When some level of mold is expected in your home, Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI) Testing is recommended. Remember mold can be hidden and isn’t quite noticeable upon visual inspection. This means, that when cutting into a wall or ceiling, removing carpeting or starting a remodel project, you can come across mold and release its spores into your indoor air environment.
The first place to start is realizing if you have previous water damage in your home. If so, you will want an ERMI test or Mold Inspection to rule out any hidden mold that may have been formed due to the water damage. Alternatively, if you’ve recently purchased a new home and suspect mold in the home due to smell or sensitivity you may want to get an ERMI test before you do any rehab work.
How does ERMI Work? ERMI is done by a simple dust sample from your home and analyzed in a lab. The value will come back and be scored anywhere between -10 and 20. This value is then compared to other homes in the national database to determine how moldy or at risk for mold your home is comparatively.
The test is helpful for identification of what type of mold species is active in your home as well and can help to differentiate normal molds which are usually present versus harmful or toxic mold. It is important to recognize that not all molds are toxic! There are many molds that live on or in our homes on a daily basis that are not causing any issue or harm to us or our environment.
At HNST Mold Inspections we perform ERMI testing to evaluate the potential risk of indoor mold growth and associated health effects for New York and New Jersey. If you suspect mold in your home, call us for your ERMI testing needs.
Water Damage Assessment after Burst Pipes