Due to popular demand, we have now added a service to interpret mold results for clients all over the globe. We provide review, interpretation and recommendations based on your mold results from other vendors and contractors. If you would like to engage this service, please use the contact us page or the link below to open an email, send us a copy of your results and we will respond with further information on how we can provide this service. This service will provide you with our most up to date published interpretations and site specific written interpretations on letterhead.
Many have asked me about how to interpret indoor air quality results. Since there is very little to be found regarding mold test results and air sampling interpretation on the web, I have decided to share this information with the world.
The following information is unofficial and opinionated in nature and is to be used as a guide to help understand mold concentrations. I have developed this guide through many hundreds of successful mold remediation projects. This guide shall not be considered a final conclusion of mold remediation requirements.
Mold Spore Level Guide:
DISCLOSURE: The information contained in this document is unofficial and opinionated in nature and is to be used as a guide to help understand mold concentrations. This guide shall not be considered a final conclusion of mold remediation requirements and does not guarantee end results. Furthermore, this guide shall not be used to anticipate end medical result, always consult with your physician if you are experiencing a medical condition.
The Most Relevant Mold Species:
Penicillium/Aspergillus – The most common mold species to show up in Indoor and outdoor air samples. Most of the hundreds of sub-species are allergenic with only a few that are toxic. This group of species will grow with only the humidity in the air as its water source (even in relatively clean, mold-growth-free, indoor environments). Levels vary based upon activity levels, dustiness, weather conditions, outside air exchange rates, and other factors.
Basidiospores – Basidiospores are extremely common outdoors and originate from fungi in gardens, forests, and woodlands. It is rare for the source of Basidiospores to be indoors. However, Basidiospores may be an indicator of wood decay.
Cladosporium – One of the most commonly found molds outdoors and frequently found growing indoors. Spores from Cladosporium are generally present in outdoor and indoor air, even in relatively clean, mold-growth-free, indoor environments. Levels vary based upon activity levels, weather conditions, dustiness, outside air exchange rates, and other factors.
Curvularia – A common allergenic mold. Curvularia can grow on a wide variety of substrates.
Chaetomium – A common water marker that usually indicates wet paper and/or drywall. Chaetomium growth can be widespread, cellulolytic and very commonly found on damp sheetrock paper.
Stachybotrys – A common water marker and the most common toxic mold species. Stachybotrys is rarely found indoors, but when found, is an indication of a problem. Stachybotrys can be considered elevated at a very low concentration. Stachybotrys is commonly found indoors on wet materials containing cellulose, such as wallboard, jute, wicker, straw baskets, and other paper materials. Stachybotrys are widely considered the most hazardous form of indoor mold and are mycotoxin producing and must be removed. Whenever Stachybotrys are present, air sampling is highly recommended for clearance confirmation. For more information on Stachybotrys please visit: www.apsnet.org/publications/apsnetfeatures/Pages/Stachybotrys.aspx
Memnoniella – A similar species to Stachybotrys and is treated similarly. Memnoniella can grow on a wide variety of substrates.
Hyphal Fragments – An indicator of fungal growth. Hyphal fragments are the fruiting structures of mold (such as a tree has branches and a plant has stems). Hyphal fragments typically settle quickly, therefore, the presence of high amounts of hyphal fragments (above 100/m3) suggests an active fungal growth is nearby.
Single Clump and Clumped Spores – Clumped spores are heavier than a single spore. Clumped spores typically settle quickly, therefore, clumped spores collected in media suggests an active fungal growth is nearby.
Conidiophore – Are similar to hyphal fragment but also bears spores. Conidiophore typically settle quickly, therefore, the presence of conidiophore suggests an active fungal growth is nearby.
Mold Spore Level Guide:
Identification of an active fungal growth or indoor reservoir can be extremely difficult without scientific testing, also known as scientific confirmation. Swabs, tapes and bulk samples are considered the lowest form of scientific confirmation as it only addresses a small localized area of confirmed mold growth. Swabs, tapes and bulk samples are capable of identifying mold types, but do not indicate the size of a mold contamination due to their localized testing. From A Swab, tape or bulk sample a lab technician can state the rate of growth or concentration based on the parts of mold structures found.
Some dry or dormant molds found on building materials can be tested by swabs, tapes and/or bulk samples, however, may be nonviable and may not greatly impact or contaminate the air.
Air sampling is considered the highest level of scientific confirmation as it not only confirms the presence of mold spores and types, it also indicates the quantified amount of mold spores in the air. This information can then be interpreted to understand the potential impact to health as mold spores caught in the air can be inhaled into the lungs. Mold spores found in the air are typically viable, meaning if conditions are favorable, they are able to grow.
Air sampling must be compared to an exterior control sample. An exterior control is compared to interior samples for elevations in spore types and or the presence of spore types absent in the exterior. The results of this comparison can be used to assist in identifying if an active fungal growth or indoor reservoir exists.
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0-50 spores – These are trace levels of mold concentration and are typically not an issue. Considered extremely clean. Stachybotrys and Memnoniella can be considered elevated at this level and any level above this point.
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51-500 spores – Very low levels of mold concentration. Still considered extremely clean.
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501-1500 spores – Low levels of mold concentration. Considered acceptably clean. Penicillium/Aspergillus & Cladosporium spore concentrations can be found at this level and can be normal. This mold concentration level does not necessarily require remediation. Normal cleaning and wiping of surfaces can help to reduce spore concentrations below this level.
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1501-3000 spores – Slightly elevated levels of mold concentration. Spore concentrations at this level may indicate an indoor reservoir exists. Exterior control results must be compared to indoor samples to identify if cross contamination from the exterior is playing a role. If water or moisture intrusion or visual mold contamination is not found during the assessment, hyphal fragment concentration >100/m3 will help confirm likelihood of a nearby active fungal growth. These levels can be caused by a dusty home or lack of upkeep. Normal cleaning and wiping of surfaces can help to reduce spore concentrations below this level.
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3,001-4,500 spores – Moderate levels of mold concentration. Unless there is a corresponding concentration in the exterior control, this is the level where some form of cleanup may be required. If visual mold contamination is identified, then cleanup of that area is required. If water or moisture intrusion or visual mold contamination is not found during the assessment, hyphal fragment concentration >100/m3 will help confirm likelihood of a nearby active fungal growth. These levels can be caused by a very dusty home or extreme lack of upkeep. Vigorous cleaning and wiping of surfaces and an increase in ventilation can help to reduce spore concentrations below this level. If the area is relatively clean, a hidden fungal growth may exists. Mold mapping techniques can be used to identify the location of a hidden fungal growth. Most people with normal immune function can tolerate this level, however, severely sensitive people may experience symptoms during prolonged exposure.
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4,501-10,000 spores – Moderate to high levels of mold concentration. Unless there is a corresponding concentration in the exterior control, this is the level where cleanup is typically required. If visual mold contamination is identified, then cleanup of that area is required. If water or moisture intrusion or visual mold contamination is not found during the assessment, hyphal fragment concentration >100/m3 will help confirm likelihood of a nearby active fungal growth. These levels can be caused by a very dusty home or extreme lack of upkeep and lack of ventilation to the area. Vigorous cleaning and wiping of surfaces, increase in ventilation and fungal fogging can help to reduce spore concentrations below this level. If the area is relatively clean, a hidden fungal growth most likely exists. Mold mapping techniques can be used to identify the location of a hidden fungal growth. Relative humidity may be elevated above 60%. This is the level where some people with normal immune function may experience symptoms during prolonged exposure.
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10,001-25,000 spores – High levels of mold concentration. Unless there is a corresponding concentration in the exterior control, this is the level where some form of cleanup is required. Hyphal fragment concentration will be elevated above 100/m3. Fungal growth size can range from >10sf and larger. If visual mold contamination is identified, then cleanup of that area is required. If water or moisture intrusion or visual mold contamination is not found during the assessment, a hidden fungal growth is near. Mold mapping techniques can be used to identify the location of a hidden fungal growth. Relative humidity may be elevated above 60%. This is the level where most people with normal immune function will experience some form of symptoms during prolonged exposure. Restrictions to these areas may be implemented.
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25,001-75,000 spores – Very high levels of mold concentration. Cleanup will be required and most likely requires a Professional Mold Remediator. Hyphal fragment concentration will be elevated above 100/m3. Fungal growth size is typically >100sf. Relative humidity is typically elevated above 60%. This is the level where nearly all people with normal immune function will experience symptoms during prolonged exposure. Restrictions to these areas may be implemented.
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75,000-1,000,000+ spores – Extremely high levels of mold concentration. Professional Mold Remediator will be required. Hyphal fragment concentration will be extremely elevated. Fungal growth size is >100sf. Relative humidity will be elevated above 60%. Mold exposure at this level is considered hazardous for human occupancy, vacate the area.
The above levels are based on total mold counts.
Building Biology Spore Trap Interpretation Method:
Reference: www.Healthybuildingscience.com
Plant and Organic Matter:
Houseplants and indoor gardens can increase exposure to indoor mold. Potting soil is composed of an abundance of organic matter, when plants are watered organic matter becomes an ideal location for mold to grow. Clients with many plants should be aware of the possible negative impacts to indoor air quality when improperly cared for. Contact your local Horticulturalist for more information on properly caring for your plants to minimize mold.
Testing Protocol:
Bald Eagle Inspection Services, LLC only uses testing devices which are in normal and accurate working condition. The pumping equipment is a digital Zefon Bio-Pump Plus. This equipment is highly accurate and requires no cleaning prior to sampling. There is no possibility of cross contamination from prior test locations. The pump equipment can be field calibrated and is calibrated at each sample location.
The collection media is Zefon Air-O-Cell cassette, calibrated at 15L/Min. All exterior samples are collected at 10 minute sampling time for a total volume sampled of 150L. All interior samples are collected at 5 minute sampling time for a total volume sampled of 75L. Sampling procedures are as per Zefon International Air-O-Cell cassette Laboratory and User Manual guidelines.
All samples are sent FedEx overnight to a certified and accredited laboratory for professional analysis. Results are delivered within 24 hours of receipt by lab.
Please feel free to contact me with any further questions.
Bald Eagle Inspection Services, LLC provides experienced and extremely high quality Mold Inspection services serving all areas of Upstate New York, including Saratoga Springs, Malta, Ballston Spa, Clifton Park, Rensselaer County and upper Albany County. If you or someone you know is interested in a mold inspection, please visit Bald Eagle Inspection Services, LLC for more information.
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Thank you for this incredibly helpful content!
The mold test result shows Aspergillus/ Penicillium count of 2554, Chaetomium 10949 and hyphal fragments 1460. The air quality Alternaria 13, Aspergillus 2347 and Cladosporium 80.
The mold remediator says we need to open the drywall. There’s no trace of mold on wall, just behind the baseboards where he took the swab.
Should I go ahead with remediation?
These levels fall under the high level category. I would follow your assessors recommendations. At these levels you should have a post remediation retest to confirm levels have returned to normal. If you choose to do the job in steps you still have a check and balance in the post remediation testing.
Great information. Very, very useful.
Thank you
What a lab interpretation method should be taken for the air sampling test conducted in a house?
– Spore trap standard
– Spore trap with OBP summary
– Spore trap full report
– Spore trap horizontal
Thank you in advance
Serguei
Had major water damage in bathroom and kitchen: water mitigation began 8 days later: Air sample showed Chaetomium at 11200 and Pen/Asp at 7920 in bathroom, Chaetomium at 4160 and Pen/Asp at 2400. Mold remediation was recommended. Building Management sent in their own mold assessor who said his company does not believe in air samples, did visual inspection and saw no mold but saw effervescence on bathroom wall tiles, moisture meter on bathroom ceiling showed slight moisture, other walls dry. Took some patch samples of wood floor which showed water damage and wall samples.
Which approach is correct? How do I know if I really have a mold problem?
Thank you in advance.
Sylvie
Sylvie,
Thanks for the comment. I can tell you that those air sample results are above desired levels in all areas.
Personally whenever there are cavities involved I do like to take air samples because the sampling can indicate what is going on in an area. You can get a good idea of magnitude of the damage based on the air samples. I also like to take a post remediation air sample. I would be looking there to verify that the sampled results have come back down to a normal level. This strategy can indicate if more hidden mold exists. Some states will tell you that sampling is not required to perform a mold assessment, its not, but I believe it does provide a better quality service. An assessor that doesn’t believe in air sampling may not be trained on how to perform them. They can greatly improve discovery. As the contractor stated, he didn’t see any visual mold, but I would assume based on those numbers that mold exists.
If you would like me to help you out, feel free to fill out a request form on my website at http://www.baldeagle.biz
Sylvie,
Thanks for the comment. I can tell you that those air sample results are above desired levels in all areas.
Personally whenever there are cavities involved I do like to take air samples because the sampling can indicate what is going on in an area. You can get a good idea of magnitude of the damage based on the air samples. I also like to take a post remediation air sample. I would be looking there to verify that the sampled results have come back down to a normal level. This strategy can indicate if more hidden mold exists. Some states will tell you that sampling is not required to perform a mold assessment, its not, but I believe it does provide a better quality service. An assessor that doesn’t believe in air sampling may not be trained on how to perform them. They can greatly improve discovery. As the contractor stated, he didn’t see any visual mold, but I would assume based on those numbers that mold exists.
If you would like me to help you out, feel free to fill out a request form on my website at http://www.baldeagle.biz
Thank you for great info. I had air sample done and it showed 16760 total fungi in the crawl space and 10560 exterior. The interior and exterior where measured for 5mi. 75L. Would this be considered high for the crawl space? Thank you Stacey
The 5L for 5min (total 75L) indicates the person conducting the test ran it as if the area was considered livable interior area. Typically I wouldn’t air test non-livable spaces and would rely on a visual. However, yes, these numbers do indicate high levels of mold contamination. I would expect to see mold growth someplace. The questions is, can that mold make its way to the interior environment. I would suggest testing there.
I received an air report for Chaetomium in the basement at 53 count/m3, and 13 count/m3 on the first floor near the HVAC return (There was also Aspergillus/Penicillium at 433 count/m3 in the basement – which was elevated above the outside baseline which was 227 count/m3). Those were the only two molds elevated above outside control. The basement has carpet, and we noticed a small amount of water intrusion in the corner. Generally the basement did not smell very musty, except near the corner with a bit of water. The HVAC air handler for the first floor is in the basement, so I wonder if the ducts are contaminated since we saw Chaetomium on the first floor near the return.
Wondering how big of an issue this is – we didn’t see any visible mold anywhere in the basement. Was curious if getting rid of the carpet in the basement could clear up the issue (we could do air sampling afterwards to determine), or if we should immediately clear out the carpet as well as the drywall in the basement.
Hi I’m currently in the process of purchasing a home and I had a mold inspection done. The results are :
Aspergillus/Penicillium (raw count 8)(count 200 ) of the master bedroom compared to the exterior of: Aspergillus/Penicillium (raw count 3) (count 70)
This is normal right??
The overall total fungi numbers are : (raw count exterior 33) (count exterior 660) vs. (interior raw count 18) ( count interior 460)
What size air sample are you using for the concentration levels above? Or am I misunderstanding the text above? I got a DIY mold test kit that used a small petri dish to collect an air sample. It has mold spores in the gel. However, I’m not sure if your number ranges above are designed for such a small surface area, and the larger numbers seem like there would simply not be enough surface area of a petri dish to have that many spores collected. I counted roughly 25 spores in the 2inch diameter petri dish.
Any help or comments are greatly appreciated.
The above interpretation is for Air-O-Cell collection. Petri dishes are not an acceptable method for testing air. Feel free to call with any further questions.
My air quality test results revealed Penicillium/Aspergillus with a raw count of 230, spores/m3 at 1,541, and % of total at 73. There appears to be no mold visible but I am looking to purchase this home and want to be sure how to proceed with the results and get your input as to why those levels are so high. The home is sitting vacant and all closed up with the A/C running. Also, the home is very dirty inside and carpets are in need of being torn out. Anything you can tell me would be very helpful. I would like to put it on the sellers to correct so your recommendations on how to remediate will help me.
If you did purchase the house, this is what I would do:
I’d check the air-handler. If dirty, have it cleaned. Then throw the carpet out and thoroughly clean the house.
If there is no mold visible and no moisture intrusion, chances are that the levels will come down after the cleaning and carpet ripout.
I do interpret results for a fee. You would need to email me the results I will review them and if I can provide an interpretation I will respond with a link to make a payment. Once payment is received I would provide a written interpretation on my latter head within 24 hours.
Hello,
I had a mold test done the results were interpreted as passed However I hav been having headaches and repritaory problems during mold remediation and after testing.
Is it recommended to repeat the mold test?
You should have the current tests interpreted for next steps. I can provide this service by emailing me the results to
in**@ba*******.biz
We had our house tested and the bedrooms were fine. Under the house was terrible and penicillium/Aspergillus was as follows- outside air 433, kitchen 4853. There was a leak that occurred 3.5 years ago in the ceiling of the kitchen and recently my son overflowed the upstairs sink affecting the same (or very close) ceiling subfloor. There are no visible signs of mold from the previous leaks-should we rip up the ceiling? We just got the mold in the crawl space remediated. Could the mold remediation under the house help the levels in the kitchen?
Lauren, Thanks for writing. Mold can typically move through a house due to the riser effect, so yes, anything that starts down low can move up.
Re: my previous email about Mold Test Co…I left out that I was charged $400 for the mold test and $945 for an air scrubber, 6 foggers and a gallon of antimicrobial chemical. They said each fogger only covered 100 sq.’
Best thing to do is submit your results to
in**@ba*******.biz
for an interpretation.
I am in the process of purchasing a home that has a detached in law suite and it tested for high counts of penicillium/Aspergillis mold spores . Should I be concerned with the results listed below:
penicillium/Aspergillis- Raw count – 856 Spores per m3- 5700 – percent of total -100
Thanks,
KM
Kim, Submit your results to
in**@ba*******.biz
for an interpretation.
There was a mold inspection done, ordered by the buyer, all spots were opened up, not a single spot of mold. The thought was the AC…clean as a whistle. My home was for sale, the inspector “suggested” black mold where a ceiling never had a double coat of paint, which I told him about. The result of mold in these areas was penicillin aspergilla. The buy ordered a mold inspection and above are the results. Now what? No mold, nothing to remediate, need to relist after 90 days of stress. I lost apartment down payment, moving company down payment and had to unpack to live back in my home to find nothing. The home was built 10 years ago, no one has been sick. No flooding, no leaks. This has to be the most stressful situation for me. Suggestions for how to sell this home with a mold inspections that has no mold???
Arin, I do not have any recommendations on this scenario. It sounds like you were affected by the dreaded deal killer.
Hi, you need to ensure that your “inspector” is suitably qualified to undertake a full inspection. There are more cowboys who think they know what they are doing or just see the business opportunity than qualified inspectors. You have a right to question their findings and methodology but best done so with challenge from someone who can pick the malpractice. To say that the amount of damage that this normal occurrence does is outrageous… and concerning.
Hello I rent a building that recently had a water intrusion in the roof for the past 3 years on and off, finally landlord replaced roof on Dec 18th of 2021. I was worried about possibility of mold growth, As I been having terrible headache ever since we rented this space. I had a mold test done . Rapid Detection of Common Molds by Quantitative PCR showed Aspergillus fumigatus at 1,860,Aspergillus versicolor 2,873 ,Cladosporium sphaerospermum 2308,I-Total Spores Detected 9,154
Rapid Detection of Common Molds by Quantitative PCR Penicillium chrysogenum 1,940 ,Cladosporium cladosporioides I @846,Cladosporium cladosporioides II@804 II-Total Spores Detected 4,076 whole total over 13,000 but my air test had Aspergillus/Penicillium 5 raw 100 count m3 62.5 total, then Basidiospores @3raw 60 count m3 37.5 total
Total Fungi 8 raw 160 m3 100 total ,Hyphal Fragment 7 raw, 100 m3,
So my question is are air test more accurate than the dust sampling as the number’s seem much higher in the dust than the air test
Dust samples such as ERMI tests are bogus in my opinion. They are not accurate for building hygiene. There is no accredited standard for ERMI tests. Air testing, provided done correctly, is more accurate.
thank you
had some mold remediation done–they were supposed to take out some stachybotrys mold. they didn’t properly create containment and left open a bunch of venting into my attic. during clearance testing the “containment” area cleared but the attic had 13 spores of stachybotris for a count of 530. they are going to fog the attic and run an air scrubber. how concerned should i be about this level of stachybotris count?
That’s very high, but it’s in your attic. Be concerned if it’s in your home. Attics typically do not cross contaminate into the living space. By the way, testing an attic is not good practice as attics are dirty unlivable areas. I never clearance test an attic.
the home outside of containment and the containment area both tested clear–zero stachybotris, which matched outside. there was zero stachybotris outside. will the fogging in the attic clear the stachybotris? i am concerned about some degree of cross-contamination down into my home. i have little kids.
I have never found Stachybotrys in the exterior environment all the tests I have done, but fogging an attic? You can email me your mold assessment and work plan documents and I will review them for you if you want at my standard interpretation fee. Best I could do for you, but something is unusual with how your attic is being treated.
I purchased a mold air sample kit and so far the petri dish is showing nothing growing? Is this a good thing or did I waste my money?
Michelle, If you’re using a spore settling try or petri dish, Those are junk. They don’t tell you anything. There is mold everywhere, the question is if the mold that exists is elevated beyond normal conditions. A petri dish style test will not tell you that. It will eventually grow mold. Yo u would need an air quality test which is designed to give you results based on a controlled volume of air compared to the exterior ambient air, aka control.
Mold, a ubiquitous indoor air quality problem, can be difficult to diagnose. Indoor mold levels can vary widely from room to room and even from day to day. A mold spore level guide is essential for correctly interpreting your indoor air sampling results.
To measure mold spore levels, environmental testing laboratories use various methods, including culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Mould spore levels indicate the number of mycotoxins present in a sample. Levels above the stated threshold may indicate the presence of fungal spores and therefore require further investigation.
Thank you so much for this information!
We moved into a home that had a drippy bib pointed toward the base of the house. Upon reflooring, the previous owner had vinyl installed over wood flooring, and in that area, when removed we discovered was severely water damaged and covered with mold. Though no sign of mold on the concrete, there was some present behind the baseboard on the drywall. Mold test reported:
Spore trap analysis (living room) – Aspergillus – Raw count: 74 , Count/m3: 987
If I’m reading your information correctly, I’m interpreting that this is not a level that I need to be concerned about?
Rachel, Please feel free to email your results to me at
in**@ba*******.biz
and I will see if I can interpret them for you.
Can you guide me please as closing in 3 days! Seller disclosed remediated water damage. We requested our inspector test the HVAC system for air quality and two locations by the work. He appears to have done just a swab finding presence of <10 stachybotrys, basidiospores and bipolaris on the wall by the repair site. Should we now do an air sample to be certain the air quality is not affected (worried by the stachy) or is this so trace it isn't worthwhile to do?
Definitely perform an air quality and make it a priority to have the area professionally cleaned.
AIR Testing won’t pick up stachybotrys as it’s a heavy, sticky mould? This is what I’ve always been told?
Not true…
Selling my home and buyer had an inspection which included an air test for mold. I was told the results came back within “normal limits”. Buyer wanted a swab test done – which after reading your info here, I don’t know why. If I’m interpreting correctly, air test is more viable and trustworthy. Swab test came back as showing Aspergilles and Hyphae in a closet. It also showed Hyphae and Trochophora in the crawl space. However, the total spore count says N/A and the Minimum detection limit is listed as 1 . Not sure how to read that part or if this indicates an issue. I would reason that if the air test was in normal limits, there are no serious issues to be concerned about. I also feel if the swab test was anything at all, there would have been spore counts included. Am I wrong?
Sounds like small amounts. Swabs are not a reliable means of determining air quality. I would suggest performing air quality tests for a more reliable interpretation.
Hello,
We are under contract to buy a place that sustained prior water damage (roof), with subsequent remediation. We had a post-remediation mold inspection recently and I wanted to run the report by you for your thoughts.
Sample Technique: Air sample
Sample Volume: 76 L
Containment Room (suffered water damage):
-Penicillium/Aspergillus type: 3200 spores/m3
-Cladosporium: 1200 spores/m3
-Chaetomium: 0 spores/m3
-Basidiospores: 130 spores/m3
-Hyphae: 0
Outdoor Control (balcony):
-Penicillium/Aspergillus type 2300 spores/m3
-Cladosporium: 2200 spores/m3
-Chaetomium: 0 spores/m3
-Basidiospores: 580 spores/m3
-Hyphae 7
This water damage occurred 04/2020 with, and has been unoccupied for 2 years as the owner had to move out during the remediation/remodel process (HOA property, so took a while for HOA to get finally fix the roof). There is no obvious water or moisture intrusion or visual mold contamination.
My initial thought was that the higher indoor (Containment Room) Penicillium/Aspergillus levels may be due to dusty conditions and dirty/moldy HVAC/duct system. I will propose to have the HVAC/duct system cleaned/sprayed, followed by a thorough cleaning/wipe down of the unit (walls, windows, flooring).
Your comments are welcomed and greatly appreciated.
Best,
JH
Hi,
Would you mind letting me know based on which method you are analyzing air samples.
Thanks
Non-culturable spore trap analysis for present fungi. Typically with an Air-O-Cell cassette.
I had a Spore Trap done – result says: Direct Microscopy Examination SEEML SOP 7 done.
My results show:
Penicillium/Aspergillus – Outside Raw 7 Spores/m3 280 %11
1 room – raw 37 spores/m3 – 1480 %84
2 room – raw 10 sports/m3 – 400 – %59
Cladosporium – outside raw 47 spores/m3 1880 %72
1room – raw 4 spores/m3 -160 %9
2room – raw 6 spores/m3 – 240 %35
Is this something I need to do remediation on?
Thank you!
You can forward it to my email and I will respond with interpretation costs.
in**@ba*******.biz
Hi,
Concerning the ranges of spore levels you list and explain the meaning of in your article, are those the absolute number of spores in the sample or are they normalized to spores per cubic meter?
Concerning control samples taken outdoors, how much variation is likely between tests done at different times of the year at the exact same location?
Is a test suspect if some indoor levels are up to 50% lower than the outdoor level?
Thanks.
As long as spores are non-toxic, it applies to total spore counts.
Variation can be wildly different, but mostly irrelevant. Samples that are taken at the same time and location are compared to the current control. Even the comparison to exterior can be arbitrary. Exterior control samples can indicate large amounts of cross contamination or correlation and still indicate a problem based on building hygiene. There are numerous variables that must be considered.
Your last question cant be answered without interpretation.
If Aspergillus / Penicillium Like is Too Numerous To Count and Stachybotrys is 1173 would you believe remediation is necessary?
Levi, Please submit the air quality reports to me and I will provide feedback.
in**@ba*******.biz
Hi. My mom recently purchased a home & had an air sample test done. They took a sample in every room along with the crawl & the outside (control). It came back high for Pen/Asp & Cladosporium. When analyzing & indicating the need for remediation, do you add up the total amount of each room as a whole? There was a remediation (fogging, air scrub, & HEPA filter) but since there was no visible mold they couldn’t actually get rid of it. We were told the levels were back to “normal” but still seem pretty high. 1500-2000 m3 for each room & this was right after they did everything. Could I send you the results?
Send me the results to
in**@ba*******.biz
and I will send information on interpretation…
I’m curious to know what happened with this as I’m in a similar situaion
I am trying to buy a condo and had a mold test done and the Air Analysis came back as a problem with Cladosporium in the kitchen. The raw count came in at 1,680, the spores at 11,256, and % of total at 83. What should I be concerned about and about how much would it cost to remediate?
Send me the results to
in**@ba*******.biz
and I will send information on interpretation…
Under concentrations what is the difference between total count (which shows low numbers), CountM3 (which are higher). For example: We found total count of Aspergillus/Penicillium to be 28 and Counts/M3 to be 1100. The area that was tested also had ascospores, Aspergillus/Penicillium, Basidiospore, cladosprium and hyphal gragments for a total concentration of 1580.
Some analyses are different than other, but generally raw count or total counted is the number of spores counted on the cassette. The spores/m3 or counts/m3 is the total quantity that would be in a cubic meter of air. This information is extrapolated based on the liters per minute pumped through the casette. This information is best interpreted by a professional in a way it can be understood by the layman, a service we provide.
I’m interested in knowing what the highest level of Aspergillus mold spores per cubic meter, you’ve seen on an IAQ report – caused by poor ventilation/no water damage?
These spore types have been seen exceeding 100,000 total spores.
In the Mold Spore Level Guide do the numbers refer to raw count or spores/m3? We had a sample come back indicating Penicillium/Aspergillus levels were 208 (raw) and 1,594 (m3). Do not know if I should be looking at the 51-500 guidelines or the 1501-3000?
Thanks for your help!
I provide a mold interpretation service. You can submit your results to
ww******@ba*******.biz
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ww******@ba*******.biz
and we will respond with more information.
Hello everyone. Just had my air test results back.
Doesn’t look good to me.
I spoke to the inspector since we had an inspection also, and he asked me where they placed the outdoor sample? They took the outdoor sample on our front porch, and right above our front porch is part of the attic that shows signs of wood dry rot and mold. The outside samples are much higher than the indoor samples, but he said the indoor samples are very high and not normal too. Most of them say “acceptable level” because it’s basing it off of the outdoor. He said the outdoor level is so high that it’s throwing off the results and making it look like the indoor levels are acceptable when they’re in fact not.
The indoor test picked up some molds inside that it did not pick up outside such as Stachybotrous. (1 count of Stachy, and 1 count of the 2 other molds they didn’t see outside).
He thinks that the outdoor sample of aspergillus/penicillium/ etc is so high because of where they placed the outdoor sample (outside right on porch under where the attic is).
I’m really nervous because he said spore counts should be under 500.
OUTSIDE:
Aspergillus/pencillium count was 29,900
Cladosporium was 16,400,
Paecilomyces 3,470,
Basidiospores 6,000.
INDOOR COUNTS:
Livingroom: aspergillus/penicillium 1,200 and the livingroom is only about 15 feet to where they took the outside test (obviously the livingroom was indoors).
Cladosporium – 1,500
Basidiospores – 960
TOTAL FUNGI: 3697
Bedroom: Aspergillus/penicillium – 6,610
Cladosporium – 1,100
Basidispores – 1,400
Stachybotrous – 1 count of 20
Arthrinium – 1 count of 20
Torula – 1 count of 20
Pestalotia – 1 count of 20
TOTAL FUNGI 9,357
A month after this we found that attached to the bedroom is our bathroom which the washing machine had a very slow leak. There was black mold on part of the dry wall and the entire floor was wet underneath. We had no idea until we opened up the wall and floor. The drywall and subfloor was replaced along with brand new flooring. I’m guessing that’s why the bedroom count is higher than the livingroom. Any thoughts on these results? Can i e-mail the results to someone that can take a closer look for me?
Michelle, Interpretations on your mold test results can be requested by emailing your results to
in**@ba*******.biz
I had a house that we would like to purchase tested for mold. We have had 3 different people tell us their opinion. Wondering if you could explain them to us?
Thanks
Yes, send them to
in**@ba*******.biz
Thanks for this blog. It’s been most helpful in understanding our air sample results.
I live in the Midwest. We are currently having work done in our attic spaces (main home and above 3rd car garage). This included air washing, fogging and air scrubbing for 48 hours. No visible mold has been found. By all accounts our mitigation company, roofers and insulators have all said our attic space is in perfect condition. What appeared to be the issue by all who assessed was lack of attic space air flow. Soffits were clogged with insulation and third car garage had no vents as it should have. We had these issues resolved as well.
We then had the biological company come back to our home to perform a clearance test. They took air samples of both attic spaces and outdoors. Of note, we were in the middle of a thunderstorm when they took the air samples within the attic spaces. A lot of rain and high winds. They took the outdoor air sample when the rain had come to nearly a stop. Rain drops were falling but just every so often. The molds of note found are the following:
Ascospores – Count/M3 (Outdoors – 13676)(Attic Home – 19133)(Attic Garage – 23567)
Basidiospores – Count/M3 (Outdoors – 700)(Attic Home – 2333)(Attic Garage – 5600)
Cladosporium Species – Count/M3 (Outdoors – 2100)(Attic Home – 1633)(Attic Garage – 5367)
When we got the test results back, the test results were not what we had hoped or expected. The mold counts were much higher and new molds were now showing on the test. The mitigation company has been back at our house today to do a deeper search. As expected they found nothing. The only thing found was a 2×4 with wood mold on it at the corner of a soffit. The mitigator didn’t think this could explain the high numbers.
Something doesn’t feel right about these numbers. When we first had our home tested it was early spring. Ascospores and Basidiospores were virtually non-existent in all spaces. Cladosporium was elevated at that time as well and the numbers are pretty close in both samples.
I’m wondering if we should have new air samples taken when the weather is calm outside without high winds or rain? Is there anything I’ve said above that would lead you to believe the air samples taken are faulty or not representative?
Thank you in advance.
JJ, I provide interpretation services. There may be more that I can see with the actual results. If you would like to send them to me I will review them. This service would also allow us to open up more dialogue over the phone. You can submit results to me here: https://www.howtoreadamoldreport.com/
Hi
We had a full remediation within our bathroom which had a leak. The conclusion on our report was elevated air samples compared to outside. The figures to me though are quite low.
130 total count Aspergillus
110 Basidiospores
230 chaetomium
80 hyphae fragments
This has come down from figures into the thousands.
The building hygienists wants the remediation to start again by looking for potential other mould causing this levels or also recommended scrubbing the air using filtration devices.
Could these levels be purely because the air needs to be filtered? The leak has been fixed and the levels above seem low and safe according to your page.
Did some air plate testing for mold in the offices and results came up to
1. 37cfu/plate
2. 34cfu/plate
3. 120cfu/plate
4. 93cfu/plate
Should i be concern? I notice any result <500 are not to be concern with. Can some help.