Certified Mold Testing & Independent Mold Inspection Services

Certified Mold Testing With Zero Conflict of Interest

Certified Mold Testing Without Any Cleanup Conflicts

Our certified and independent team delivers accurate, lab-verified results. Indeed, homeowners, buyers, real estate professionals, and property managers across the Outer Banks and Eastern NC trust our work. We are celebrating our 24th year of reliable service with a proud BBB A+ rating. Therefore, our strict no-cleanup policy allows us to provide clear, unbiased reporting. This approach helps you make confident decisions about your home or property. Because we never sell cleanup or repair services, our only goal is to give you honest facts. We invite you to contact us today for reliable guidance.

Trusted Provider for Public and Government Buildings

Local towns, counties, and state facilities choose us for professional Mold Testing and Mold Inspection services. In addition, we regularly serve Federal Government offices that require truly unbiased, third-party results. These large agencies choose our team because we deliver accurate, conflict-free reporting every time. Consequently, our inspectors provide the high level of professionalism, clear documentation, and reliability needed for public spaces. Whether you manage a massive regional facility or own a family home, you will receive the exact same high level of care and certified data.

Why Independent and Certified Assessments Matter

Certified and Independent property checks protect your safety and your wallet. Companies that perform both testing and cleanup have a clear financial incentive to find problems. However, our independent, certified inspectors provide objective, science-based reporting you can rely on. This level of neutrality gives buyers, homeowners, and real estate professionals true protection. Ultimately, you need clear, defensible documentation to make informed decisions about property safety, and our team provides exactly that.

Our Proven Methods of Reliable Mold Testing

Professional air and surface checks reveal the exact types of mold inside a home or business. Our team uses various careful methods to collect mold samples for expert review. Specifically, here are the common ways we check your property:

  • Air Sampling Checks: This process requires collecting indoor air samples to catch floating mold spores. Air checks identify the total amount of spores to determine if they exceed normal outdoor levels.

  • Surface Sampling Checks: We gather physical samples from visible growth on walls or floors using swabs or tape lifts. An accredited laboratory tests these items to identify the exact strain present.

  • Bulk Material Sampling: Technicians cut small pieces of building materials, such as drywall or insulation, when we suspect deep mold growth. Our laboratory tests these pieces to pinpoint the depth of the problem.

  • Swab Sampling Tests: Using a clean, sterile swab allows us to collect growth samples from tight spaces. Our office then sends the swab to a laboratory for fast analysis.

  • Tape Lift Sampling Tests: Pressing a piece of specialized tape onto a surface with visible stains completes this simple test. Laboratory workers look at the tape under a microscope to identify the spore type.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When to have a
Surface Mold Sample Taken

  • When visible or suspected mold is present.
  • Where cleanup or removal of visible mold has taken place.
  • When 3rd party will be involved in effecting repairs to ensure those repairs were completed properly.

Surface Sampling Methods

Surface sampling can be useful for differentiating between mold growth and stains of various kinds. This type of sampling is used to identify the type of mold growth that may be present and help investigate water intrusion. Surface sampling can help the interpretation of building inspections when used correctly. The following are the different types of surface samples that are commonly used to perform a direct examination of a specific location. Spore counts per area are not normally useful.

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Tape (or tape-lift)
These samples are collected using clear adhesive tape or adhesive slide for microscopic examination of suspect stains, settled dust and spores. Tape lifts are an excellent, non-destructive method of sampling. The laboratory is usually able to determine if the there is current of former mold growth or if only normally settled spores were sampled.

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Bulk
This is a destructive test of materials (e.g., settled dust, sections of wallboard, pieces of duct lining, carpet segments, return-air filters, etc.) to determine if they contain or show mold growth. Bulk sampling collects a portion of material small enough to be transported conveniently and handled easily in the laboratory while still representing the material being sampled. A representative sample is taken from the bulk sample and can be cultured for species identification or analyzed using direct microscopy for genus identification. The laboratory is usually able to determine if the there is current of former mold growth or if only normally settled spores were sampled.

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Swab
A sterile cotton or synthetic fiber-tipped swab is used to test an area of suspected mold growth. Samples obtained using this method can be cultured for species identification or analyzed using direct microscopy for genus identification. The laboratory is usually able to determine if there is current of former mold growth or if only normally settled spores were sampled. Identified spores are generally reported as “present/absent”.

When you should consider an
Indoor Air Quality Test for Mold

  • When a recent or prior water damage event is suspected or has occurred.
  • When a “Musty” smell is noticed.
  • An occupant of the home is predisposed to respiratory distress.
  • Recent mold remediation has taken place and you want to verify the effectiveness.

span class=”small”>Indoor Air Quality Testing
Air Sampling Methods

Air samples are possibly the most common type of environmental sample that investigators collect to study bioaerosols (mold, pollen, particulates). The physics of removing particles from the air and the general principles of good sample collection apply to all airborne materials, whether biological or other origin. Therefore, many of the basic principles investigators use to identify and quantify other airborne particulate matter can be adapted to bioaerosol sampling. Common to all aerosol samplers is consideration of collection efficiency. The following are the two most common forms of air sampling methods.

Air-O-Cell Cassette
The Air-O-Cell spore trap cassette is used with a portable air pump (15 liters/minute for 1 to 10 minutes) to collect airborne aerosols including mold, pollen and other airborne particulates. Air is drawn through a small opening at the top of the cassette and spores are trapped on a sticky coated glass slide inside the cassette. These cassettes are efficient at collecting spores as small as 2.6μm.

Z5 Cassette
The Z5 spore trap is used with a portable air pump (5 liters/minute for 1 to 5 minutes) to rapidly collect airborne aerosols including mold, pollen and other airborne particulates. Air is drawn through a small slit at the top of the cassette and spores are trapped on a sticky surface on a small glass slide inside the cassette. They are efficient at collecting spores as small as 1μm.

Mold in Attic

Pre-Purchase Mold & Moisture Inspection

With the recent real estate boom and intense bidding competition here in Eastern & Coastal NC, the pressure to close on a property quickly or lose it is very real. Do not invest in a property which may have prior or present moisture damage or potential mold issues. Rushing into a purchase may be an extremely costly financial mistake in the future when issues are identified. One of the most important steps in buying a home is having a home inspection performed. While standard home inspections are useful in identify structural and mechanical damages and concerns, they are not thorough regarding moisture and mold issues. Home inspectors generally see mold as a potential liability and may fail to document questionable concerns. Home Inspectors in general will leave Mold Inspection and Mold Testing services to licensed/certified Mold Inspectors. Call Homeworks Environmental Inspections before you purchase any home in or around Raleigh, North Carolina, for mold and moisture inspections.

Mold in home

Post Remediation Inspection & Testing

In any large mold remediation project HEI recommends Post Remediation / Clearance Testing be performed to ensure that “Elevated” mold conditions have been corrected. A post remediation visual verification inspection should be done to ensure that the work has been performed properly. It is advised to use an independent Certified Mold Testing contractor. Following proper mold remediation guidelines is critical in ensuring that there is no further cross contamination of mold spores mold testing can confirm actual conditions. Our mold inspectors are well experienced and educated and will ensure the proper steps are taken for mold remediation inspection and testing in North Carolina.