MOLD SERVICES

Although there are many varieties of mold that are benign or even beneficial (think of bleu cheese and penicillin), some are very toxic to humans.  Many common health problems, including some that are very severe, have been related to living or working in an environment that is contaminated with toxic mold. Humans often come in contact with molds in moist areas in or around their homes and workplaces or when mold spores become airborne. These airborne mold spores can come into contact with humans either through the skin or when inhaled or ingested.  If the mold spores are "toxic", they can adversely affect the health of humans. The effect on humans will depend on the type of mold involved, the metabolic byproduct of the mold, how much contact there is and the length of exposure, as well as the level of susceptibility of the human victim.

Mold Sampling and Inspections

The only way to be sure whether you have a mold problem is to test your environment. AME has on staff inspectors that are certified by the National Association of Mold Professionals (NAMP).  Our inspectors use procedures and techniques that have been proven to work by NAMP. These include a combination of visual inspection by knowledgeable staff, taking moisture measurements in the air and materials that may be prime sites for mold growth, and mold sampling and culturing procedures. Using these methods, we can help determine the extent of moisture and mold problems, even in places that visual inspection is difficult or impossible. We can help you identify where you may have problems in the future. By culturing mold samples that are taken by swab or via air sampling, we can identify many mold species that have been know to cause health problems in some people.

Following are some of the sampling methods and techniques used to determine the types of molds that are present in the affected areas:

• Culturable air samples using a Biocassette on which the mold will be grown. The Biocassette is sent to our lab for culturing, and is then examined by expert microbiologists to determine which molds are present. The sample can be cultured in different ways depending on what molds are expected to be present. The sample can be analyzed for fungal genus identification plus speciation of the molds present from the genus Aspergillus. This is our standard analysis. We also offer genus ID plus Penicillium speciation, genus ID plus Cladosporium speciation, a premium analysis for full species identification.

• Air Sample with Spore Trap Analysis (Aerocell).  We can take a sample of the air in your affected area and impact the airborne particles onto a surface that is then examined by the micobiologists in the lab. The particles will consist of dust, dander, mold spores and other items that are commonly found floating in the air.

• Tape lift. This is the preferred method for testing for Stachybotrus sp., the mold that is commonly referred to as toxic black mold. Stachybotrus sp. do not, in general, compete well with other types of mold and it requires specific conditions to thrive. When these conditions are found, and black growth is observed, a tape lift can determine if the mold is Stachybotrus.

Mold Remediation

AME has a remediation team that is certified by the National Association of Mold Professionals (NAMP).  NAMP promotes remediation procedures that help to minimize the exposure of your family or employees to mold during the remediation process, as well as reduce the recurrence of mold growth in the affected areas. This is important because everyone reacts differently to exposure to mold. While some people show no ill effects whatsoever, there are others who are extremely sensitive to the mycotoxins that are produced by some species of mold. By minimizing the amount of mold spores and mycotoxins that escape the remediation area, we minimize the health risk to your family or employees.