MOLD SAMPLING - DO YOU NEED IT?

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) brochure FACTS ABOUT MOLD AND DAMPNESS, is very insightful. After it explains that exposure to mold can cause a variety of health effects, all the way from “none at all” to “serious infections”, it goes on to say: “Mold growth, which often looks like spots, can be many different colors, and can smell musty. If you can see or smell mold, a health risk may be present. You do not need to know the type of mold growing in your home, and CDC does not recommend or perform routine sampling for molds. No matter what type of mold is present, you should remove it. Since the effect of mold on people can vary greatly, either because of the amount or type of mold, you can not rely on sampling and culturing to know your health risk. Also, good sampling for mold can be expensive, and standards for judging what is and what is not an acceptable quantity of mold have not been set. The best practice is to remove the mold and work to prevent future growth." www.cdc.gov/mold/dampness_facts.htm