Mendocino County Mold Testing
Mold
Testing
& Inspection
Two options: a visual inspection with moisture readings and an infrared camera scan, or that same inspection with air, swab, or tape lift samples added and analyzed by an independent lab.
Your Options
The visual inspection is the base service. Samples are add-ons.
- ✓ Visual inspection with moisture readings & infrared camera
- ✓ Air samples (optional add-on)
- ✓ Swab & tape lift samples (optional add-on)
- ✓ Independent lab analysis & a copy of the report
- ✓ IICRC Certified Firm
Start With an Inspection.
Add Samples If You Want Them.
The visual inspection is the base service. Air, swab, and tape lift samples are add-ons, and you decide which ones, if any.
Visual Inspection
The base service. Includes moisture readings and an infrared camera scan to find hidden moisture.
Air Sampling
Optional add-on. Spore trap samples taken inside and outside. Comparing the two shows whether your indoor air is carrying more mold, or different types, than the air outside.
Swab Sampling
Optional add-on. For a stain, residue, or growth on an irregular surface. A swab tells you whether it's mold, and what kind.
Tape Lift Sampling
Optional add-on. For growth on a smooth, flat surface — drywall, trim, cabinets, furniture. The lab identifies what's actually on it.
Independent Lab Analysis
Any samples we take go to an independent laboratory. You get a copy of the lab's report, along with a plain-English explanation of what it means.
Clearance Testing
Post-remediation clearance testing on work done by another company. We never clearance-test our own remediation jobs. Those go to an independent professional.
When Testing
Actually Helps
Testing isn't always necessary. These are the situations where it earns its cost.
- A musty smell, but no mold you can see
- Past water damage, and you want to know what's behind the walls
- A home inspection flagged possible mold during a sale
- Landlord and tenant situations where both sides need the same facts
- A stain or discoloration you can't identify
- Checking another company's remediation before you rebuild
If You Can See It, You May Not Need a Test
The California Department of Public Health doesn't recommend testing when mold is visible — it has to be cleaned up regardless of the type. If a test won't change what happens next, we'll tell you that on the phone instead of selling you one.
Where testing does help, it gives you facts to act on — for a sale, a lease, or your own peace of mind.
Call 707-962-7149What a Test Can't Tell You
There are no federal or California health limits for mold spores, so no lab report can say your levels are “safe” or “unsafe.” Results show what types are present and how much, compared to the outdoor air and to other rooms.
Testing also isn't a medical diagnosis. If you're worried mold is affecting your health, talk with your doctor. And an air sample is a snapshot — a normal result doesn't prove there's no hidden growth, which is why we pair samples with an inspection, moisture readings, and an infrared scan.
Call 707-962-7149How Testing
Works
An inspection, any samples you choose, and an answer you can act on.
Start With a Call
Tell us what you're seeing or smelling. We'll explain the options, and if samples won't change the answer, we'll tell you.
Inspection
We inspect the area, take moisture readings, and scan with an infrared camera. If you've added samples, we collect them on the same visit.
Independent Lab
If samples are taken, they go to an independent laboratory for analysis. We don't read our own samples.
Results & Next Steps
You get our findings, plus the lab report if samples were taken. If remediation is needed, you get a written estimate, with no obligation to hire us.
Priced by What
the Job Needs
Cost depends on what you choose: the visual inspection on its own, or with samples added — and if so, how many and what kind. You'll know the price before any samples are taken.
When mold is tied to a covered water loss, testing is sometimes part of the claim — it depends on your policy. See Does Insurance Cover Mold? for how that usually works.
Request TestingWho Usually Calls Us for Testing
- ✓ Homeowners with a musty smell they can't find
- ✓ Buyers and sellers during a real estate transaction
- ✓ Landlords and property managers
- ✓ Tenants who want documentation
- ✓ Homeowners after a leak or water damage
- ✓ Property owners checking another company's remediation
Mold Testing FAQ
Do I need mold testing if I can already see mold?
Usually not. The California Department of Public Health doesn't recommend testing when mold is visible, because it needs to be cleaned up regardless of the type.
When you can't see it, a visual inspection with moisture readings and an infrared camera scan can often find the source. Adding samples makes sense when you need documentation or want to know what a growth is.
Can an infrared camera see mold?
No. An infrared camera shows temperature differences, and those can point to hidden moisture behind a wall, ceiling, or floor. Mold needs moisture, so that tells us where to look. We confirm what the camera shows with a moisture meter, Samples can be added if you want to know what's actually growing there.
What's the difference between air, swab, and tape lift sampling?
Air sampling captures spores from the air, inside and outside, so the two can be compared. Swab and tape lift samples come from a specific surface and tell you whether a stain or growth is mold, and what kind.
Tape lifts work best on smooth, flat surfaces. Swabs work on irregular ones. We'll use whichever fits the question you're trying to answer.
Isn't it a conflict of interest for a remediation company to test?
It's a fair question. California doesn't license mold inspectors, and nothing prevents a remediation company from testing — but you should know how we handle it.
Samples are analyzed by an independent lab, not by us. You get a copy of the lab report itself, not just our summary. You're under no obligation to hire us for any work the results point to. And we never do clearance testing on our own remediation work. That goes to an independent professional.
What do the results tell me?
The lab report shows the types of mold found and how much. For air samples, the indoor results are compared to the outdoor sample and to other areas of the house.
There are no official “safe” levels for mold, so the comparison is what matters. We'll walk you through what the report says.
Can testing tell me if mold is making me sick?
No. Mold testing isn't a medical diagnosis, and we're not doctors. If you have health concerns, talk with your physician. We're happy to give you the lab report to bring to that appointment.
Are home mold test kits worth it?
The California Department of Public Health doesn't recommend them. Kit results are hard to interpret without a comparison sample and an inspection of where the moisture is coming from.
Will insurance pay for mold testing?
Sometimes, when the mold is tied to a covered water loss. It depends on your policy and the cause. Our page on whether insurance covers mold explains how that usually works.
Do you work outside Fort Bragg?
Yes. We cover Fort Bragg, Cleone, Mendocino, Caspar, Little River, Albion, Comptche, Willits, Ukiah, Laytonville, Philo, Sea Ranch, and the surrounding communities throughout Mendocino County.
Testing Tells You What's There.
We Can Handle What Comes Next.
If the results show a problem, North Coast Restoration handles the mold remediation, the drying, and the rebuild under one roof. If they don't, you have it in writing. Either way, the decision is yours.
CA Contractor License #1042648 | IICRC Certified Firm
Call 707-962-7149Find Out What
You're Dealing With
Serving Fort Bragg and all of Mendocino County. Call 707-962-7149, or info@northcoastrestoration.com.