4 FAQs about Indoor Air Sampling

If you notice significant dust buildup or experience warm and cold spots throughout your home, you may need an indoor air quality inspection. What does this type of inspection actually do? The team at Bryan & Bryan Inspections would like to answer four of the most common questions regarding this essential evaluation.

1. Various Air-Sampling Devices

There are several methods that can be used to gather indoor air samples. Once collected, the samples are then analyzed to check for mold spores. The different types of air-sampling devices include:

1. impaction samplers (calibrated air pumps collect and place spores onto microscope slides).

2. cassette samplers (disposable samplers that use forced air to collect spores).

3. airborne-particle collectors (devices that trap air spores onto a culture dish).

2. When to Take a Sample

While indoor air quality tests can be conducted anytime a homeowner requests it, it’s actually best to take these samples if mold has been found in your home. If your home has also experienced moisture intrusion or water damage, this is another indication that your Dallas home should be tested. Outdoor air samples are gathered, as a control measure, to compare them to the indoor air spore samples. 

3. When Not to Take a Sample

There are a few occasions where taking an indoor mold sample would not be appropriate. If a member of the household is seeking medical care for mold exposure, if legal action is taking place due to mold found in the home, or if there’s a possibility of the mold inspector being exposed to the air sample, indoor air sampling should be rescheduled for a later date.

4. Where to Take a Sample

If mold was already discovered in the home, an air sample should be taken in the same room where the mold was found. Other rooms where samples should be collected include locations where there was past water damage, areas that have a musty smell, or places where water is consistently leaking into the home, such as the bathroom, kitchen, basement, or roof.

Expert Indoor Air Quality Services for Dallas Homeowners

Call Bryan & Bryan today at (866) 484-8318 to schedule an indoor air quality inspection. We serve the Dallas area with our home inspections, commercial inspections, stucco inspections, digital foundation inspections, and more.

Source: Gromicko, Nick, and Ward, Ethan. “Air Sampling for Mold Inspections.” Web article. International Association of Certified Home Inspectors. Web. 01 Jul. 2022.

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