Mold Removal Unit

Mold Home Test Kits Expose the Dangers of Indoor Air

Mold home test kits are exposing the toxins in our homes. A simple air test or surface sample taken from inside your home can provide you with answers to what has been triggering the respiratory or health conditions plaguing you or your family members.

Indoor Air Quality
Have you suspected that you may be allergic to something in your home? Has your breathing felt laboured, or have you been suffering from flu-like symptoms on a regular basis? If you or a family member suffers from asthma or respiratory problems that seem to become aggravated when inside the house, then an air quality test may be required.

Your home should be a sanctuary, a place where you can rest your head at night and feel safe. Mold home test kits have helped to raise awareness about such issues as poor quality air present in many homes. Dangerous household molds have been pinpointed as being the source for respiratory problems and other health concerns for many who are unfortunately unaware of an existing mold problem in their home.

Mold Growth
Mold typically grows on organic materials such as drywall, paper, wood and other cellulous materials, and requires damp or wet surfaces to thrive and spread. Black mold (Stachybotrys) is a lethal type. This toxic mold has been linked to fatal pulmonary disorders and other serious health conditions.

Who is at Risk
All persons exposed to mold, especially the toxic kind, are at risk for potential health problems. Individuals at a higher risk for adverse health effects include pregnant women, children, the elderly, and those with a compromised immune system or respiratory condition.

Mold Home Test Kits
If you can locate the mold source in your home, you may want to take a surface sample to identify whether or not the mold is toxic. A mold home test kit is simple to use; however, it can be hazardous to those with health conditions. Consult your physician before tackling this type of job in case your health is compromised.

Use gloves (discard after use) and apply the sticky side of a piece of tape to the mold-infested area. Seal the sample inside a ziploc bag, and send it to a laboratory for testing. Meticulous care and handling should be taken in order not to disturb the moldy area as mold spores may spread to other damp areas of the home. You may choose to call a trained indoor air quality investigator to take the sample for you. Do not panic if the test identifies a toxic mold problem; there are remediation procedures that can effectively remove and eradicate mold.

If you suspect that there may be mold in your house, but are unaware of its location, mold home test kits are available to measure air samples effectively. Once the problem of mold has been addressed, take the following measures to control moisture build-up in your home:

• find and fix any existing water leaks
• install a de-humidifier in the basement
• use an air purifier to cleanse the air

You will definitely breathe better when you clean up the air in your home.

Written by Gary Martin
Gary Martin is a freelance writer specializing in health and allergy research for the Mold Removal Unit website.