When we test a home, safety is always top of mind. In a UP home, indoor air quality is a critical factor for your family’s health and safety because we Yoopers spend so much time indoors through the long winter months. No wonder mold testing is one of our most popular services here at UP Home Inspection!
If you’ve been waiting for the right time to schedule a mold test, you’ll be glad to hear that our mold testing services just got a whole lot better. Starting this month, you now have the option to add airborne particulate testing when we check your home for mold.
Particulate testing takes mold testing to a whole new level. Read on and find out why!
Why Add Airborne Particulate Testing to Your Mold Test?
The biggest red flag that triggers people to schedule a mold test is that someone in the household is experiencing allergies or other respiratory problems.
Mold is certainly a top suspect when it comes to respiratory distress related to the home environment. However, when you look at overall air quality and allergies, mold issues are just one possible cause.
The other main potential issue is the level of particulates in your air. These can be just as problematic as mold but won’t show up in a standard mold test.
Ordering a particulate test with your mold inspection will reveal whether your problem is with mold, particulates in your air, or both. That way you can know for sure what’s causing your respiratory issues, and take appropriate remediation action with confidence.
What Are Household Airborne Particulates And Why Should I Care About Them?
“Airborne particulates” is a catch-all term that describes any piece of debris light enough to float around in the air. If you’ve ever shined a light through a dark room and looked at what’s floating through the air, you’re aware of how prevalent particulates can be in household air. It’s amazing what you’re breathing in all day long!
There are many kinds of particles that can make their way into a home that sometimes we just don’t think about—or don’t want to think about. Unfortunately that old adage, “what you don’t know won’t hurt you” doesn’t apply to what’s in your air.
Some of these particles, like animal dander, can be highly allergenic. Personally, I know I can’t be around a lot of dander. It makes my lungs tighten up and soon I’m coughing like crazy! Even if a particle isn’t an allergen, like silica, it can still irritate delicate bronchial and lung tissue and lead to serious issues when inhaled.
What Types of Household Airborne Particulates Do We Test For?
Ordering a particulate test along with your mold inspection helps us to identify far more potential issues than mold testing alone. Our airborne particulate testing reveals the presence and amount of the 22 types of particulate matter commonly found in household air samples. These include:
- Dander
- Cellulose Fibers
- Synthetic Fibers
- Fiberglass
- Wood Fibers
- Pollen
- Plant Hair
- Animal Hair
- Human Hair
- Feather Barbule
- Opaque Particles
- Aciniform-like Soot
- Ash and Char-like Soot
- Silicates
- Gypsum
- Talc
- Mineral Salts
- Rust
- Carpet Beetle Larvae
- Dust Mites / Parts
- Insect Parts
- Insect Frass
Mold Testing vs. Mold Inspection: What’s the Difference?
Great question! This post is all about our mold testing services, but we know it can get confusing when you hear both terms.
Here’s the simple breakdown: mold testing analyzes your air quality to detect what you can’t see. A mold inspection is where we actually walk through your home looking for visible signs of trouble—things like water stains, musty odors, or obvious mold growth.
Most of our clients find that testing gives them the answers they’re looking for about their family’s health concerns. But if you suspect there might be hidden moisture problems or want us to do a complete visual check of your property too, you might prefer a mold inspection. Another option is to order a full home inspection with mold testing added on. This is often the best deal because it will help you to understand everything going on in your house that may be contributing to the issue.
If you need help deciding between mold testing and a mold inspection or full home inspection, just give us a call at (906) 360-3879. We’re always happy to talk through what makes the most sense for your specific situation.
Respiratory Issues? Schedule Your Mold Testing With Particulates Today
If you or someone you live with suffers from allergies, worsening asthma, frequent colds, sinusitis, coughing, sneezing, nasal congestion, or even headaches or fatigue, it could be something in the air.
Why not get it checked out? A simple mold inspection with particulate sampling could help you identify the cause of the issue, so you can find relief. Schedule your mold inspection today!
Minor updates were made to this post in July 2025 to align with our current service terminology and offerings.
Get Your FREE Mold Prevention Guide
Worried about mold in your U.P. home? Our comprehensive guide “Spotting Mold in Your Home: A Practical Guide for U.P. Homeowners” gives you everything you need to protect your family and property.
Inside you’ll discover:
- Where mold hides in Upper Peninsula homes
- How to spot early warning signs before problems spread
- Simple prevention steps that cost pennies vs. thousands in cleanup
- When to call professionals (and when you can handle it yourself)
Created by Rich Beasley, Certified Master Inspector®, this guide is packed with local expertise you won’t find anywhere else.
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Serving Marquette, Escanaba, Munising, Negaunee, and communities throughout the central and western U.P.
