Terms you are likely to see
- Spore trap
- A cassette that collects particles from a measured volume of air onto a sticky slide for microscopic counting.
- Outdoor control
- An air sample taken outside at the same time, used as a baseline for comparison with indoor results.
- Spores per cubic meter
- The concentration unit for air samples, sometimes abbreviated with a slash and m3.
- Genus (plural genera)
- The group a mold belongs to, such as Penicillium, Aspergillus, Cladosporium or Stachybotrys. Spore traps usually identify to genus, not species.
- Water-damage indicators
- Genera, such as Stachybotrys and Chaetomium, that usually grow only on materials that have been wet for some time.
- Hyphal fragments
- Pieces of mold filament, which can indicate active or disturbed growth nearby.
- Tape lift
- A surface sample made by pressing clear tape onto a material and examining it under a microscope.
- Rank or growth level
- A lab's description of how much growth was seen on a surface sample, often from rare to heavy.
- Post-remediation verification
- Inspection and often sampling after remediation to confirm the work area is clean and dry before rebuilding.
- Moisture content
- Readings from a meter, often on wood or drywall, compared with unaffected reference materials.
- Chain of custody
- The record showing who collected, handled and delivered each sample to the lab.
How results are usually read
- Pattern
- Indoor counts similar to or lower than outdoor, similar types
- Common interpretation
- No strong evidence of an indoor source in that area
- Pattern
- Indoor counts well above outdoor
- Common interpretation
- Possible indoor source; inspect for moisture and growth
- Pattern
- Indoor types absent outdoors, especially water-damage indicators
- Common interpretation
- Suggests growth on wet materials somewhere indoors
- Pattern
- High hyphal fragments indoors
- Common interpretation
- Possible active growth or recent disturbance
- Pattern
- Very low counts both indoors and outdoors
- Common interpretation
- Common in dry Denver winter conditions; compare with care
Questions to ask the assessor
- Where exactly was each sample taken, and why there?
- What were conditions like that day, including weather and any activity in the house?
- Which result concerns you most, and what do you recommend because of it?
- Does anything in this report change the remediation scope?
- What would a passing result look like after remediation?
General information for Hilltop, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.