall under the tub but he did not do more investigation than that. He already told me our insurance won’t cover mold and when I asked if it was black mold he said “the color doesn’t matter” so I knew right away I would be looking for a different professional. Anyhow, I just need advice on what the next step should be. We don’t smell or see mold anywhere but there are other clues (health) that it might be around. I have already filled out a contact form for a highly recommended mold guy (hygienist company) but I’m wondering at this point if we should go all out. My husband wants to tear out the bathtub/shower himself to check for further damage but I think that’s a bad idea, right? I’m thinking we should go with a pro right away? Sorry for all the questions. It’s just another situation in which I’m second-guessing myself. I hope you and your family are all doing well! Thanks again for all of your efforts to help others!
Ripping out drywall can make a situation much worse. You’re right about that. It’s possible this ERMI isn’t telling us exactly what’s going on. If there is a history of water leaks and health issues, you can assume they are related. It might be best to sell this home and relocate to something without a history of water leaks. With these health issues, it’s critical to have a home without a history of leaks. If you decide to remediate, this post should help: http://it-takes-time.com/2015/06/05/how-to-choose-a-mold-remediation-company/ You’re on the right track with this. Trust your gut above all else.