404-510-9680
The Mold & Asbestos Testing Company
Serving the Greater Atlanta Area
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Atlanta Mold Testing & Inspection
How does mold testing work?
A lot of people think of mold testing as wiping a swab across some suspected microbial growth. Then, having a laboratory analyst look at the sample under a microscope and tell us what kind of mold it is. While that may be the case many times. We more often are conducting inspections and sampling the air for mold. Reason being, Most people are concerned about what they can't visibly see, their health, or the health of a loved one. Unless we're eating mold or it is making direct contact with our skin, the way we're encountering it is through the air borne mold spores that we're inhaling.
Our samples are collected using a pump that pulls air (15L/min for 5min= 75L) through a cassette that contains a glass slide within it. The cassette is shaped to direct the air to an adhesive strip on the slide. As air is pulled through the cassette, airborne particles and mold spores impact and stick to the adhesive on the slide. The contents of the adhesive are later read, "inventoried," and reported by the laboratory analyst. They identify the spore types and report on the volume of each spore type identified.
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Because mold spores are naturally occurring and present everywhere, we have to make the distinction between what particles and spores are originating where. We do so by collecting a sample of the outdoor air at the time of the inspection. Comparing an indoor sample to an outdoor sample, we can see what is greater indoors and deduce what is originating inside, and not thought to be naturally occurring outdoors.
When the sampling is complete, whether it is a swab, dust, or an air sample, it is placed in a sealed container with a chain of custody detailing the sample method and what type of analysis is being requested for the specimen. The sample(s) are then placed into a marked container, and sent to the laboratory to be read and reported on. This process can take 2-10 days depending on the type of sample and if culturing is involved.
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How long does it take to get a mold test?
From inspection to receipt of report is usually less than a week. It can be up to 10 business days if there is a sample that requires culturing or specialized analysis. The time it takes to collect a sample for mold is usually 5 minutes per sample or less. We do spend some time investigating the sample location for anything that could contribute to an air quality issue or affect the findings of a sample. We also want to make sure we take time to address any questions or concerns our customers may have. We suggest allowing 45min for an inspection.
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The samples are sent to the appropriate lab and are usually processed within two business days. Some samples take longer than others depending on the analysis requested or the laboratory hours of operation. After the sample reports are received by the Mold & Asbestos Testing Company office, one of our team members will contact our customer to verbally go over the sample results and address any applicable questions or concerns before compiling a sampling summary report.