Mold inspection services are an absolute necessity when you first spot mold anywhere in your home. The spores of these organisms spread rapidly, destroying everything they adhere to, and worse still, some kinds of mold are absolutely toxic and lethal to humans. You want to have mold inspected in order to protect your home and your family.  However, you should never do mold inspection yourself. The professionals have this process down to a perfected science that keeps everyone and everything safe. Here are some more reasons why mold inspection is a perfected science and why you cannot "DIY." 

Careful Scrapings into Lab Sample Dishes

When you think of science, you think of labs, experiments, and those little Petri dishes with the growth media inside them. Everything is controlled so that no outside contaminants or outside factors affect the outcomes of tests. That is exactly what mold inspectors do. They don protective gear that prevents the mold from touching them while preventing their own hair and skin from comingling with the mold samples they take. Each mold sample is then very carefully scraped with a sharp utility knife blade into a collection dish, quickly covered and sealed, and often dropped into a sealed lab sample bag as well. 

Samples Are Actually Tested in a Lab

Some mold inspectors have their own labs back at the office. However, most inspectors have special arrangements with science testing labs to test the samples sent to these labs and send back reports. Because you pay the mold inspector to have these tests done, you are entitled to a copy of the detailed reports upon request. The results of the tests will tell you and the inspector exactly what sub-class of mold you are dealing with and whether or not you should be seriously concerned. Then the inspector will discuss with you what can be done to remove the mold from your home. 

Why You Definitely Cannot DIY Mold Inspection

As you can see from above, there are lots of reasons why mold inspection is never a "do-it-yourself" sort of project. One, you do not have the protective equipment to don if the mold is toxic to humans. Two, you do not have the correct sample collection equipment. Three, you do not have your own testing lab in your home, nor do you have an arrangement with a company that performs these tests all the time. Four, and finally, you could not interpret the test results (even if you did have all of the above) without a professional's help. This is why you should hire a pro for the job. 

For more information on mold inspection, contact a company like Common Sense Inspections.