bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
Any recommendations?
Also what are best tests for me?
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3139 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
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sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
I spoke with a mold remediator about this at a party at a mutual friend's house at a fundraiser (just to give you a background that this wasn't a professional consultation so he had no financial interest, unless I were to hire him, which I made it clear I would have).
He said you have to check both inside air and outside air. The outside air is the control to see how much mold there is naturally in the area. Also, he said, test the room you think needs testing and another room you think doesn't, again, for the comparison.
After speaking to him at length regarding a moldy Select Comfort mattress, I ended up vacuuming the entire space, walls, ceiling included, with a vacuum that has a hepa filter. I never did the testing.
It's important to treat mold if you have exposure. I can look back at ALL my Lyme flares over a period of 30 years and see they were ALL connected with a simultaneous mold exposure. However, on the other hand, don't overthink it. I think a lot of the mold advice is overkill.
I live in a 100 year old house. He told me I was very unlikely to have mold because the old houses were made to breath. Unless I added insulation to the exterior walls, then I probably messed up the vapor barrier and would have mold. We haven't added insulation, we just pay our high electric bills and live mold-free.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
I believe you can pick up a mold plate test kit at home centers such as Home Depot etc.. and you leave the plate out for several days.
You then send it into the lab and they determine what, if anything, has grown on the plate.
You get the results in the mail or by email a few days later.
No idea what the test might be for people but if your house shows no mold you should be okay unless your workplace has an issue. Maybe a small air purifier for your office?
-------------------- unsure445 Posts: 824 | From northeast | Registered: Jun 2008
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dbpei
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33574
posted
I used EMSL and vacuumed up some samples to be tested. http://www.emsl.com/Posts: 2387 | From New England | Registered: Aug 2011
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quote:Originally posted by bcb1200: Any recommendations?
Also what are best tests for me?
A professional inspector will run you about $300, they will do a visual inspection for mold as well as some even have devices that can find moisture in walls. They include a control (outside) and inside air test. Usually additional rooms cost extra ~$70.
Some people buy mold plates at home depot (but you need to know which molds to be concerned about...as all houses have mold). Some people buy those attachments to vacuums and collect a dust sample by vacuuming the rug.
Another cheap way to do an air sample is to buy mymolddetective from lowes. It collects an air sample and you can keep it and use it again. Vacuum air samples tend to have too strong a suction..so i wouldn't recommend taking an air sample with a tube on your own vacuum.
Labcorp or quest have blood tests that test for common mold antibodies..though in my case, i had a positive air test for mold in my house, yet my blood test was negative, so they have limitations.
There is a urine antigen test, which runs $800 and insurance usually doesn't cover it.
Posts: 35 | From Boston | Registered: Jul 2014
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