How to Test for Indoor Mold

Indoor mold is a common problem in many households, especially in climates that experience high humidity throughout the year.  Testing for mold that is growing in basements, attics and other areas of the house becomes especially important when the mold triggers allergies in family members. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways to determine if mold is present and set the stage for removing it from the house.

Most homeowners are no strangers to indoor mold.  The growth can appear just about anywhere in the home, but are more likely to occur in areas where there is an increased amount of dampness or humidity present.  Testing for indoor mold is not a very difficult task, and usually means employing your basic senses as well as checking a few areas to see if anything has begun to grow. 

• Do some looking and sniffing. Take a tour of the home and look very closely at areas such as basements, attics, and around exposed pipes where the humidity is likely to be somewhat higher.  The mold will often look like a stain on walls or even upholstery, and may come in a variety of colors.  Even if you don’t actually see any mold, utilize your sense of smell to determine if there is any scent of mildew or mold in the area.


• Use a clean cloth.  While making your circuit around the house, take along a clean dry cloth that you can rub over various surfaces.  Even when the mold is hard to detect from simply looking at the walls or baseboards in the attic or basement, gently wiping the clean cloth over the surfaces will likely reveal whether the area is dusty or if there is something more serious in the area.


• Buy a home testing kit for indoor mold.  Many home supply stores as well as other outlets carry simple test kits that will guide you through the process of swabbing surfaces and checking for the presence of mold. The kits are relatively inexpensive and can help you quickly identify if there is a problem or not.


• Bring in the professionals.  If you don’t trust your ability to identify the presence of indoor mold, set up an appointment to have the house professionally inspected.  While more costly, this approach does offer the benefit of checking for mold growth in areas that you may have overlooked.  This may be the best option, especially if there are members of the household who have asthma or other bronchial issues that could be triggered by the presence of the mold.