MOLD TEST KITS: Why You Should Not Do-It-Yourself

Using a “do-it-yourself” (DIY) mold test kit to evaluate whether a home has a mold problem makes about as much sense as replacing an annual doctor exam with using a thermometer to take your temperature.  Just as a person could be very ill while maintaining a normal temperature, a home could have a serious mold problem, even though a DIY test was negative.

Designing, executing, and understanding a comprehensive indoor mold assessment is difficult enough for professional mold consultants.  The best ones understand that building dynamics, hidden mold, historical damage, sampling techniques, analytical methods, and many other factors can influence the accuracy and effectiveness of diagnosing indoor mold problems.

Unlike chemical testing, no dose response curves have been developed for mold exposure.  Therefore, sample results will often raise more questions than answers.  Mold spores are always present in indoor environments. They enter buildings through doors and windows, and usually are not a problem unless they have suitable nutrients for growth.  All building materials can support mold growth IF sufficient moisture is present.  Moisture can come from leaks, floods, or excess humidity.

When sufficient moisture is present, certain molds that are usually minor constituents of outdoor air grow disproportionately to predominant outdoor molds that grow on decayed vegetation.  The molds that grow indoors on wet drywall, wood, and other cellulose materials are most frequently in the genera, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Stachybotrys, and Chaetomium.  These molds can present health problems when they grow indoors.  In addition to allergic reactions, triggering of asthma, and infections, many molds that grow indoors produce secondary metabolites, such as toxins.   The tightness of indoor environments can promote exposures and adverse health to occupants of water damaged buildings.

The single best tool in a mold assessment, whether it is performed by a professional or a do-it-yourselfer, is a detailed visual inspection.  The simplest inspection involves observations of mold growth after a water damage event.  If you see it, yes it is there, and must be addressed to prevent air quality problems.  More involved inspection that require professionals are those in which prior unmitigated water damage has been concealed or construction defects result in hidden water damage in ceiling, wall, or floor cavities.

For the do-it-yourself mold tester, the best that can be expected from a home test kit is to identify the type of mold is visibly growing on a surface.  However, if it is growing, the source of moisture must be corrected and the mold must be removed under controlled conditions.  Since remediation procedures are not dictated by the type of, testing is usually a waste of money.  If the area of growth is small and a low likelihood exists for hidden mold, addressing the mold according to EPA guidelines found in A Brief Guide to Moisture, Mold and Your Home (epa.gov) is sufficient.  If the mold covers a large area or hidden mold is suspected, a professional remediator is usually required to avoid hazardous exposures and cross-contamination to unaffected areas.

The worst outcome from a do-it-yourself mold test kit is that negative results will give a false sense of security when in fact hidden mold problems do exist.   False negative are common in culture plate kits (petri dishes) that instruct the user to place the open plate in a room for a specified period of time to collect mold that settles from the air.  The lab reports for settling plates might list several types of mold that grew the petri dish.  However, the data is usually inconclusive at best.  One problem with “settling plate” is that all molds do not settle at the ratio in which they are found in the air.  Therefore, many species can go undetected.  Another issue is that the actual concentrations of mold spores per volume of air cannot be calculated because the sampling method cannot quantify the amount of air to which the culture plate is exposed.  Additionally, the methodology does not address whether the molds entered from outdoors or were from areas of actual indoor mold sources.

Another type of test that might be recommended for the culture plates is to tape the open culture plate to a supply register to allow the air from an operating HVAC system to impact the plate for a specified time.  Unfortunately air exiting from the airducts does not necessarily represent air within the home because the air that passes through a filter before impacting the culture plate.  Additionally, the likelihood that contaminants would actually be released from an area of growth, enter the air stream, be sucked into the return ducts, pass through the filter, and ultimately end up on the culture plate is very low. 

Swab type test kits are commonly available for DIYers.  Directions generally instruct the user to wipe the swab over a small area (usually 1 sq. inch) of suspect mold growth.   The resultant lab report might list several molds that were found in the swab sample, but this method cannot differentiate between settled spores and what might have actually been growing on the surface.   In either case, the results should not be mistaken to represent the moldiness of the whole house.

Still another type of surface sample that can be found in home mold test kits is a tape lift sample, which involves using clear cellophane tape to “lift” suspect mold from a surface.  This type of sample can be useful in identifying not only the type of mold that is present on a surface, but can also differentiate between actual mold growth and spores that settled from the air.   But the sample would be representative of the tested area only and would not provide information on the overall mold conditions in the indoor environment.

Mold testing can be a useful tool in the hands of a knowledgeable investigator that designs a sampling plan to address a question that cannot otherwise be answered.  Unfortunately, even within the mold assessment and remediation industries, few investigators understand the principles of microbiology, building science, engineering, and scientific methods that are required to conduct a meaningful mold investigation.  With so many variables and limitations in mold testing and analytical methods, “do-it-yourself” mold test kits are generally a waste of time and money.

From Our Video Archives: Sanit-Air Featured On PBS “The Business Page” Television Program

The nationally recognized Public Broadcasting System affiliate in Detroit, WTVS Channel 56, produced and aired a wonderful local business program titled “The Business Page.” Sanit-Air and our team of environmental IAQ experts and technicians had the distinct pleasure of an extensive feature on “The Business Page.”

Producer Mike Echols narrates this business feature that serves as a nice introduction to the basic understanding of the workings of Sanit-Air and the foundation for our CleaniNEST™ brand and consumer crusade. We hope you find “The Business Page” feature on Sanit-Air informative.

Can This, Not That: How To Preserve Contents After Mold Infestation

There are no simple answers to questions that arise regarding saving personal belongings and furniture after an indoor environment is contaminated with mold.  Generally, from an insurance perspective, only items that are directly impacted by water from a covered water loss are covered for cleaning or replacement.  However, contents that are impacted by spores, mold fragments, mold toxins, and volatile organic compounds that are liberated from areas of actual mold growth must be addressed to prevent cross-contamination when moved to a new environment or returned after a structure is remediated.   Decisions on restorable must be made on a case by case basis, and are dependent on numerous factors, including:

• The severity of the airborne contamination
• The effectiveness of capture and containment methods if contents are present during structural remediation
• The length of time in which the contents were exposed
• The origin of the water loss, clean water versus sewage or other contaminated water source
• Humidity control
• The sensitivity or susceptibility of occupants

The primary objective of remediation, whether for structure or contents, should be protection of health. Financial practicality might be considered for low level contamination, but should not be a major criterion for immune-compromised or other sensitized individuals.  Compared to the devastating emotional and health consequences that many people experience with repeated exposure to contaminated contents, financial concerns are inconsequential.

Some people are unable to salvage any items from a contaminated home, while some individuals experience no adverse health symptoms if all items are saved.  For the majority of the population, a combination of cleaning and discarding proves to be effective.

The following guidelines are designed to address content restoration for healthy individuals in homes with low to moderate contamination.

CONTENT DECISION MAKING

 A.  Separate contents according to porosity.

1. 1. Hard surfaced items, such as metal, plastic, sealed wood, and glass.
   2. Semi-porous items, such as unsealed wood, stone, leather.
   3. Porous items, such as cardboard, paper, fabric, and canvas.
   4. Items to Discard
      1. Items that display visible growth
      2. Porous padded items, such as pillows, upholstered furniture that are exposed to a highly contaminated environment or exposed for extended time
      3. Mattresses that are exposed to a highly contaminated environment or exposed for extended time
      4. Books, paper, and stuffed animals that are exposed to a highly contaminated environment or exposed for extended time

B.  Porous, padded items with short exposure to low concentrations of mold

1. Agitate books, papers, photos, etc. over the inlet of a HEPA-filtered air scrubber.  HEPA-vacuum.
2. Porous padded items, HEPA-vacuum, agitate/compress, HEPA-vacuum again.

C.   Hard Surfaced Items

1.   Clean by HEPA-vacuuming and damp-wiping
2. Use compressed air to clean cracks and crevices
3. Submerse glass, dishes, pots, pans, or clean in dishwasher

D.  Clothing

1. Launder washable item with detergent, dry in dryer
2. Select several representative items (fluffy sweater, wool coat, silk blouse) for dry-cleaning.  Select a dry cleaner that uses special procedures for mold-contaminated items.  The procedures should include filtering of the fluid to remove mold spores.  Once cleaned, items are to be tested using both direct exam and culturable dust sample method.  Test results should demonstrate that target fungi, such as Penicillium, Chaetomium, Aspergillus, and Stachybotrys, are not present. 

E.  Appliances

1. Items with insulation are not likely salvageable if exposed to high concentrations of mold or if exposed for a long period.   If exposure was short and concentrations were low, the items should be professional cleaned by disassembly, using a combination of compressed air, HEPA-vacuuming and damp-wiping.
2. Items without insulation should be disassembled and cleaned using compressed air, HEPA-vacuuming and damp-wiping.

F.  Art Work

1. Remove craft paper backing and discard
2. Clean by positioning the painting of the inlet of a HEPA-filtered air scrubber.  Starting at the top of the painting, use an art brush to systematically brush toward the bottom.  Repeat with a clean brush.  HEPA-vacuum and damp-wipe the frame.

Making decisions to discard items with high intrinsic or monetary value, such as antiques, memorabilia, and photographs, can be especially troubling when someone is already dealing with the health, emotional, or financial consequences from a mold infestation.  When possible, questionable items should be stored in sealable containers so that decisions can be made at a time when health and stress levels have improved.   

Home Based Toxins Can Cause Serious Injuries

Based on scientific studies, there are huge compelling pieces of evidence that support the validity of adverse environmental neurotoxic health effects of toxigenic mold and mycotoxins.   If this statement sounds like scary science, it’s because it is.   Exposure to the toxins produced by certain molds that grow on water-damaged building materials can cause neurological disorders that manifest as difficulty concentrating, memory loss, and other symptoms of cognitive impairment.  These adverse effects have been shown to occur in adults and children.

On another toxic note – Lead poisoning in children can reduce IQ, cause learning disabilities and impair hearing. Lead can damage a child’s kidneys and central nervous system, and cause anemia, convulsions and even death.

According to the US Dept of Housing & Urban Development (HUD), nearly one million U.S. kids under age six have blood lead levels high enough to impair their ability to think, concentrate and learn.

Thirty-five percent of all houses in the US have lead-based paint.  As little as one gram of lead dust from sanding a wall can contaminate an entire house.  Lead-based paint was banned in 1978.

 Imagine the excitement of moving into an older home that you purchased at a bargain price because it was about to go into foreclosure.  You move your family into the home and proceed with repairs that include ripping out water damaged walls and ceilings.  Several months after moving in, your seven-year old child begins to fall behind in school.  The pediatrician determines that the child has lead poisoning, with the possibility that treatment to remove the lead might not completely reverse the learning disabilities.

Also imagine that you purchase your family’s dream home, which is a ten year old four thousand square foot “mansion” with ample space for the kids to have a recreation room and you to set up an exercise room.  About six months after moving in, your twelve year old’s report card shows D’s in subjects where he previously had A’s and B’s.  After almost a year of doctor visits and testing, you learn that the child has suffered from exposure to toxigenic mold that is growing within wall cavities.  Inspections show that the house was very poorly constructed.

Both of these scenarios are true stories from my clients.  In addition to the physical symptoms, the psychological aftermath in both families was devastating.  The only positive outcome is that these families spread the word to their families, friends, and colleagues.  These referrals helped numerous families avoid the purchase of “dream home” nightmares, and provided the necessary information for many other families to corrected hazards before moving into houses with problems that could be mitigated in a cost-effective manner.

Crawlspaces & Ventilation: 10 Fun Facts & Random Observations

1. Inside the living space of a property, proper ventilation is absolutely crucial to the health, safety, and overall comfort of the occupants inside the home.

2.  Standards and guidelines have been established to specify minimum ventilation rates and other measures intended to provide indoor air quality that is acceptable to human occupants and that minimizes adverse health effects. More info here:  http://eetd.lbl.gov/ie/viaq/v_rates_1.html

3.  Improving the overall air quality inside a property can be achieved by two methods:

•    Exhausting air contaminants from the building
•    Removing contaminants from the air stream using filtration and/or absorption technologies (i.e. HEPA filtration and activated carbon)

Since most residential properties do not have access to proper filtration or absorption technologies, exhaust ventilation is most practical and commonly used.

4. In addition to improper ventilation, excessive or chronic water intrusion into the property, especially the crawlspace, will contribute to the growth of certain microorganisms.  This can lead to mold infestation impacting Indoor Air Quality, and even more destructive structural damage such as wood decay or dry rot.

5. Water intrusion into the crawlspace will often cause damage to flooring systems (i.e. cupping of hardwood floors, grout separation in tile floors, etc.), wood decay, and oxidation or rusting of metal strapping/hardware.

6. Water enters a crawlspace in either liquid or vapor phase by four moisture transfer mechanisms:

•    Liquid water (i.e. plumbing/sewer leaks, high groundwater table, drainage or exterior flooding)
•    Capillary suction or wicking (i.e. moisture being drawn through concrete footing from saturated exterior soils)
•    High moisture laden air (i.e. elevated humidity from atmospheric conditions entering the crawlspace through vents)
•    Vapor diffusion (i.e. moisture in the vapor phase moving through building materials)

7. Most properties are constructed with vents that are intended to remove moisture from the air in a crawlspace by cross-ventilation.   However, the introduction of moist air from outdoors can actually increase the relative humidity in a crawlspace.

8. Due to stack effect and vapor diffusion, which is a very powerful force, moisture in a crawlspace will seek dry areas.  When moist air comes in contact with  a surface that is colder than the  air, condensation will occur.  Condensation can develop on uninsulated plumbing pipes in the crawlspace, on the underside of a sub-floor, or even the attic roof deck.  Interestingly, many houses with exposed wet soil in a crawlspace also have mold and water damage due to condensation on the underside of the roof deck. 

9. If vapor diffusion from the soil, water intrusion from poor drainage, unmitigated plumbing leaks, or infiltration of moist air exist in a crawlspace, one or more of the following is usually observed:

•   Surface mold growth, structural damage, and health issues
•   Termite or other pest infiltration
•   Accumulation of odors  
•   Termite or other pest infestation

10.  The best way to mitigate crawlspace moisture is to treat the crawlspace as a conditioned space by (1) insulating walls with foam panels, (2) seal the crawlspace floor and walls with heavy gauge polyethylene or vinyl encapsulation system, with the seams sealed tightly at all edges and overlaps, (3) seal the rim joists with two-part closed cell foam.

Creepy Crawlspace: A Major Source of Contamination In 9 out of 10 Homes

What can you expect to find in a typical crawlspace? It has been determined, after reviewing thousands of air samples collected from properties with occupants that suffer from poor indoor air quality, that the source of contamination in 9 out of 10 homes comes from a poorly ventilated crawlspace. Common environmental contaminants found in crawlspaces include mold contamination, radon gas, pathogenic bacteria, fiberglass, pesticides, foul odors, asbestos fibers, raw sewage, and/or rodent excretions. Although some of these contaminants are classified as allergens, some are classified as carcinogens, which is why evaluating these air contaminants is important and significant.

If it’s in your crawlspace, it’s in your home! Studies have shown that approximately 40%-50% of the air inside the home generates from the crawlspace. Contaminated crawlspace air will enter the home through pressurization differentials or a condition known as the “Stacking Effect.” Inside a house, warm air rises (especially in multi-story properties) which then reduces the pressure in the base of the house (i.e. crawlspace or basement). This reduction in pressure then forces cooler air from the crawlspace to infiltrate the home through plumbing and electrical penetrations, through cracks or seams in flooring, and up into wall cavities.

During property inspections, crawlspaces are often the most overlooked and under-inspected areas of a property, yet they continue to be the source of more damage than any other area of the house. Crawlspaces are a major source of indoor air quality (IAQ) problems and should be one of the first places you and/or your IAQ Specialist inspect when trying to determine any suspect indoor air quality issues.

Interview: The Craig Fahle Show On WDET Public Radio | Topic: Avoiding An Unhealthy Money Pit

The Dirty Secret On Foreclosures: Avoiding An Unhealthy Money Pit. WDET Public Radio host, Craig Fahle, interviews me on the topic of hidden hazards when purchasing a foreclosed home. Learn what to look out for and and tips on protecting your potential investment.

Caring for Aging Parents Podcast with WWJ-AM 950 Reporter, Pat Sweeting

Since 1981, Pat Sweeting has been a valued employee of the nation’s oldest commercial radio station, where there’s always something to keep the adrenaline pumping in overdrive. Pat joined WWJ Newsradio 950 as a news anchor and reporter. Over the years, she has interviewed everyone from Presidents to Hollywood stars to a Grand Wizard of the Michigan Ku Klux Klan as he was pelted with vegetables by passing protestors. Pat has also been able to work on breaking news and award winning stories.

For years you’ve also heard Sweeting bring you health and lifestyle news in a trio of feature reports: “60 Seconds on Health”, “Your Health” and “Prescription for Health.” She has now re-focused her efforts towards more general reporting, but continues to watch for interesting and exciting medical and lifestyle news from doctors, hospitals and universities at home and around the world.

PODCAST ONE: Pat speaks with Environmental Scientist and Indoor Air Quality & Mold Expert Connie Morbach, M.S., CHMM, CIE on the merits of having your home inspected before renovating or putting it on the market. Here’s the link to the podcast: http://67.72.16.166/wwj/2293214.mp3

PODCAST TWO: Pat and Connie also discuss on her Caring for Aging Parents 03/26 podcast, in-home air quality and its implications for Aging In Place. Listen to the podcast here: http://67.72.16.166/wwj/2293210.mp3

What’s in Household Dust? Don’t Ask! Time Magazine Reports.

There’s a higher ick factor to dust than you might think. And there’s a science to how it gets around — a science that David Layton and Paloma Beamer, professors of environmental policy at the University of Arizona, are exploring. Here’s the link to the story: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1966870,00.html

Can Exposed Individuals Return to Contaminated Homes After Remediation?

The answer to this question is dependent upon many variables with the most important being, “how has the receptor (the exposed person) changed?” I have performed post remediation testing on thousands of homes. I always collect a combination of culturable and spore trap samples, as well as settled dust if indicated. Most of the time occupants are able to return to effectively remediated houses. However, sometimes people who become sick from mold exposure are not able to re-occupy even though all results, including ERMI testing or Environmental Moldiness Index (a DNA-based test that compares mold profiles in typical homes vs. contaminated homes), demonstrated acceptable conditions.  In these cases, the affected individuals had one or a combination of the following exposure issues:

1. They lived in the contaminated house for many years
2. Remediation was performed with sub-standard containment measures
3. They spent most of their time in the home
4. They attempted to remediate mold themselves

The individuals in these cases were so adversely affected that very low, often undetectable levels of contamination triggered reactions.

The inability to re-occupy a remediated home without symptoms becomes a point of contention with insurance companies, which generally claim that the house must only be restored to conditions that existed prior to the loss.  Insurance companies generally will not address the fact that irreversible health effects preclude safe reoccupancy of a remediated house for some people. Far too often the outcome is emotional and financial devastation.