If you’ve ever dealt with mold, you know there are several different types of mold that you might encounter. Part of the work that a mold restoration company does is process mold testing so they really know just what they are up against. 

Here’s a brief look into the mold inspection and testing process. 

Visual Inspection for Mold Testing

The first part of the process is to visually assess the affected area. At this point, the assessor you are using will come in and take a look around. They probably won’t use any equipment here, but may use a flashlight and basic tools for getting to areas. 

You might find assessors that use a camera here as well so they have that visual aid. The inspection is just to get an initial idea of the moldy situation. 

Types of Mold

There are several different types of mold out there. They all have scientific names. While you may be familiar with a label like “black mold,” that is not the official name. 

In areas like Florida, these are the most common. 

• Alternaria
• Arthrinium
• Ascospores
• Fusarium
• Stachybotrys
• Botrytis
• Chaetomium
• Cladosporium
• Aspergillus/Penicillium
• Basidiospores
• Bipolaris/Drechslera

We’re not going to go into each of these in detail. Your mold expert will be able to help determine what you are facing. Aspergillus/Penicillium are the most common mold categories. You can find them indoors or outdoors. They flourish in high humidity and can cause infection. 

Cladosporium is another common genera found both indoors and outdoors when dampness or condensation is present. Chaetomium is typically indoors and can be found on materials like sheetrock, wallpaper, and more. 

In the category of black mold, you are probably looking at stachybotrys. This grows indoors and is typically related to water damage. 

Mold Testing Process

Mold assessment can be done in different ways. The easiest way is to simply have a visual inspection from an expert. However, not all mold is easily visible, so there are alternative methods as well. 

Air Sample

Testing can be completed by taking a sample from the air. This is completed using a spore trap to try to capture particles in the air. It’s a sticky surface that captures the particles passing through. That sample goes through analysis. 

Surface Sample

Surface samples can be taken using either a swab sample, tape sample, or bulk samples, which are actually pieces of contaminated materials that are removed from the property. These methods take mold directly from the surface where it is present or thought to be present.

Those samples go to the lab for testing in order to determine exactly what they are. 

How Restoration Xperts Can Help with Mold Testing

You may not require mold testing if you can clearly see the mold; however, it might be helpful in some cases. Mold is no joke, so always be sure to use someone who is trained to handle it. 

At Restoration Xperts, we can help with your mold identification as well as remediation and restoration as needed. Let us know how we can help!