Mold Testing
Mold testing by Nonprofit Home Inspections can help you determine if your new home contains hidden black mold and other toxins that could jeopardize the safety of your family. Our certified home inspectors are able to conduct mold sampling as part of a whole home inspection. Our licensed home inspectors already obsessively look for moisture in homes we inspect (the prime culprit for mold growth), but taking the additional step of ordering mold testing and mold sampling for your home inspection can help find hidden sources of mold before it impacts your family.
Our nonprofit uses only accredited laboratories for analysis of our mold spore samples to help ensure accurate results. Within two business days of your mold testing, we will send you a complete MoldReport™ that explains the types of mold present, the exposure level relative to the exterior of the home, and the level of exposure inside the home. The report is packed with information on mold issues combined with an easy to read summary and MoldSCORE™ that gives you a specific breakdown on the amount of mold spores found in the home. Protecting yourself and your family from the damaging effects of excessive mold spores in the home with mold testing could not be easier.
Our home inspection includes a thorough examination of every visually accessible component in the home including the roof, attic, exterior, interior and crawlspace or basement. Our inspectors will document visual indications of potential mold problems, moisture intrusion problems and conditions conducive to mold growth (this portion of the report will be uploaded on the day of the inspection). If mold sampling is requested, we will then take one air sample inside the home and one air sample outside the home for comparison. These mold spore traps are sent by FedEx to a certified laboratory that generates a MoldReport™ with results within 2 business days.
In the video above, KATU Channel 2 News highlights Nonprofit Home Inspections’ efforts to help tenants have their own safe living conditions. This piece highlights an inspection that Tom Walther did for one of our clients awhile back. Armed with Tom’s excellent report and independent laboratory results, our clients were able to protect themselves from harmful living conditions. KATU’s story is located at https://katu.com/news/local/portlands-code-inspection-system-may-put-tenants-in-a-bind Thank you KATU for highlighting our work in the community!
Mold Testing – Frequently Asked Questions
It is rare and unusual to find black mold in houses, but it is not impossible. Black mold is not common, but when found can be seen as a health risk. If you have further concerns, it is recommended you contact the state health authority or local health departments.
Inspection results will take two days to receive because we send the samples and results to a laboratory for optimal and accurate test results.
During our home inspections, we are trained and actively looking for moisture problems. What that means for you is that we will be able to identify potential problem areas so you can take steps to protect your home and your family from the damaging effects of mold growth.
As a nonprofit organization, we are not driven by a profit motive, but are driven by a mission to help individuals and their families make safe, financially sound, and environmentally friendly housing decisions. Although we are licensed contractors, we do not do mold remediation because we believe it is a conflict of interest in both finding and then offering to treat problems that could cost a significant amount of money. If there is a problem with mold in your home, we will tell you, but we will not try to sell you unnecessary and ineffective treatment options if there isn’t a real problem. Knowledge is power, and requesting mold sampling in addition to your whole home inspection can help protect you and your family from the damaging effects of mold.
Please see our home inspection pricing page for pricing for mold sampling done as part of a whole home inspection.