There are ways to self-test to see if there is mold in your indoor environment, but these methods won’t tell you where the sources are. That’s a huge part of the puzzle in decontaminating the environment. 

In order to properly remediate mold:

• The sources must be taken care of
• The issues that led to the contamination must be remedied
• The contaminants, including mycotoxins, must be removed 

This comprehensive process is why the best route is to hire an inspector to come in and comprehensively assess your indoor space. They can go through the entire interior and exterior of the home, determine which areas are problematic, which mold species are present, what the sources of the mold are, and if any other contaminants are present like mycotoxins and bacteria. The process will take a few hours and cost more upfront, but it will give you an accurate picture of what the air quality is like in your home. 

If you’re not quite ready to hire a professional inspector yet, you can use an ERMI to get started on your journey. This method takes a close look at the dust inside a space by examining mold-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (MSQPCR), a DNA-based testing method, to determine the species and concentrations of mold present. So far, they’ve indexed 36 species. This testing can give you an idea of what you’re dealing with in the home, but again, it doesn’t pinpoint the sources of the problem. 

For more information on what to expect from a mold inspector, click here. 

For more information on what proper remediation should look like, click here. 

For suggestions on mold inspectors based on your state, click here. 

For more information on ERMI testing, click here and watch this video. 

For more information on mycotoxins and bacteria, click here.