Mold & Moisture Testing
Air and surface sampling with certified lab analysis, thermal imaging and moisture mapping, plus an independent assessment of the source driving the problem.
Lab-tested air and surface samples, thermal imaging and moisture mapping.
Do you actually need testing?
Do you need testing?
Four common situations, and what each one honestly calls for. Sometimes the answer is less testing than you expected.
Visible mold with an active leak
Visible mold and a leak
Testing may not change your immediate decision. Fix the moisture source, then decide whether lab documentation is actually useful to you.
Fix the leak first, then decide.
Musty odor, no visible source
Moisture mapping and sampling are the right tools here, because the point is to find something you cannot see.
Find the hidden source.
Transaction documentation
Objective lab results and a documented source give both sides something concrete to negotiate from.
Lab results both sides can trust.
Verifying a previous remediation
Checking past remediation
We determine the scope of what remains and whether sampling is the right tool before anyone pays for more testing.
Scope what remains first.
What is included, specifically.
What is included.
Additional samples are available where a second location would genuinely add information. We will say so if it would not.
Lab sampling
Two air samples and one surface sample, analyzed by an independent certified laboratory.
Two air, one surface sample.
Thermal imaging
Temperature patterns that point toward moisture pathways behind finishes.
Reveals moisture behind finishes.
Moisture mapping
Meter readings that trace how far damp conditions actually extend.
Traces how far damp spreads.
Source assessment
Crawlspace, attic and visible building-condition review focused on why the moisture is there at all.
Finds why moisture is there.
Mold Testing: $450 for indoor and outdoor air sampling. Additional indoor locations $225 each.
$450 indoor/outdoor air
+$225 per extra location
Why Northern Michigan homes develop moisture problems.
Why homes get damp.
Mold is a symptom. The reason it keeps coming back is almost always one of a small number of building conditions, and around here they repeat.
Mold is a symptom of these.
Crawlspace vapor
Damp soil, incomplete vapor barriers and unsealed seams keep a crawlspace wet year-round without anyone noticing.
Damp soil keeps crawlspaces wet.
Attic exhaust
A bath fan terminating into the attic dumps moisture into a cold space every day of the heating season.
Bath fans venting into the attic.
Ice-dam paths
Water travels behind finishes and keeps traveling, sometimes long after the visible roof problem looks repaired.
Hidden leaks behind finishes.
Closed-up homes
Lake-adjacent soils, seasonal vacancy and a long heating season combine into exactly the conditions moisture likes.
Vacancy and humidity breed mold.
What you receive.
- An independent laboratory result
- Plain-language interpretation of what it means
- Thermal and moisture findings
- An independent lab result
- Plain-language interpretation
- Thermal and moisture findings
- A likely explanation of the moisture source
- Prioritized next steps
- No remediation sales pitch
- Likely moisture source
- Prioritized next steps
- No remediation sales pitch
Frequently asked questions.
Do I need testing if I can already see mold?
Sometimes not. If mold is clearly visible and the source is obvious, your money is often better spent on fixing the moisture and cleaning up than on confirming what you can see. We will tell you honestly when testing would not change your decision.
What does a mold lab result tell me?
It identifies the mold types present and their concentrations relative to outdoor air. That matters for health-sensitive occupants and for documentation, but the actionable part is almost always the moisture source.
Do you perform mold remediation?
No, deliberately. We test and we identify the source. Companies that both test and remediate have an obvious incentive to find a problem, and we would rather not have that conversation with you.
What is included in the $450 service?
Two air samples and one surface sample with independent certified-lab analysis, thermal imaging, moisture mapping, and a review of the crawlspace, attic and visible building conditions driving the moisture.
Should I test visible mold?
Sometimes not. If mold is clearly visible and the source is obvious, your money is often better spent on fixing the moisture and cleaning up than on confirming what you can see. We will tell you honestly when testing would not change your decision.
What does a lab result show?
It identifies the mold types present and their concentrations relative to outdoor air. That matters for health-sensitive occupants and for documentation, but the actionable part is almost always the moisture source.
Do you do mold remediation?
No, deliberately. We test and we identify the source. Companies that both test and remediate have an obvious incentive to find a problem, and we would rather not have that conversation with you.
What is in the $450 service?
Two air samples and one surface sample with independent certified-lab analysis, thermal imaging, moisture mapping, and a review of the crawlspace, attic and visible building conditions driving the moisture.
How many samples are included?
Three: two air and one surface. Additional samples are available when a second location would genuinely isolate the problem. We will tell you when it would not.
Can you find hidden moisture behind walls?
Often. Thermal imaging shows temperature patterns consistent with moisture, and meter readings confirm them. Neither sees through walls, so what we produce is a well-evidenced conclusion rather than a guarantee.
Can you test during a real estate transaction?
Yes, and it is common. We can run it alongside a home inspection in the same visit, which is faster and cheaper than a separate appointment.
How long do lab results take?
Typically a few business days from the independent laboratory. If you are working against a contingency deadline, tell us when you book and we will work backwards from it.
How many samples are included?
Three: two air and one surface. Additional samples are available when a second location would genuinely isolate the problem. We will tell you when it would not.
Can you find hidden moisture?
Often. Thermal imaging shows temperature patterns consistent with moisture, and meter readings confirm them. Neither sees through walls, so what we produce is a well-evidenced conclusion rather than a guarantee.
Can you test during a sale?
Yes, and it is common. We can run it alongside a home inspection in the same visit, which is faster and cheaper than a separate appointment.
How long do lab results take?
Typically a few business days from the independent laboratory. If you are working against a contingency deadline, tell us when you book and we will work backwards from it.
Get an independent answer before you pay for remediation.
We identify the moisture conditions, use lab testing when it adds value, and explain the next step without selling you the cleanup.