Molds are found almost everywhere around us with the ability to cause allergens, that is why we need to devise a means of detecting them through a test kit and subsequently find a way of preventing them.
There are various kits we can use in detecting molds around us, one of which is The Pro-Lab Mold Test Kit – it is a complete mold detecting kit.
The other way we can also detect mold is through a method known as the visual sampling method in which a visual mode is wiped with a sterile swab, included in the kit. The last method is referred to as the HVAC method, this is the technique Pro-Lab recommends to test your air since most mold problems occur in air conditioning and heating vents
Best Mold Test Kits Reviewed in 2022
1. DIY Mold Test
This DIY Mold Test, Mold Testing Kit comes with two vials of growth gel, two Petri dishes, and a sampling swab. It is ideal for use both indoors and outdoors. Included in this kit are instructions provided for Manual, Static, and Air Ventilation Sampling which is ideal for mold testing.
With this Do-it-yourself mold test kit, you can detect the presence of mold in just 48 hours. It is a form of first-line defense against possible excessive molds and bacteria in homes and offices.
The smallest amounts of certain types of mold can cause physical symptoms, such as congestion, wheezing, watery eyes, and even harbor bacteria that can cause harmful infection. It is ideal to detect them and proffer a quick solution. With this easy mold test kit, you can easily detect and put an end to the mold menace in homes and offices.
2. Mold Armor – Do It Yourself Mold Test Kit
The Mold Armor FG500 Do It Yourself Mold Test Kit comes in two-pack. It is ideal for both indoor and outdoor use in detecting the presence of mold in our offices and at home.
This Do it yourself Mold Test kit test is not just ideal to test the presence of mold alone but it gives results within the shortest time interval of 48 hours.
The Mold Armor FG500 is essentially made sturdy for durable and long-lasting use. The size and length of this kit give it its portability making it very handy and easy to use even with just one hand. It has a unique feature made of an optimal mail-in lab analysis which is made available to identify the type of mold present on any surface you are planning to test.
This kit also comes with an instruction provided for Manual, Static, and Air Ventilation Sampling which is ideal for mold testing.
3. IH Pros QMT-100 Quick Mold Test
The IH Pros QMT-100 Quick Mold Test is a revolutionary device that is capable of detecting black mold and mold contamination on surfaces in less than 60 seconds. It uses patented biochemistry that gives users the ability to easily perform their own test for mold and water damage on building materials, contents and other related surfaces within the confide of their home or offices.
The result can easily be interpreted by a color change indication – a purple indication of the test shows that the sampled surface is drastically contaminated with mold and should be included for mold removal or mold remediation or black mold removal.
The Quick Mold Test helps in detecting the microscopic proteins associated with mold growth and related allergens that react with the Quick Mold Test reagents to produce the color change from Green to Gray or Purple. It also comes with a manual guide for easy use.
4. MyMoldDetective Mold Test Kit
This Mold Test Kit is ideal for testing mold in the air. It utilizes the same air sampling that industry professionals use to test air quality both at home and in offices and uses industry-standard air sample cassettes.
It does a lot more than an ordinary petri dish sampling method that is outdated technology and unreliable, it is professionalism boxed and brought to the Do-It-Yourself populace in a simple 3 step process.
With the unique feature, now you can stop ignoring the musty odors, allergic reactions, and occupant complaints, and give the air you breathe the attention it deserves. This Mold Test Kit features a re-usable 15-liter Air Pump that helps in collecting a measurable quantity of air for the test.
The kit includes 2 air sample cassettes that are essentially used for comparing indoor air quality with outdoor air quality which is the same method used by all IAQ professionals.
5. MoldCheck Mold Test Kit
This kit is uniquely made with multiple mold tests to locate and pinpoint the source of the mold. All you need to do is to conduct a simple visual comparison of all areas to find out where the mold is more concentrated and discover the real mold source without seeking the help of a contractor.
There is no need for you to pay for laboratory tests as you can personally conduct the test yourself using this test kit. It is a search-to-find-it mold investigation kit, not an ordinary mold identification kit.
With this superior test kit, you can easily test and retest the suspected surface until you ascertain the source of the mold. It is also very economical and smart in detecting the source of mold contamination in our homes. It is simply a search kit.
This whole house kit contains 10 tests designed to test many rooms or test and retest several suspect rooms.
6. Instant Home Mold Test
Instant Home Mold Test by A-1 Basements Solutions contains 2 mold test sticks exclusive for carrying out mold tests all by yourself at home in order to prevent any form of infection.
This mold stick is uniquely made in that it has the ability to provide accurate results in 1 minute. The mold test stick should be used as your first step in identifying toxic mold spores that could be harmful to your health and your entire home. It comes with no form of hazardous use at all as it is safe and easy to use with reliable results in not more than 60 seconds.
This is a smartly made kit that has the capacity to produce an accurate and reliable result for testing mold in your home, school, office, and business center. It comes included with DIY Mold Remediation Instructions that helps you to use the kit for a better result.
7. Pro-Lab MO109 Mold Do It Yourself Test Kit
This mold test kit is ideal to be used as the first step for identifying toxic mold spores that could be harmful to both your health and your home. It is essential to use this mold test for detecting any form of mold in your home as exposure to mold is not healthy for any individual because it poses a high health risk.
It is exclusively designed for toxic black mold tests in-home, in schools, or in offices and comes with a prepaid postage envelope that is meant to be sent back to the laboratory.
PRO-LAB Mold Test Kit can be used to detect moldy materials released into the air which have the ability to become spores that can cause disturbance and damage to our health. It is safe and easy to use with reliable results. All you need to do is simply follow the instructions contained in the manual it comes with.
8. MOLDetect Three Sample Mold Test Kit
This is a reliable test kit that helps to confirm or rule out any form of indoor mold growth and identify the types of mold present in the sampled surface which include black or toxic mold-Stachybotrys.
This kit also uses a custom-made sticky tape which can be obtained by using the surface tape lift method to detect all the spores present. You can rely on this method as you can rerun the test by collecting dust from a horizontal surface that hasn’t been recently dusted in the area of concern for a more accurate result.
It is very ideal for mold test because it helps in detecting airborne mold spores that eventually make their way through return air ducts and pass through the furnace filter, therefore testing the furnace filter is more of a general screening of the home but is a good place to test if you don’t know where there is a source of mold.
9. Healthful Home 5-Minute Mold Test
This test kit uniquely helps not just in detecting the mold alone but also detects allergy-causing mold particulates in our homes and even offices.
With this kit, you don’t need to wait for days or weeks for laboratory results that don’t detect mold allergens but in not more than 5 minutes you will be able to ascertain the presence of molds.
It is economically friendly as it is very cheap to purchase compared to the incredible work it does. With the EPA-recommended dust samples it uses, there is no need to see the mold. If it’s growing behind a wall, it’s in your air and it’s detectable in the dust.
The tape lifts can’t see what’s behind the wall, and should never be recommended for examining dust. do your own testing quickly, easily, and most subtly. This exclusive mold test kit includes specific antibody-based tests against more than 32 different asp/pen and Stachybotrys mold types that cause discomfort and illness.
10. Mold Testing Kit (3 tests)
You need to worry less about the effect of mold in your homes because with this test kit you can accurately detect the presence of molds in your home, offices or business environment. It is a sure test kit that has the ability to give instant results in a few minutes.
There are different types of mold that can cause damage to house materials and even pose health threats, with the kit you can test for any kind of mold present on any surface of your home. It comes included with a guide that is meant to help you understand how you can properly inspect your property for signs of mold and water damage.
This product comes exclusively with 3 tape lift samples which are a quick start, and a mold inspection booklet. The tape lifts can be used to test surfaces that you suspect may be mold growth. The inspection booklet will tell you where to look for mold.
How to Use Mold Test Kits
Molds are a cause for concern for every house or office around the world. They are a pest to deal with and result in complications such as the flu, congestion, wheezing and watery eyes. While there are many types of mold test kits available, most people do not know how to use them.
These kits come with various features. Some are built for indoor use, while others are for outdoors. However, first, you need to know how to use them as conducting an incorrect test can have some serious consequences and could create a very sticky situation. There are many ways you can do so.
Different Testing Methods
How to use mold test kits is the first question that might pop up in your mind when you look at a kit. There is more than just one method of conducting these tests.
The first one is the indoor air quality test method which specifically targets mold spores. This test is conducted on air conditioning and air heating units.
The second method is the surface sampling technique, which shows you which type of mold is growing in your environment. Molds are dangerous, so it is crucial to know which type you are dealing with so that you can act accordingly.
A third way is by simply collecting a sample and sending it to a lab for testing. This method will be more effective as the lab will accurately test the mold and tell you what action you need to take.
Preparing the Dish
First, you must remove the petri dish from the plastic bag and place it on an even surface. Next, you must remove the lid of the dish and pour the growth medium (potato dextrose) into the dish.
Then, replace the lid and gently swirl the dish until its bottom is completely covered. Allow the gel to settle for at least an hour on a level surface.
HVAC Air Sampling
Molds have no specific way to enter your place. They can even come in through the heating or air conditioning units, which is why this test has been designed. In order to conduct it, you will need to locate the air exhaust vent which is furthest from the furnace. Then, prepare the petri dish, remove the lid and with the help of a tape, stick the dish against the open air vent.
Next, switch off all the remaining air vents that also run on the system. For approximately 10 minutes, turn the system fan on a high speed, which will allow forced air to hit the inside of the dish. Once the time is up, remove the petri dish, replace the lid and allow it 48 hours to sit.
After 48 hours, if there are no molds present, recheck again after 72 and 96 hours and make sure there is no existence of slow-growing mold. If there is a presence of mold growth on the dish, send it immediately for lab analysis, but if there are no molds present after 96 hours, you are safe.
Indoor Air Quality Testing Method
Once again, we try to solve the question of how to use a mold kit. This time, we will look into air quality testing. For this test, prepare the petri dish and place it on a level surface. Once you are done with that, get rid of the petri dish lid and keep it open for an hour. Replace the lid after 60 minutes, and let it sit for 48 hours.
Once again, if there are no molds present in the dish, check again within 72 hours and 96 hours, and keep on checking for slow-growing molds. If there is any mold presence, lab analysis will be required. However, if there is no presence of molds after 96 hours, you can consider yourself to be safe from them.
Visual Sampling
This type of test requires you to find visual mold growth. Once you have done so, you will need to take an enclosed sterile swab and gently roll it across the surface of the mold growth.
Mold spores are tiny and microscopic, so you will not see anything on the piece of a swab.
Next, remove the lid of the petri dish and roll the swab back and forth on the gelled medium. The spores will quickly stick to the swab. Replace the lid and give it an incubation period of about 48-96 hours until there is visible mold growth in the dish.
Lab Sampling
Molds have different varieties. Some are not dangerous to human health, while others are extremely harmful and even toxic. It is mandatory to determine the type of mold you are dealing with. It is alright if you cannot do this on your own; you can take a sample and send it over to the lab to get it analyzed.
In order to take the sample of mold for lab analysis, take the petri dish with the growing mold on it, and use electrical tape to gently tape the edges. Next, place it in a zipper bag and send it over to the lab. Usually, it can take up to three weeks to receive lab results. Once the result is received, further steps should be taken accordingly.
Conclusion
Hopefully, by going through this article, you would have learned not only how to use a mold test kit but also what you need to do if there is a mold problem.
Often, one might get the flu, congestion, and wheeze without any evident reason and it is at these times that one should realize that there might be something in the environment causing these inconveniences.
You need to deal with such problems as soon as possible and try to find a solution for them, lest the issue ends up compounding and creating more problems for you.
