Mold Resources

Anywhere you spend a lot of time can impact your health based on the air quality you breathe in. So, what should we do to ensure they’re healthy? Dust testing.

To help maximize our wellness and avoid environmental exposures, we should test the dust in these spaces to determine if they’re filled with contaminants like mold, mycotoxins, bacteria, and more. 

Why Dust Testing?

Gravity brings particles like mold spores, mycotoxins, and endotoxins down to horizontal surfaces like floors, doorframes, and furniture. Where dust collects, so do these indoor contaminants.

Testing this dust will help determine what’s hanging out in your home. It can indicate if a problem needs to be addressed or give you peace of mind that you’re hanging out in a safe environment. 

What Should You Use for Dust Testing?

The Dust Test will help you know if there’s a problem before spending thousands of dollars trying to find one (both medically and in your home). And, if there is a problem, the data will indicate what you’re being exposed to before your inspector comes so that you can ensure they will find where it’s coming from. 

Traditionally, inspectors conduct dust testing while they’re inside the home. By the time the results come back, though, they’re long gone and working for the next client. This can confuse you and wonder if they really "got it all" while collecting data. With The Dust Test, we help you identify the mold, bacteria, and biotoxins in the home that the inspector needs to find sources of. This data is crucial for successful remediation protocols because it provides the information needed to properly remove all sources of contamination from the home and ensure you and your family have a healthy environment that supports ongoing well-being.

The sooner you find and remediate the contamination, the less exposure you’ll face, and the less likely it is that another problem will develop elsewhere.

Bonus Tip: It’s a good idea to annually conduct dust testing in any space you spend a lot of time in, including the workplace. This will give you peace of mind that you’re not dealing with exposure from hidden sources throughout the environment. 

What is The Dust Test?

The Dust Test uses advanced DNA and chemical sequencing technologies to detect the full range of invisible fungal and toxic particles in any home. It identifies and quantifies mold species, mycotoxins, and endotoxins, providing a cost-effective solution to determine if mold, bacteria, or toxins are present. 

When your home has issues like mold or bacteria overgrowth, these organisms produce particles and toxins that travel through your home, settling in the dust. So, a scientific analysis of dust can reveal most of the problems in a home. This DIY test allows you to collect dust samples throughout all surfaces in the home and check for abnormalities using a combination of MSQPCR and other testing methods. While it does not pinpoint the exact location of the problem, it confirms if there's an issue. Armed with this information, you can confidently engage an inspector to find the source of the problem.

Recommended Testing Areas:

• Attic
• HVAC Systems
• Each Living Level
• Basement/Crawl Space
• Dorm
• Apartment
• Car
• Workplace
• Storage unit

It can also be used to correlate with a doctor you’re working with. The test is a Swiffer-like cloth which you can collect samples from various parts of the house with, and then send back to the lab. It uses PCR technology to analyze the samples for up to 36 different species of mold—the same 36 species that the EPA found are prevalent in water-damaged homes.

Why You May Need to Use The Dust Test 

There are various reasons you might choose to test your home. Here are some examples: 

• If you have visible water damage or mold, testing is imperative. 
• Testing can confirm or refute your suspicions if you suspect a problem exists, like a new musty odor. 
• Verifying the effectiveness of remediation efforts to ensure that the growth has not returned and that your home remains a safe environment for you and your family.
• A history of mold or water damage in the home—or uncertainty about such a history—also warrants testing. 
• Unexplained chronic health problems, environmentally acquired illnesses, autoimmune diseases, or other conditions compromising health are significant indicators that testing might be necessary. 
• Homes with young children or elderly individuals should also be tested regularly due to their vulnerability. 
• You are looking to buy or rent a home. 
• Taking legal action against landlords or builders.
• The presence of any signs of water damage is a strong reason to test an indoor space.
• You may suspect that your workplace is harboring contaminants that are causing you to feel unwell. 
• A long-term rental potential or an area like a dorm should be tested to ensure that you’re not breathing in toxic air while staying there.
• Your car may have developed a strange odor, or you always seem to feel differently while driving, which indicates that it should be tested.

Test Your Indoor Environments