A thorough mold inspection uncovers hidden growth before it becomes a major health and structural problem. Our certified inspectors use advanced tools to detect moisture and mold throughout your home or business.
Professional mold inspections typically use one or more sampling methods. Spore trap air sampling collects a known volume of air onto a sticky collection medium, which is then analyzed by a laboratory to count and identify mold spore types and concentrations. This method captures both viable (living) and non-viable (dead but still allergenic) spores.
Surface sampling — using tape lifts, bulk material samples, or swabs — identifies mold present on a specific surface. This is useful for identifying the species growing on a suspicious area, for post-remediation verification testing, and for investigating areas where air sampling may undercount a localized mold source.
The AIHA’s Mold Assessment Guidelines recommend that all indoor air sampling include at least one outdoor control sample collected simultaneously. Without this baseline, indoor counts cannot be properly interpreted — what looks like “high” counts may simply reflect an outdoor bloom of the same species, while “low” indoor counts may still indicate an unusual species profile suggesting an indoor source.
A compliant Florida mold assessment report should include: the assessor’s name, license number, and company; the address and date of inspection; a description of conditions observed (moisture, visible growth, building conditions); sample locations, collection methods, and chain-of-custody documentation; laboratory results with the lab’s AIHA-EMLAP accreditation number; interpretation of results relative to outdoor baseline; and specific written remediation protocol if contamination is identified.
Florida Statute requires that a written remediation protocol be provided to the property owner when contamination is found. This protocol specifies the scope of work for the remediator — what must be removed, what can be cleaned, what post-remediation testing is required to verify clearance. The remediator must follow this protocol; deviation requires reassessment.
Be cautious of inspectors who provide verbal findings only, who do not collect outdoor control samples, or who recommend remediation scope without a written protocol. These are departures from Florida law and professional standards.
Mold laboratory reports express spore counts in spores per cubic meter of air (sp/m³). There are no universally established “safe” thresholds — the EPA has stated that it cannot recommend a specific level of mold that is acceptable in all cases. Instead, qualified assessors compare indoor species profiles and concentrations to outdoor baselines.
Key indicators in a mold report: elevated counts of Stachybotrys or Chaetomium indoors (both associated with water-damaged materials) relative to outdoor; significantly elevated total spore count indoors relative to outdoors; presence of a species at high concentration indoors that is absent or minimal outdoors; and spore types that are consistent with known water-damage indicator species.
Post-remediation verification (clearance) testing uses the same air sampling protocols and compares results to outdoor baseline. The goal is not zero spores — that is not achievable — but rather that indoor species profile and counts are consistent with outdoor air, confirming that the indoor mold source has been successfully removed.
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