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ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS - INSPECT, TEST, REMEDY
MOLD INFORMATION CENTER
ACCEPTABLE MOLD LEVEL
ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT INDOOR MOLD
AFTER THE MOLD CLEANUP
ALLERGEN TESTS for BUILDINGS
ATTIC MOLD
BASEMENT MOLD
BASICS YOU NEED to FIND, TEST, REMOVE MOLD
Basketball Mold Syndrome - BBMS
BUYERS GUIDE - home inspections for mold
CARPET MOLD
CARPET STAIN DIAGNOSIS
CARPET TEST GUIDE
CRAWLSPACE MOLD

DO IT YOURSELF MOLD CLEANUP
DO-IT-YOURSELF WARNINGS
DRYWALL MOLD
FIBERGLASS INSULATION MOLD
FLOODS & MOLD CLEAN/PREVENT
HARMLESS BLACK MOLD

FIND MOLD in BUILDINGS, HOW TO
  CHOOSE SAMPLE POINT
  SAMPLING DRYWALL
  SAMPLING MISTAKES
  USE A FLASHLIGHT
HIDDEN MOLD, HOW TO FIND
  Hidden Mold Behind Paneling
  Light colored toxic molds
  Moisture Gradients and Mold
  Other Places to Look for Hidden Mold
  Photo Guide to Finding Hidden Mold
  Recognizing Cosmetic Mold
  Spotting Hard-to-See Mold
  Use a Flashlight to Find Mold
  Wall test cuts to spot hidden mold

  ATTIC MOLD
  BASEMENT MOLD
  BLACK MOLD, HARMLESS COSMETIC
  CARPET MOLD CONTAMINATION
  CARPET TEST GUIDE
  CRAWLSPACE MOLD
  DRYWALL MOLD
  DIRT FLOOR MOLD CONTAMINATION
  ESSENTIAL STEPS IN FINDING MOLD
  FLASHLIGHT HELPS FIND MOLD
  INSULATION MOLD
  SAMPLE POINT CHOICES FOR MOLD TEST
  SAMPLING MISTAKES
  USING LIGHT TO FIND MOLD

MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE
  Black Mold  Brown Mold
  Green Mold  Red Mold
  Yellow Mold  White Mold
  Invisible Mold
  Merulipoira Mold Photographs
  Recognize Cosmetic Mold
  Recognize Harmless Black Mold
MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD
  HARMLESS INDOOR PARTICLES
    Basketball Mold Syndrome - BBMS
    Black stains from soot/thermal tracking
    Black stains from animals
    Black cosmetic mold
    Efflorescence & white stuff
    House dust
    Pollen
    Sprayed foam insulation
    Whit stuff that is not mold
    Woode sap

INDOOR AIR QUALITY METHODS COMPARED
INSULATION MOLD
ITCHY FABRICS

MOLD ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT MOLD
MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE
MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD
MOLD CLASSES, LEVELS
MOLD CLEARANCE INSPECTIONS
MOLD CULTURES
MOLD DETECTION & INSPECTION GUIDE
MOLD DOCTOR?

MOLD EXPERT, WHEN TO HIRE
MOLDY CARPETS
MOLD ON DIRT FLOORS
MOLD TEST PROCEDURES

MOLD TEST KITS
MOLD TEST KITS for DIY MOLD TESTS
MOLD TEST PROCEDURES
MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE- HOW TO GET RID OF MOLD
MOLD CLEANUP HEALTH RISKS
MOLD CLEARANCE INSPECTIONS
MOLD KILLING GUIDE
MOLD LEVELS IN BUILDINGS
MOLD by MICROSCOPE
MOLD ODORS, MUSTY SMELLS
MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE
MOLD RELATED ILLNESS

MOLD REPORTS

ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE
RENTERS & TENANTS GUIDE TO MOLD
STAIN DIAGNOSIS & GUIDE
TECHNICAL & LAB PROCEDURES
THERMAL TRACKING
USING LIGHT TO FIND MOLD

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Photograph: Mold under carpeting on tack strips indicate history of water entry, suspect moldy carpet - Daniel Friedman HOW TO LOOK FOR MOLD - How to Find and Test for Mold in Buildings
MoldAPedia ©

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  • How to look for mold in buildings
  • Where to look, where to collect mold samples
  • Sampling mistakes to avoid
  • Proper use of a flashlight finds "hidden" mold
  • What mold looks like in different areas or on different surfaces
Our site offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest. We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices, false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at inspect-ny.com/appointment.htm.

This is a 'how to' photo and text primer on finding and testing for mold in buildings using simple clear adhesive tape on suspect or visibly moldy surfaces. This document describes how to find mold and test for mold in buildings, including how and where to collect mold samples using adhesive tape - an easy, inexpensive, low-tech but very effective mold testing method.

This procedure helps identify the presence of or locate the probable sources of mold reservoirs in buildings, and helps decide which of these need more invasive, exhaustive inspection and testing. © Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

CHOOSE SAMPLE POINT: Choosing the Right Spot for Mold Testing - Where to Collect Tape Samples of Surfaces

People collect surface samples of visible mold or of settled dust to be screened for mold testing using clear adhesive tape to identify a visible mold on a surface, to screen settled dust for mold/allergens, or to test the cleanliness of a surface after mold cleanup.

Regardless of the reason, the adhesive tape mold test method can be very effective, in fact more reliable than spot checks of airborne particles (which vary widely minute by minute) and far more reliable than culture samples (which only grow a small percentage of all possible molds). But everything depends on the selection of the sample location - "where you stick the tape." This document explains where and where not to "stick the tape" when sampling for mold.

Random mold samples, tape sampling of arbitrary surfaces, or sampling the obvious "black mold" when investigating a building are practices which increase the risk of a serious error - missing what's important and finding what's not very important. The result of these errors is the waste of time and money as well as the possible failure to find and address the real problem, leaving a health or cost risk in a Building to be handled again, and again, until it's addressed properly.

Mold is everywhere. You can't eliminate it. If you could we'd all be in trouble as nothing would ever decay and we'd all be so buried in junk and debris that nothing could grow on the earth. But we don't much like to see mold indoors and certainly not on our walls, ceilings, or furniture.

There we remove it or clean it off. This paper describes the detection of mold in buildings by visual inspection of mold-suspect surfaces. A thorough building investigation for problematic mold needs to address hidden mold reservoirs, for which our approach is to complete a detailed inspection and building (leak) history as well as to record occupant observations and complaints.

Technical Reviewers & References

Particular thanks are due to experts and also consumers who read these articles and suggest corrections, changes, and additions to the material. Content suggestions, technical corrections and content critique are invited for any of the content at our website.

  • Daniel Friedman - principal author/editor of the InspectAPedia® Website
  • Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest text changes and additions and, if you wish, to receive online listing and credit for that contribution.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

MOLD DETECTION & INSPECTION
HOW TO LOOK FOR MOLD
  CHOOSE SAMPLE POINT
  SAMPLING DRYWALL
  SAMPLING MISTAKES
  USE A FLASHLIGHT
WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE
  Black Mold
  Brown Mold
  Green Mold
  Red Mold
  Yellow Mold
  White Mold
  Invisible Mold
  Recognize Cosmetic Mold
  Recognize Harmless Black Mold
ATTIC MOLD
BASEMENT MOLD
CARPET TEST GUIDE
CRAWLSPACE MOLD
DRYWALL MOLD
HIDDEN MOLD, HOW TO FIND
  Photo Guide to Finding Hidden Mold
  Hidden Mold Behind Paneling
  Spotting Hard-to-See Mold
  Use of a flashlight to find mold
  Wall test cuts to spot hidden mold
  Light colored toxic molds
  Moisture Gradients and Mold
  Other Places to Look for Hidden Mold
INSULATION MOLD

ITCHY FABRICS
MOLD BY MICROSCOPE
MOLD ON DIRT FLOORS
MOLDY CARPETS
PHOTO GUIDE TO STAINS on Indoor Surfaces
STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD
  HARMLESS INDOOR PARTICLES
  THERMAL TRACKING STAINS
USING LIGHT TO FIND MOLD

More Information on Finding, Recognizing, and Proper Testing for Mold, More on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

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GO TO the MOLD and INDOOR ENVIRONMENT INFORMATION CENTER for in-depth advice on avoiding testing for or cleaning up mold and other indoor environmental hazards, odors, gases, contaminants
The Mold Information Center:
What to Do About Mold in Buildings, When and How to Inspect for Mold, Clean Up Mold, or Avoid Mold Problems
GO TO MOLD TEST KITS: This expert-recommended mold test kit is cheap and yet top performing *IF* you use a competent analysis laboratory!
Use this simple, economical mold test kit
by following our instructions on how to collect and mail mold samples to our lab
GO TO IAQ/MOLD-TEST LAB SERVICES: Mold, Pollen, indoor air quality, field and laboratory services by an expert.Environmental Inspection, Testing, & Diagnosis On-Site IAQ, Gas, Air Testing, Mold Investigation, Sick Building Diagnosis, Lab Services, & Remediation Plan Preparation - indoor air quality testing, problem source determination, supporting lab work, written remediation plan addressing removal of environmental and other hazards and prevention of their recurrence.
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CONTACT Daniel Friedman - Dan is a senior ASHI home inspector, nationally recognized expert on building inspection, building failures, and sick building investigation
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01/01/2009 - 04/01/2002 - www.inspect-ny.com/sickhouse/lookmold.htm © Copyright 2009-2002 Daniel Friedman - All Rights Reserved