What Does Mold Clearance Testing Actually Include?

Three Tests, One Question: Is It Safe to Breathe In Here?

You just paid for mold remediation. The contractor says it's done. Everything looks clean. Smells better. The invoice is in your inbox waiting for final approval.

Now you want to know: is this space actually safe to reoccupy?

That's the question clearance testing answers. Not "does it look better?" — because looking better is cosmetic, not diagnostic. Not "does the contractor think it's done?" — because that's an opinion with a financial incentive attached. But actually, objectively, measurably: is the air in this space safe for your family?

In nursing, we called the difference between these two things "clinical vs. cosmetic improvement." A wound can look great on the surface while infection runs underneath. The only way to know the difference is to test. Same principle here — just different equipment.

Clearance testing has three components: what I can see, what I can measure in the air, and whether the moisture problem is actually solved. Each tells part of the story. All three have to pass. Let me walk you through each one.

Component 1: Visual Inspection — The Physical Exam

This is exactly what it sounds like — I walk through the entire remediated area and look at everything. With my eyes. With a flashlight. With a moisture meter. And with the skepticism that comes from having seen too many "complete" remediations that weren't.

What I'm looking for:

• Visible mold — any remaining growth on surfaces, behind materials, or in overlooked corners. The back side of drywall doesn't get checked by everyone. I check.
• Debris and dust — proper cleanup includes HEPA-vacuuming and wipe-down of all surfaces. Not just the floor. Not just "most of it." All surfaces.
• Containment removal — plastic barriers and negative air equipment should be properly removed, not just pulled down and left in a pile
• Staining — previous mold staining on wood or concrete is acceptable if the material is cleaned and no active growth remains. Staining without active growth is cosmetic. Active growth under staining is a problem.
• Repairs completed — affected materials were properly removed and the space is ready for reconstruction

I use the "white glove" approach — literally wiping surfaces with a clean cloth to check for dust or residue. If the cloth comes back dirty, the HEPA-vacuuming and wipe-down wasn't thorough enough. It's not a gotcha — it's data.

The visual inspection catches obvious problems. A careful remediation contractor passes this easily. The ones who rushed through the final cleaning? This is where it shows.

Component 2: Air Sampling — The Lab Work

This is the objective measurement that answers the question you can't answer with your eyes or your nose.

Mold spores are microscopic — somewhere between 1 and 30 microns, depending on species. You can't see them. Even after visible mold is removed, elevated spore counts in the air indicate remaining contamination. The air sampling quantifies what's actually floating around in the space your family is about to breathe.

In nursing terms, this is the blood draw. The patient might feel fine, look fine, say they're fine. But the labs tell you what's actually happening inside. Air sampling does the same thing for a remediated space.

How it works:

1. Outdoor sample — I collect a baseline sample from outside the building. This represents normal mold levels for that day, that location, that weather. Oklahoma's outdoor mold counts vary seasonally — spring and fall are higher, winter is lower. The outdoor sample is the ruler we measure against.
2. Indoor sample(s) — I collect samples from the remediated area, and sometimes from adjacent unaffected areas for comparison
3. Lab analysis — samples go to an AIHA-accredited laboratory where trained analysts count and identify spore types under microscopes. This can't be faked, rushed, or approximated.
4. Comparison — I compare indoor results to outdoor baseline. Passing means indoor levels are comparable to or lower than outdoor levels.

The goal is "Condition 1" — what the IICRC S520 defines as a normal fungal ecology. Not zero mold — that doesn't exist anywhere on Earth. Normal mold. The kind that's in every healthy building.

What we're specifically measuring:

• Total spore counts — overall spores per cubic meter of air
• Species identification — which types of mold are present. Penicillium/Aspergillus is common everywhere. Stachybotrys indoors is concerning.
• Indoor vs outdoor ratio — are indoor counts elevated relative to baseline?
• Indoor-indicator species — presence of mold types that specifically indicate active indoor growth

"The lab doesn't know who did the remediation and doesn't care. Numbers are numbers — they don't have an opinion about whether the contractor deserves to get paid."

Component 3: Moisture Assessment — The Prognosis

This is the component that determines whether mold is coming back. And in Oklahoma, with our clay soils that shift like they can't make up their mind, our spring storms that dump inches in hours, and our HVAC systems fighting humidity from April through October — moisture is the variable that matters most.

Mold needs moisture. Period. If the remediation removed the mold but didn't resolve the moisture source, you're just waiting for regrowth. That's not a successful remediation — it's a temporary one. And temporary remediation that costs $8,000 is an expensive way to buy six months of peace.

What I check:

• Material moisture levels — using a pin-type and pinless moisture meter, I verify that building materials (wood framing, subfloor, drywall) are at appropriate moisture content. Wood should be below 15%. Drywall should register as dry.
• Relative humidity — the space should be below 50% relative humidity. In Oklahoma, that means the HVAC system needs to be running and functioning. Without climate control, our ambient humidity frequently exceeds that threshold from spring through fall.
• Source resolution — was the original water source actually fixed? Not "addressed" — fixed. The roof leak, the plumbing failure, the drainage problem, the condensation issue. Fixed.
• Signs of ongoing issues — condensation on windows, water stains with soft edges (indicating recent wetting), dampness you can feel

If moisture problems persist, the clearance fails — even if visible mold is gone and air samples look perfect. Because it's just a matter of time. In Oklahoma's climate, "just a matter of time" often means weeks, not months.

Why Each Component Matters

No single component tells the whole story. A space can look clean but have elevated air counts. Air counts can be normal but moisture issues guarantee future growth. Moisture can be resolved but spores are still embedded in surfaces.

All three together give you confidence that the space is actually safe. It's triple-confirmation. Same reason nursing does vitals as a set — pulse alone doesn't tell you enough. Temperature alone doesn't tell you enough. You need the whole picture.

What Clearance Testing Doesn't Include

To set expectations correctly — because I'd rather under-promise than create surprises:

• Surface sampling — I typically use air samples for clearance, not surface swabs (though this can be added if specifically needed for insurance or if I have reason to suspect surface contamination the air samples might miss)
• Comprehensive property inspection — clearance verifies the remediated area, not a full property mold inspection. If you want the whole house assessed, that's a separate service.
• HVAC assessment — unless HVAC was part of the remediation scope. Ductwork can harbor spores, but it's a separate evaluation.
• Remediation recommendations — I verify what was done. I don't prescribe what should be done next. That separation is what keeps the independence clean.

My Approach

I've done enough clearance inspections across the OKC metro to know what corners get cut and where problems hide. I check the obvious places and the non-obvious places. I take the air samples that matter. I verify the moisture is actually resolved, not just temporarily masked or "improving."

And because I don't do remediation, I have no agenda. I'm not hoping it passes so you hire me for more work (I don't do the remediation). I'm not hoping it fails so I can sell you something else (I don't sell anything else). I'm just there to answer the question everyone's been dancing around: is it safe?

Three components. One answer. That's the job.