Can You Test for Black Mold Without Calling a Pro?

“Black Mold” is used as a very broad term. There are tons of molds that are black, but one true “Black Mold” is called Stachybotrys.

A very common, dark colored mold that gets mistaken for Stachybotrys is called Cladosporium. It is dark in color, and it is everywhere in Florida. When you do find it in your home, it needs to be treated. Unless you are sensitive to it, it is not as dangerous to your health as Stachybotrys.

While Stachybotrys can be toxic to some people, Penicillium/Aspergillus is another very common mold that we find in homes. It can cause allergic responses, ie itchy eyes, runny nose, hay fever symptoms, etc. Penicillium/Aspergillus is a white fluffy mold. Granted, I have also seen it been a million different colors… Which brings me to the importance of testing.

There is no reason for you to panic when you find mold in your home. It can be unsettling, but it is very easy to test for and treat.

We get calls all the time about a customer being worried about mold in their home, so they went to Home Depot, Lowes, etc. and bought a test kit. Example. These are really fun science experiments, and that is all they are. Swabs and petri dish sample methods are highly inaccurate and don’t provide you with accurate results. They usually also don’t go to an accredited lab for analysis.

The best and only way to truly know what is growing in your home, is to have an air quality test done by a professional.

A mold inspection with air quality testing usually takes an hour and is relatively inexpensive. Call us at one of our offices (Central Florida: 813-606-6668, South Florida: 239-961-9995, North Florida: 904-397-4030). Alternatively, you can fill out our convenient online contact form and one of our experts will be in touch with you shortly.