15th Annual North Carolina/South Carolina

Environmental Information Association Technical Conference

Myrtle Beach, SC

Daniel Friedman 23 September 2005

This paper presents a summary and critique of some popular methods used to examine indoor air quality to test for presence or absence of problematic levels of toxic or allergenic mold or other bioaerosols. I will describe and critique specific "testing" or "sampling" methods used to "test" buildings for mold in the course of a building investigation. The appropriateness of testing at all is discussed on this and other pages at my website. My website www.inspect-ny.com/sickhouse.htm includes more broad discussions of the overall approach to building investigation, as do many expert references cited at that web. For a more comprehensive collection information about mold test methods see http://www.inspect-ny.com/sickhouse/IAQMethods.htm. For more on "mold classes" (Cosmetic mold vs. allergenic mold vs. toxic or pathogenic mold) see http://www.inspect-ny.com/sickhouse/moldclasses.htm and more references such as a Mold Action Guide are at the end of this document.

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