By Alpine Home Inspections

“Stick to It” Slide Samples: testing of mold present in the home that is visible. Results are available in 3 working days.

Cost: $175 in addition to basic home inspection; $250 for Mold Test only.

If you requested that Alpine Home Inspections take a sample of existing, visible mold from the home you are thinking of purchasing the results from the lab would be to examine the specimen and provide the type of mold that was gathered from the home. This type of sample does not provide information regarding the levels of mold present in the home, only that the sample taken is a specific type of mold.

Air Test Samples: testing of the air inside and outside the home to determine the presence of mold. Results are available in 3 working days.

Cost $300 in addition to basic home inspection; $400 for Mold Air Test only.

If more than one area inside is desired to be tested, add $50 for each.

If you requested that Alpine Home Inspections perform an air test to determine if mold is present in the home you are thinking of purchasing, Alpine will have performed the test using an air pump machine to check the mold concentration inside the home and outside the home. These results are evaluated by the lab to determine the types of mold present, their concentration and the difference in the outside and inside levels to determine if there are higher than normal levels of mold present inside the home. The types of mold present and the levels at which they are present will be listed on the results sheet from the lab.

Explanation of Mold Inspection Results: What to expect from the lab results

There are no rules on safe levels of mold. In fact, some types of mold produce endotoxins and can be carcinogenic. Since different people react differently to mold exposure (some react more, some less so, and the dose/response reaction can magnify with each exposure based on individual reaction), it is best to take steps to remediate a mold problem.

Presently the EPA Guidelines are the standard for the industry. Most states do not have a remediation guideline. However, it is always essential to check with your state to verify whether they have specific rules regarding mold remediation. Standards for judging what is an acceptable, tolerable, or normal quantity of mold have not been established