Short answer
Air sampling is accurate for what it measures — the spore concentration in that room during that five-minute pull — and it is interpreted by comparing indoor counts against an outdoor control sample taken the same day.
The outdoor control matters enormously in San Diego. Coastal air in Encinitas or Del Mar carries a very different ambient spore load than inland air in Escondido during Santa Ana conditions, so an indoor count means nothing until it is set against the outdoor baseline from that address on that afternoon.
What we look for is elevation of specific indicator genera — Stachybotrys, Chaetomium, Aspergillus/Penicillium — relative to outdoors, plus spore types that only appear when a material has been chronically wet. All analysis is performed by an accredited third-party laboratory, never in-house.
Why it matters in San Diego
Coastal San Diego has naturally higher outdoor spore counts, so indoor numbers must be compared with an outdoor sample taken the same day.
How we handle it
We always take an outdoor control and explain the report in plain language.
Signs it's time to call us
- You need documentation
- Hidden mold suspected
Mistakes to avoid
- Comparing to 'safe levels' that don't exist
- Testing without a control sample
Related questions
What does testing cost?
$195 for 2 samples, $295 for 3, $75 each additional.