Choosing the Right Mold Testing Kit

IMS Laboratory offers three types of DIY mold testing kits, the Lift Tape Analysis Kit, the Viable Home Mold Test Kit and the Air Check Mold Test Kit.  Each serves a different purpose and is used in different situations.  The information below will help you decide which type of kit you need to order.

When should I use the Lift Tape Analysis Kit?

Use the Lift Tape Analysis Kit:

• to find out what kind of mold(s) are present on a wall, floor, ceiling or personal possession.
   

If you already know that a substance is mold and you want to find out what varieties of mold are present, IMS Laboratory recommends the Lift Tape Analysis Mold Test Kit.  IMS Laboratory offers this kit for FREE.  (We do charge $4.95 for shipping and handling.)  Below, Dr. Mark Banner, directory of Mycology at IMS Laboratory explains when the Lift Tape Analysis Kit is appropriate.

Unlike a Lift Tape Analysis Kit, the Viable Home Mold Test Kit allows you to determine whether a substance is actually mold without returning the sample to our laboratory. If the substance is in fact mold, you still have the option of returning the sample to IMS Laboratory for further analysis to determine whether the mold is an allergenic, pathogenic or toxigenic organism.

When should I use the Viable Home Mold Test Kit?

Use the Viable Mold Test Kit:

• to test a substance that you suspect is mold but do not know for certain,
• to test the air you are breathing,
  
• to test the air moving through your heating or air conditioning system,
  
• to test a suspicious substance on a wall, floor, ceiling or personal possession.

If you don't know whether a substance is mold, you want to find out what varieties of mold are present, or you want to test air quality, IMS Laboratory recommends the Viable Home Mold Test Kit, which can be purchased from us for as little as $7.95/kit (plus shipping & handling).

When should I use the Air Check Home Mold Test Kit?

Use the Air Check Home Mold Test Kit:

• when you want to use exactly the same equipment as the professionals to test the air you are breathing,
• to find out exactly how much mold is in the air you are breathing,
  

This kit is our most precise mold testing kit. Your results will be reported in mold spores per cubic meter of air. The Air Check Home Mold Test Kit can be purchased (including 7 day pump rental and laboratory analysis of two testing cassettes) for $149.00(plus shipping & handling).  Click on the video below to see when and for whom the Air Check is the appropriate solution.

Answering Other Questions

When should I test for mold?

You should test the air in your home when any of the following conditions occur:

• there is a musty smell in the home,
  
• people are experiencing unexplained sickness in the home,
  
• the home has had a recent water leak (even if there is no mold visible),
  
• someone is living in the home who is pregnant,
  
• someone is living in the home who has a compromised immune system,
  
• you have children under 2 years old living in the home.

You should test the heating and/or air conditioning system when any of the following conditions are present:

• There is a musty smell in the building but you cannot localize it to a specific room or group of rooms.
  
• people are having unexplained sickness in the building, which is worse when the windows are shut and the heat or air conditioning is working.

How many kits do I need?

• One kit for your heating and cooling system
  
• One kit for each spot where you suspect growing mold,
  
• One kit for each room where you wish to test the air for mold