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Guide for interpreting reports from inspections/investigations of indoor mold

W Elliott Horner1, Charles Barnes, Rosa Codina

  • 1Air Quality Sciences, Atlanta, GA, USA. ehorner@aqs.com

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
|February 5, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Interpreting indoor mold inspection reports requires careful assessment due to varied methods and investigator qualifications. Informed observations and strategic sampling aid in determining mold presence, but report quality is key.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Indoor Air Quality
  • Mycology

Background:

  • Increased demand for indoor environmental inspections for mold.
  • Allergists often interpret mold reports without specific training in environmental data.
  • Lack of standardized methods and investigator credentials leads to variable report quality.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss objectives of indoor mold inspections.
  • To outline investigator qualifications and limitations of sampling methods.
  • To provide guidance for interpreting mold inspection reports and laboratory data.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing inspection and testing methodologies for indoor mold.
  • Analysis of limitations in specificity and robustness of current mold sampling techniques.
  • Discussion on the strategic collection and analysis of environmental samples.

Main Results:

  • No single sampling method reliably detects mold growth.
  • Significant variability exists in inspection and testing methods and investigator qualifications.
  • Informed inspections and qualified analyses can indicate mold presence, but report assessment is crucial.

Conclusions:

  • Interpretation of indoor mold data requires critical evaluation of inspection strategies and report quality.
  • Understanding the limitations of sampling methods is essential for accurate assessment.
  • Guidance is provided for allergists and other professionals interpreting environmental mold data.

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