Is it possible to have a home tested for mold?

Yes, but health agencies and experts do not recommend testing houses as a first line of detection and prevention. Mold testing can be expensive and time consuming, and it usually requires special equipment and trained technicians to obtain reliable results. Once you determine the level of mold in a home, there are no standards for judging if the level could cause problems for the occupants or when a house is clean. But most importantly, you probably will not get the results from your mold test for a couple of weeks, during which mold problems could become significantly worse. If you think you see or smell mold in your home, you immediately should clean the affected area and not wait for test results.

If you have your home tested, a technician will have to take an outdoor air sample at the same time as the indoor sample. This will allow the technician to determine whether the number of spores inside your home is significantly higher than the number outside your home. A higher indoor level could mean that mold is growing indoors. Before hiring a technician, check with your local health department for recommendations of a qualified laboratory, technician or industrial hygienist.