How to Test Air Quality for Mould Spores at Home

You suspect mould but can’t see it. Your family has symptoms but you’re not sure they’re mould-related. Air quality testing gives you objective answers — but there’s a big difference between DIY kits and professional testing.

DIY Mould Test Kits: Why Experts Don’t Recommend Them

Settle-plate and petri dish kits available at hardware stores are unreliable. They only capture spores that happen to land on the plate, give no indication of concentration levels, and can’t distinguish dangerous species from harmless ones. Most professional mycologists consider them worthless for decision-making.

Professional Air Quality Testing

Professional mould testing uses calibrated spore trap cassettes that sample a known volume of air. The samples go to an accredited laboratory where technicians identify species and count concentrations. This tells you:

• What mould species are present
• Whether concentrations exceed safe indoor levels
• How indoor levels compare to outdoor levels (the critical ratio)

In Adelaide, professional testing costs range from $200-$600 depending on the number of rooms tested. It’s a small investment for definitive answers. Full cost breakdown.

When Testing Makes Sense

Test when you smell mould but can’t see it, when family members have unexplained health symptoms, or before purchasing an older Adelaide property in mould-prone suburbs like Adelaide Hills or Norwood.