The 7 Best Mold Test Kits

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The subject of testing for mold is a complex one and really varies from situation to situation. I have an entire page dedicated to the basics of mold testing so please head over there and give it a read.

Now that you are up to speed on why you should test for mold, when you should test for mold, and the various mold test options, let’s talk about those DIY mold test kits.

Home mold tests can also be referred to as a black mold test kit, a mold detection kit, and a petri test. They are all one in the same and employ one of two testing methods.

Three petri dishes - one being swab as part of a DIY mold test kit

Types of Home Mold Test Kits

Method one is a petri dish type mold test.

The user leaves the open petri dish in a room for a specific period of time (known as settle sampling) and then allows the petri dish to grow whatever landed on it. The specific mold test should come with a chart showing you what the various types of mold that might grow on the petri dish look like. You can then determine if mold might be growing in that area of your home.

The limitation with this method is two fold. First, airborne mold spores can change second by second. So you likely are not getting an accurate look at what is going on in your home. Secondly, you don’t know exactly what type of mold is growing as a lot of molds are the same color and texture.

There is a more advanced option with the petri dish testing in that you can send the dishes into a lab where they will analyze the colonies that grow and email you a report telling you exactly what was growing on the petri dish. Again, you are limited by what spores were floating around at that exact moment but at least you have a better idea of the types of mold that may be in your home.

In order for the petri dish method to be even halfway effective, you really need to put a test plate in every room of your house.

These petri dishes can also be used to conduct surface mold sampling where you use a swab to collect a sample of any visible mold. Then you transfer the contents of the swab onto the petri dish. The analysis works the same way.

Method two is a tape lift type of test.

This is best used when you have visible mold to determine the exact species. You place the tape against the mold growth, seal it, then send it off for analysis.

Tape lift mold tests can be used to lift material from just about any area with the hope that a mold spore ends up on the tape. While this can happen, it has limitations.

Where Can I Buy A Mold Test Kit?

It depends on the specific home mold test kit. You can find a lot of different ones on Amazon or in places like Lowes or Home Depot. Other kits are found at specific online retailers.

Do DIY Mold Test Kits Work

They work… but they don’t provide any meaningful answers and are a bit of a waste of money in that sense. Like you read on my Mold Testing page, the ERMI test is a much better “DIY” type of mold test and one that is used by professionals as well.

If you suspect a mold problem but do not actually see it or smell it, these test kits DO NOT help you locate the problem or tell you how serious it is. So while a DIY mold test kit can indicate there is mold in your home, it doesn’t do much more than that. You still need to figure out where the mold growth is, how much mold there is, and why mold is growing.

Really, there is no substitute for a professional mold inspection. You need that visual component to go along with any mold tests.

Having said that, the home mold test kits listed below are a popular and affordable first step in determining if you have a mold problem that warrants additional testing or if you should hire a professional mold inspector.

In the interest of making sure you choose the very best home mold test kit, I am sharing my top picks based on rigorous testing.

The 7 Best Mold Test Kits

Pro- Lab Mold Test Kit

Pro-Lab Mold Test Kit

This is by far the gold standard for home mold test kits. It is hands down the most complete home mold test kit on the market. Not only does Pro-Lab offer a lifetime guarantee with their report but they offer excellent customer support.

Pros of the Pro-Lab Mold Test Kit

  • The Pro-Lab Mold Test Kit has a long list of certifications, including the American Industrial Hygiene Association.
  • You can test for mold in three distinct ways (air settling, surface samples, and HVAC sampling)
  • Each test in the Pro-Lab kit requires you to prepare a petri dish by pouring a mold medium, or a growth hormone, into the dish. This might sound like a con but in reality it means you are getting a really fresh kit that has not been contaminated in any way.
  • Turnaround time is the fastest in the industry – only 5 days from the day the lab receives your sample.

Cons of the Pro-Lab Mold Test Kit

  • The kit does not include dedicated sample bags to ship the petri dishes and swab back to the company for analysis.
  • There is an extra fee for lab analysis.

Average Price of the Pro-Lab Test Kit

$6.00 but there is still the $40 lab fee.

Purchase the Pro-Lab Mold Test Kit Here

Immunolytics Diagnostic Mold Test Kit

Immunolytics Mold Test Kit

Immunolytics Diagnostic Mold Test Kits offer the cost efficiency of independent mold testing with the benefits of professional laboratory analysis. Results include spore counts, mold types, a relevant mold glossary, and health risks of findings. 

I have used these myself and they offer impressive results along with customer support to help you determine your next steps.

Pros of the Immunolytics Diagnostic Mold Test Kit

  • Easy to use
  • The petri dish is ready right out of the box – no need to add solution to it
  • No additional lab fees
  • Quick turnaround time – 7 days or less from the time the lab receives your sample
  • Two testing methods – surface sampling and mold air settle sampling
  • Great customer service and free phone support
  • Multi-packs available
  • Affordable

Cons of the Immunolytics Diagnostic Mold Test Kit

  • The kit is not certified by the American Industrial Hygiene Association.
  • ImmunoLytics instructs against HVAC sampling which is unfortunate as these systems are usually the source and carrier of mold spores.

Average Price of the Immunolytics Diagnostic Mold Test Kit

$45 for a single test. Price drops as you order multi-packs.

Purchase the ImmunoLytics Mold Test Kit Here

Healthful Home Five Minute Mold Test

Healthful Home Mold Test

In my opinion, this is one of the best tests on the market. This test offers the fastest results on the planet. As implied in the name, your mold test results are ready in five minutes. How is that possible?

This kit uses a swab and two collection trays to detect mold. To begin testing for mold, you wipe the swab across dust (which you can’t do with other home mold tests) or visible mold and secure the cap. The cap is a liquid bulb that you break, which releases liquid over the collection sample. You then put five drops of this liquid into the collection trays, and after five minutes, the test indicates whether it detected mold or not.

One of the two collection trays is dedicated to detecting “black mold.” However, because the kit has such a small sample area, a negative reading on the test does not guarantee that mold is not growing in your house.

Pros of the Healthful Home Mold Test Kit

  • Accredited by the American Industrial Hygiene Association.
  • Easy to use – just three quick steps
  • Patented technology that makes it the most sensitive mold test on the market
  • Detects molds often missed by traditional air settling samples
  • Takes five minutes
  • Can identify a wide range of molds including some of the most dangerous species

Cons of the Healthful Home Mold Test Kit

  • Lab analysis is available but for an extra fee.
  • No bags are included to submit samples to the lab

Average Price of the Healthful Home Mold Test Kit

$44.99 for one home mold test kit.

Purchase the Healthful Home Mold Test Kit Here

Mold Inspection Network DIY Mold Test Kit

Mold Inspection Network DIY Mold Test Kit

Unlike the other tests mentioned here, the DIY Mold Test Kit relies on the tape lift method for mold testing. This makes in much more useful if you have visible mold. However, it also makes it more accurate.

Basically you place the tape against the area that has mold or that you suspect it has mold. You seal it up and send it to the lab for analysis.

Pros of the Mold Inspection Network DIY Mold Test Kit

  • Very easy to use with clear instructions
  • Affordable
  • Accurate
  • Fast turnaround time
  • Includes three tape lift tests so you get more bang for your buck
  • Detailed report with quality information provided about the various types of mold spores tested for.

Cons of the Mold Inspection Network DIY Mold Test Kit

  • Additional lab fee of $24 for residence of Texas
  • Does not give you specific counts for mold
  • Not as many species of mold tested although the most dangerous types of mold are accounted for.
  • The kit is not certified by the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

Average Price of the Mold Inspection Network DIY Mold Test Kit

$45 which includes three tests

Purchase the Mold Inspection Network DIY Mold Test Kit Here

MoldCheck Mold Test Kit

MoldCheck Mold Test Kit

This mold test and retest kit is designed to help you find the location of a source of hidden mold contamination in your home. This is a search kit. This type of kit does not identify the molds, it guides you to the source of the contamination by sampling the mold in each room.

This do-it-yourself home mold test kit contains multiple tests designed to test many rooms or test and retest several suspect rooms. The different mold colors and numbers of mold collected will allow you to easily compare and find the room with the most likely source of the mold contamination.

Pros of the MoldCheck Mold Test Kit

  • These mold testing kits allow you to test the air, surfaces, AC ducts, fabrics, and an outdoor control.
  • Each of the ten mold test films will support all the typical molds found growing on water-damaged wet building materials such as wood, sheet rock, insulation paper, glues and paints, etc.
  • The kit contains a thoughtful-helpful mold investigation guide and a mold clean up guide.

Cons of the MoldCheck Mold Test Kit

  • MoldCheck does not have a lab that analyzes the results. They do have suggestions on where you can send your samples.
  • Additional fees if you do send samples to a lab.

Average Price of the MoldCheck Mold Test Kit

It runs around $49.95 for 10 tests.

Purchase the MoldCheck Mold Test Kit Here

EC3 Mold Screening Test Kit

EC3 Mold Screening Plates

The EC3 Mold Screening Test Kit is exactly what the name implies. It is a screening tool you can use to show if you have a mold problem and possibly what room it is in.

Each kit contains 6 mold test plates and detailed directions to test indoor air or specific items for the presence of mold. This form of culture testing takes just minutes to perform, and will provide accurate, conclusive information to help protect you and your family’s health in just 5 days. Results will confirm if mold has reached unhealthy levels with allergy and disease implications.

Pros of the EC3 Mold Screening Test Kit

  • The test kit not only shows you if you have a problem but also the severity of the problem.
  • Easy to use
  • Accurate
  • Results in 5 days
  • Clear directions
  • Can be used to test the air or surface samples

Cons of the EC3 Mold Screening Test Kit

  • You can’t send the mold test plates in for analysis.
  • The test only shows IF you have a problem and how the types of mold.
  • You may misinterpret the levels of mold that grow.
  • The kit is not certified by the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

Average Price Of The EC3 Mold Screening Test Kit

You can crab a 6 pack for $35.

Purchase the EC3 Mold Screening Test Kit Here

Mold Armor Mold Test

Mold Armor Mold Test

The only reason I included this home mold test kit is because it is a very popular test and easy to find in hardware stores. In my opinion it isn’t as good as the other tests mentioned above.

Pros of the Mold Armor Mold Test Kit

  • You can test for mold in three distinct ways (air settling, surface samples, and HVAC sampling)
  • Mold Armor’s lab is certified monthly by the American Industrial Hygiene Association
  • Easy set up

Cons of the Mold Armor Mold Test Kit

  • You have to wait several weeks before getting your results
  • Customer service is lacking

Average Price of the Mold Armor Mold Test Kit

The kit itself is around $9.00. However there is a $40 lab fee when you send it in.

Purchase the Mold Armor Mold Test Kit Here

Other Home Mold Test Kits

While I haven’t personally used these mold test kits, here are a few additional options to check out:

If you are considering other mold testing options, please be sure to visit my mold testing page. In addition, you can learn more about mold air tests here.

Need more information on mold prevention and how to remove mold? Click those links and off you go on an information adventure.

A dust sample being taken with a swab from an air return as part of the best mold test kits

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2 Comments

  1. Kurt Brock says:

    Hi, thanks for sharing. How high is the accuracy of such kits compared to a professional inspection and mold testing service?

    Regards,
    Kurt

    1. I recommend DIY testing ONLY to determine if there might be a possible mold issue. It does not replace a professional inspection by any means. The mold test kits will tell you that you have mold but not where it is, whether or not there is an active water leak, etc…