FAQs Frequently Asked Questions

Store bought test kits are attractive in price, but they do not produce reliable results.  Renters, Landlords, Vacation Owners, and Real Estate Property Sellers should consider these important facts:

• Do not rely on a store bought test kit to win judicial hearings as the kit results and the person taking the sample is not an unbiased professional or a certified reputable laboratory. 
• Consider liability when it comes to the financial and health care costs of your renters, or real estate property buyer.

Accurate Mold Testing inspectors are certified as nationally recognized and educated in mold. Our equipment air sampling cassettes and scrape sample dishes are sent to an environmental microbiology laboratory who specialize in Microscopic mold spores. These results take 3 days to receive and the reports hold up in court when making judicial decisions. We keep our costs low so you can be confident with a reliable source of mold testing.

Remediation companies are expensive. On the other hand, Accurate Mold Testing will cost you a lot "less" than most remediation and restoration companies who have high overhead with a fleet of vehicles, commercial buildings, and employees. Those who offer free or low cost testing and inspection will send employees to take samples, but have no mold training or education to help you further.  Mold abatement and restoration is expensive so its not worth it for most remediation companies to test and inspect your building unless they charge $850-$1600 minimum. We determine mold inspection cost or mold testing cost by the size and structure of your building. As retired mold remediation experts with low overhead, we can afford to keep our costs down while providing you with clear, "Accurate" advice from our years of knowledge and experience. 

Insurance will always try to escape paying for slow leaks that is why it is important to prevent or stop water or moisture from causing damage.  Accurate Mold Testing is your "First Contact" if it has been more than 72 hours of water intrusion. Our Micro machines can detect the smallest hint of mold starting to grow and identify where it's hiding. This is your cheapest and most effective route. We are experienced in Insurance claims and would be happy to provide assistance.

 If you have experienced flooding from storms, burst pipes, or pump failure, contact us 24/7 and we will refer you to our experienced and trusted Restoration service to help you file a claim with your insurance adjuster and make sure the water extraction, dry out, and rebuild are all outlined and agreed upon. Don't procrastinate! Once mold sets in, it is harder to get insurance to help pay, and remediation is expensive.

 The earth is full of microscopic mold spores called fungi that grow in different shapes, sizes and colors. Mold in nature helps with the decomposition of dead plants and animals. It releases nutrients in the process that other living organisms use. In indoor environments, molds can cause structural damage because they consume and destroy the material they settle upon.  It becomes critical when there are higher levels of toxic mold spores inside your building than there is outside.  That is why Accurate Mold Testing professionals take an air quality sample outside and have the lab compare it to the inside air samples. 

Mold often has a musty odor. The most common indoor molds are Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Aspergillus and Stachybotrys. Some mold species can be toxic which can become airborne. Exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects. High levels of mold spores can cause respiratory problems and allergic reactions. Some people with asthma can experience symptoms such as stuffy nose, wheezing, red or itchy eyes, or skin, and lung problems. We keeps our costs affordable so you can have peace of mind getting your home or office building tested for mold. 

 Homeowners can handle cleaning an area about 3 feet by 3 feet of black mold on their own. Once Accurate Mold Testing establishes what species the mold is, and assesses your situation, we can provide guidance and oversight for those who prefer to do it yourself. We recommend natural, safe products to clean mold and keep it from returning. If the area is larger and more complex, we will recommend our highly qualified Restoration service. 

In 2000 CBS covered a story about "invisible killers". 

Melinda Ballard and Ron Allison bought their dream home in 1998 - a 22-room mansion on 72 acres outside of Austin, Texas. Their dream turned into a nightmare when the couple, their son, groundkeeper and nanny began experiencing a wide range of alarming symptoms including "profusely" bloody runny noses. Their four-year-old started coughing up blood and had problems with his equilibrium. Melinda had problems with balance. Ron had trouble breathing and began coughing up blood; then he started having serious memory problems. Everyone tested negative for allergies.

On April 1, 1999, Melinda was on a flight to Arkansas when she struck up a conversation with a fellow passenger. The man was Bill Holder, who had become one of the country's first mold specialists. Melinda complained about the parade of contractors and inspectors going through her house. While talking she coughed chunks of blood into a tissue. Holder asked her if she by chance "had a leak in her house".  Melinda explained that they'd had leaks in the copper pipes since 1998. the first was minor and they paid for it themselves. When the hardwood floors began to warp and buckle they contacted their insurance company; some repairs were made, but a battle with their insurer ensued. During this time the family started getting sick.

The life-changing illness started with a leak in a downstairs bathroom that spread mold under the flooring, affecting 2,500 square feet of wood floor. It got into the air conditioning system, spreading toxins throughout the house.  Everything was affected, from the home to the family's photos and possessions. 

Four days later, Holder stopped by and took samples. They were sent to Dr. David Straus of Texas Tech.  Two days later Holder had his results - a diagnosis of level-4 Stachybotrys. Holder returned with Dr. Straus. Within 30 minutes Straus had to leave the house and spent four hours sick in Holder's truck - leaving only to vomit.

On April 23, 1999 Holder called Melinda and advised the family to "get the hell out of there". they were gone in an hour. Melinda believes her son or husband would have died if Holder had not stepped in. She is the only one whose symptoms disappeared since leaving the house. Doctors siad it would take Reese and Ron time to recover. 

Within a year, Melinda Ballard's 11,500 square-foot Texas dream home was quarantined; her son was on daily medication to treat scarred, asthmatic lungs; her husband, Ron, had lost his memory along with his job; and the family was living out of suitcases and locked in a seemingly endless battled with their insurance company...

Their house can't even be bulldozed until the Stachybotrys-infested timber, flooring and wallboard, are wrapped up and carted off by abatement experts in full-body suits.  David Straus suffered severe hearing loss in one ear from his exposure to the mold. 

In terms of loss, this family experienced damage equivalent to what they would have suffered in a flood.

With "ideal conditions" of humidity and moisture, mold can complete its growth process in as little as 24 to 48 hours. Mold develops from microscopic seed-like structures called spores that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Once spores have developed, mold can enter a dormant stage and stay that way for a very long time. 

When spores settle on a surface that has a food source, enough moisture and the right temperature, they absorb that water and swell to two to three times their originals size; then they begin to form thread-like structures known as hyphae.

As hyphae grow, they interweave to become a tangled mass known as mycelium. When mycelium grow and spread out in all directions to penetrate the food source, you can see them. 

when aerial hyphe grow up, their spores can then be carried away by air currents, moisture droplets, insects, pets or humans to new places where they can begin the reproductive cycle- over and over again. 

Mold needs four conditions to grow: 

1. Mold spores must be present
2. Nutrients must be available
3. the temperature range must be between 40 and 100 degrees
4. Relative humidity near that surface must be 70% or more