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To find a
Certified
Mould Inspector
or Remediator
in your area,
or to be trained & certified as a mould inspection, testing,
remediation, and prevention expert, please visit:
Mould
Professional.
Mould Test Kits for
Carpeting and Padding
To test carpeting and padding
If carpeting and/or padding was wet for more than 24 hours, mould
growth has probably already begun in the carpeting and/or padding. One way
to test your padding and carpeting for mould growth is to attach one of our
mould test kits to the side of a cleaned, rubbing alcohol-disinfected box fan
so that the air flow through the fan comes from across the surface
of padding itself [the carpet having been pulled back] or the carpeting, and
then impacts air [and thus possibly mould spores] directly onto the open
sticky surface of the mould test kit that has been taped to the fan surface.
Run this fan test for 10 minutes, remove and seal the mould test kit, and
then observe the mould test kit for 7 days for how much mould growth has
happened, or send the kit a Certified Mold Laboratory for mould analysis and
identification.
Carpet,
Carpeting, Rugs, Padding
& Mould Problems
[August 6, 2003]
Q.
I have an air conditioner that leaks water, which we catch in a bucket.
Today I walked by the area, which is wet from a day or so ago when we let
the bucket overflow. There was a few dots of bright yellow substance on top
of the carpet. I asked my child if he had been eating something with
mustard on it, because it looked just like mustard, but he said no, so I had
let my cats in and thought they were the ones at fault. I put them out and
in like 2 hours it was back again and also in another spot. The "bright
yellow substance" smells peculiar and it so nasty... makes me want to throw
up and I have a stomach of steel. I have been researching moulds, but I have
yet to find anything on a yellow mould.
A.
There are almost a million different species of mould, with
almost all colors of the rainbow being the color of some mould or
another. Yellow mould is common. To know what mould it is, you
would need to collect a sample of the mould for mould
identification by our mould laboratory [Mold
Mart].
To do so, simply cut out a small physical sample of the moldy
carpet and/or moldy padding to send to our lab for mould
analysis. Put the sample[s] into a zip lock bag to which you
have attached a label with your name, property address, date of
testing, precise indoor location of testing, and your contact
information. The most important step you can take to
determine whether or not you have a mould problem in your home
is to mould test the air of every room, plus the attic air,
basement/crawl space air, and the air flow out of all
heating/cooling duct registers for the possible presence of
elevated levels of airborne mould spores, which, if present,
would indicate a mould problem, especially if the mould colony
counts exceed the outdoor control test you do. Alternatively,
you can a hire a Certified Mould Inspector to thoroughly do an
entire home mold inspection and mold testing for you. To do so, please visit:
Certified Mold Inspectors.
[Feb. 6, 2003]
Q. We had water break in the house
this morning and the carpets are soaked. The insurance company is sending
someone out to pull up carpets and dry them. Is there anything that needs to
be done to protect and make sure we don't have any mould problems in the
future. Especially if they won't pay for new carpet and pad because they
might say it will be ok because it was
dried properly or what ever.
A. If the carpeting,
padding, floor beneath, and walls were completely dried WITHIN 24 hours of
being wet, you are probably OK. It would still be wise and cautious on your
part to have the home inspected and tested for mould infestation by a
Certified Mould
Inspector. Best testing time would be about a week to 2 weeks
after the flood. Be sure to have floor and wall cavities in the flooded area
visually inspected with the Inspector's fiber optics inspection device and
mould tested inside the cavities with a air sampling cassettes, or with a
mould culture impactor. You should also test the air in the various house
rooms, basement, attic, and crawl space mould tested by the Inspector for the
possibility of elevated levels of mould spores. More than half of all homes
have serious, hidden mould infestation problems. You might be surprised to
discover that your home has a big mould problem UNRELATED to the immediate
flood that caused you to worry about possible mould growth. If you have
budgetary concerns about the reasonable cost of professional mould inspection
and testing, you can do your own mould testing---please visit
Mold Mart.
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