Mold Test kit for Black Mold in NJ Basement

A Mold Test Kit will determine if you have Mold or not

Mold has existed since things have been growing on the earth. Molds are forms of fungi that are naturally found in the environment. Molds are found in the soil, and on dead and decaying organic matter. Mold can also be in your home. If you suspect that you have mold, get a mold test kit to be sure.

Uncontrolled water, moisture and humidity can allow nature can take a foothold in your basement. A healthy home needs a healthy basement. You can't have one without the other. A healthy basement should be a standard, not a luxury.

That musty basement smell is a giveaway that something is wrong. If you think you have a mold problem…you probably do. Unpleasant odors in your basement and throughout your house are in direct association with damp basements. Mold spores and bacteria cultures that form on wet surfaces can expose serious health problems to you and your family. The elderly, the allergic and those with weak immune systems are vulnerable to a variety of illnesses due to mold spores and bacteria caused by a damp basement.

The main house is above ground and has plenty of air circulation from the windows and doors being opened and closed each day. Also, because most of the living takes place in the main living areas, the main house is probably cleaned more often.

The basement is subterranean and below ground . Because the basement is underground it has a different environment than the rest of the house. Since the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973, the Home Building industry in the United States has been dedicated to energy efficiency. We do everything we can to button our homes up as tight as a drum. We use insulation, house wrap, double paned insulated windows and doors, caulking and silicone around the windows. We make our homes AIR TIGHT. The positive effects of an air tight home are: better energy efficiency, lower energy costs and higher resale value.

The negative effects of an air tight home are: stagnant air, trapped gases a

nd moisture buildup. Everything we have just done to keep the energy (i.e. Heat and A/C) contained in the home, also keeps moisture contained in the home. Congratulations! You just turned your home into a terrarium. Not exactly,

but you have left no intentional escape for bad air. The types of problems that come with all of that trapped moisture are mold and mildew, as well as other biological pollutants, and pests. Mold grows in damp environments and insects love it too.

If you are a homeowner in New Jersey, you can call A-1 Basement Solutions at 908-322-1313 for a Free Basement Health Inspection which includes a mold test. We were on the Today Show on 05/04/2012. Eight contractors went to the woman’s home to check what she thought might be mold. Five of the contractors said she had mold and wanted to charge up to $10,000 to clean it up. Three of them said she didn't have mold. Only A-1 Basement Solutions did an actual test to determine that there wasn't mold in the house.

The test is a simple but effective one. It’s done with what is called a mold stick – it’s a plastic tube that encases a cotton swab. At the top is a plastic vial in a bulb shape. The user bends the bulb to crack the seal, then a chemical wets the cotton swab, turning it green. The user rubs the swab on the suspected mold. If the swab stays green, it’s not mold. If it turns gray, it’s dormant mold. If it turns purple, it’s active mold.

If you are outside of New Jersey, you can get the Mold Sticks to test for yourself. Visit our Amazon store to buy the Mold Sticks to test your own home