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You’ve noticed the smell. Maybe someone in your house has been coughing more, dealing with headaches that won’t quit, or waking up congested every morning. You can’t see mold, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there.
Mold testing gives you actual data. Not a sales pitch from someone trying to sell you remediation. Not a guess based on what things look like. You get lab results that show what types of mold are present, at what concentration, and whether your indoor air quality is within normal range or elevated.
That matters when you’re deciding whether to spend thousands on remediation. It matters when you’re trying to figure out if your kid’s asthma is getting worse because of something in the house. And it definitely matters if you’re buying or selling a home in Kensington, where 70% of the housing stock was built before 1940 and moisture issues are practically baked into the foundation.
Testing gives you clarity. Then you can make decisions based on facts, not fear.
We’ve been doing mold inspections and testing in Pennsylvania since 1997. We know Kensington’s housing stock the row homes, the attached duplexes, the century-old construction that makes up most of this neighborhood. We also know that older homes with poor ventilation, aging plumbing, and basement seepage create perfect conditions for mold growth.
Here’s what makes us different: we’re not trying to upsell you on remediation during the inspection. Our job is to collect samples, send them to an independent lab, and give you a detailed report within a week. What you do with that information is up to you.
We’re certified, we follow Pennsylvania regulations, and we’ve seen enough mold situations to know when something’s actually a problem versus when it’s being overblown. You’ll get straight answers, not scare tactics.
First, we do a visual inspection of your property. We’re looking for visible mold, water damage, moisture sources, and areas where conditions are right for growth. That includes basements, crawl spaces, bathrooms, kitchens, attics, and anywhere you’ve had leaks or flooding.
Next, we use moisture detection equipment and thermal imaging to find hidden problem areas. Mold doesn’t always grow where you can see it. It grows where moisture sits, and that’s often inside walls, under floors, or behind fixtures.
Then we collect samples. We take an air sample from outside your home to establish a baseline, and we take air samples from inside usually from multiple rooms. If we see visible mold or suspect surface contamination, we’ll take surface samples too. Those samples go to an independent laboratory for analysis.
Within three to seven days, you get a full report. It includes lab results showing what types of mold spores were detected, at what concentration levels, and whether your indoor levels are higher than outdoor levels. We’ll also include photos from the inspection, notes on moisture sources, and recommendations if action is needed.
You’re not locked into using us for remediation. You’re not obligated to do anything. You just get the facts.
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When you hire us for mold testing in Kensington, you’re getting a certified inspector who shows up with professional-grade equipment. That includes moisture meters, thermal imaging cameras, and air sampling pumps that meet industry standards.
You’re also getting independent lab analysis. We don’t run the tests ourselves. We send your samples to a third-party laboratory that specializes in mold identification. They’ll tell you if you’ve got common molds like Cladosporium and Penicillium, or if you’re dealing with toxic molds like Stachybotrys (black mold). They’ll also measure concentration levels so you know if what you’re dealing with is normal background levels or something that requires action.
And you’re getting documentation. If you’re buying a home in Kensington and the inspector found moisture issues, you need testing before you close. If you’re selling and a buyer’s asking questions, you need documentation to show the property is clear. If you’re filing an insurance claim after a leak or flood, you need a professional report to back it up.
Kensington’s housing stock makes this especially relevant. With nearly 70% of homes built before 1940 and another 8% built by 1949, you’re dealing with aging infrastructure, old ventilation systems, and construction methods that weren’t designed with moisture control in mind. Basements leak. Roofs age out. Plumbing fails. And Pennsylvania’s humid climate does the rest.
Testing tells you what’s actually happening in your specific property, not what might be happening based on the age of the building.
Most mold inspections and testing in Kensington run between a few hundred dollars depending on the size of your home and how many samples need to be collected. If you’ve got a small rowhome and we’re testing two or three rooms, that’s on the lower end. If you’ve got a larger property, multiple floors, or specific areas of concern that need surface testing in addition to air testing, it’ll cost more.
Here’s what you’re paying for: the inspection itself, the lab analysis (which is done by an independent laboratory, not us), and a detailed report with findings and photos. Some companies will offer free inspections, but they’re usually tied to remediation services. They make their money on the back end by selling you the cleanup. We charge for testing because that’s the service we’re providing, and it keeps the process unbiased.
It’s also worth noting that spending a few hundred on testing up front can save you thousands if it turns out you don’t actually need full remediation. Or it can give you the documentation you need to get insurance to cover the work if you do.
Once we collect samples from your home, they go to the lab the same day or next business day. The lab typically takes three to seven days to complete the analysis and send back results. That timeline depends on the lab’s current workload and the types of tests being run.
When you get the report, it’s not just a number or a pass/fail. You’ll see exactly what types of mold spores were identified, the concentration levels measured in spores per cubic meter, and how your indoor levels compare to the outdoor baseline sample we took. You’ll also get photos from the inspection, notes on where moisture was detected, and our assessment of whether the levels found are normal or elevated.
If you’re in a time crunch like you’re in the middle of a real estate transaction or dealing with a health issue that needs immediate answers let us know. We can sometimes request a rush on lab processing, though that may come with an additional fee. Most of the time, though, a week is a reasonable turnaround, and it gives you time to think through next steps without making decisions based on panic.
You can, but you’re probably not going to get useful information. Most over-the-counter mold test kits use petri dishes that you leave open in a room for a set period of time. Mold spores settle on the dish, and then you send it to a lab or try to interpret the growth yourself. The problem is that those tests don’t measure concentration levels, they don’t compare indoor to outdoor levels, and they don’t account for variables like airflow or sampling duration.
Professional mold testing uses calibrated air sampling equipment that pulls a specific volume of air through a collection device over a set time period. That gives you a measurement in spores per cubic meter, which can then be compared to outdoor air and to established guidelines for what’s considered normal versus elevated. It’s actual data, not just “yep, mold grew on this dish.”
The other issue with DIY kits is that they don’t come with an inspection. Mold testing isn’t just about collecting a sample. It’s about identifying where moisture is coming from, where mold is likely growing, and what conditions are allowing it to thrive. If you don’t know where to look or what to look for, you might test the wrong areas and miss the actual problem. An experienced inspector knows what to check in Kensington’s older homes basement walls, around old cast iron plumbing, near HVAC systems, in attics with poor ventilation. That context matters.
A mold inspection is the visual assessment. We walk through your property looking for visible mold growth, water damage, moisture issues, and conditions that could lead to mold problems. We’ll use tools like moisture meters and thermal imaging cameras to detect hidden moisture in walls, ceilings, and floors. The goal is to identify problem areas and determine whether testing is needed.
Mold testing is the lab work. It involves collecting air samples or surface samples and sending them to a laboratory for analysis. The lab identifies what types of mold are present and measures the concentration levels. Testing gives you specific data about what’s in your indoor air and whether it’s within normal range.
Most of the time, you want both. The inspection tells you where the problems are. The testing tells you what you’re dealing with and how bad it is. Some situations don’t require testing if there’s visible mold growth on a small area and the source of moisture is obvious, you can often just address it without spending money on lab analysis. But if you’re buying a home, dealing with health symptoms, or trying to figure out if a musty smell is actually a mold problem, testing gives you the confirmation you need.
In Kensington, where so many homes are older and moisture intrusion is common, testing also gives you documentation. If you’re negotiating with a seller, filing an insurance claim, or just trying to make an informed decision about whether to invest in remediation, having a professional report with lab results makes a difference.
No. We’re not a remediation company trying to drum up work. We do mold testing and inspections, and our job is to give you accurate information about what’s happening in your home. If the lab results show elevated mold levels, we’ll tell you that and explain what it means. If the results come back normal, we’ll tell you that too.
What you do with the information is your call. If remediation is needed, you can hire whoever you want. You can get multiple quotes. You can handle small issues yourself if you’re comfortable doing that. We’re not going to pressure you into anything, because we don’t make money on the remediation side.
That’s actually why independent testing matters. A lot of companies offer free mold inspections, but they’re tied to remediation services. The inspector works for the company that’s going to bid the job, so there’s an incentive to find problems or to make problems sound worse than they are. When testing is separate from remediation, you get unbiased results. You’re paying for the inspection and lab analysis, not for someone to create a sales opportunity.
If you do need remediation and you want recommendations, we can point you toward reputable companies. But you’re not obligated to use anyone we suggest, and we don’t get kickbacks for referrals. You just get honest information and the freedom to make your own decisions.
Not always. If you’ve got visible mold growth on a small area like a patch on a bathroom wall or around a window frame and you know what caused it (a leak, condensation, poor ventilation), you can often just clean it up and fix the moisture problem without spending money on testing. Mold needs moisture to grow, so if you eliminate the source and remove the growth, you’ve addressed the issue.
Testing makes sense when you’re dealing with a larger area, when you don’t know the extent of the problem, or when you need documentation. For example, if you’ve had a flood or a major leak and you’re not sure how far the mold has spread, testing can tell you whether spores are circulating through your HVAC system or whether mold is growing inside walls where you can’t see it. If someone in your house is dealing with respiratory issues or allergic reactions and you suspect mold but can’t find the source, testing can confirm whether your indoor air quality is compromised.
Testing is also critical if you’re buying or selling a home in Kensington. If a home inspector flags moisture issues or potential mold during a pre-sale inspection, buyers are going to want proof that the air quality is safe. Sellers benefit from testing too if you can show that mold levels are normal despite the age of the home, it removes a negotiating point and gives buyers confidence.
In older Kensington homes where basements are damp, ventilation is poor, and plumbing is aging, testing gives you a clearer picture of what’s actually happening versus what you’re worried might be happening. It’s the difference between guessing and knowing.
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