DIY test for toxic mould
Homeowners, tenants and landlords will soon be able to buy a DIY testing kit to check whether the mould in their homes is one of three kinds dangerous to their health.
The American test kit is being imported by Levin-based businesswoman Jo Kirk, who is to sell it under the Detect4Mould brand.
It is designed to detect dangerous stachybotrys (often referred to as ‘‘toxic black mould’’), but also aspergillus and penicillium moulds, which can exacerbate existing medical conditions.
‘‘If you are buying a property, you can test instantly on the spot,’’ Kirk said.
Tenants could prove to landlords that the mould was a dangerous type.
Damp and mould are a major issue in New Zealand housing.
Research from 2014 found six in every 100 households had a ‘‘major’’ problem with damp or mould, and 26 in 100 had a ‘‘minor’’ problem. Respondents affected included people with personal incomes ranging from high to low.
Kirk said the DIY testing kit would be on sale within the next four weeks.
Using it involves taking a swab, and then conducting two tests, one to identify whether stachybotrys is present, the other to test for aspergillus and penicillium moulds.
Kirk said a positive result indicated the area sampled contained detectable levels of these moulds, but did not necessary indicate a serious mould issue.
‘‘The actions you take will depend on many factors, including the extent of the mould infestation, the specific type of mould, the overall air quality in your living spaces and the costs involved,’’ she said.
‘‘For serious mould issues, it is strongly recommended that you follow up with a laboratory test.’’
Positive mould results can be sent to Citilabs in Dunedin.
Kirk, a former ambulance officer and human drugs tester, is about to score a second New Zealand first.
Currently, there are no officially verified DIY methtesting kits that homeowners can use to test whether the drug has been smoked in their property causing contamination over the legally acceptable level.
But Kirk has paid the Institute of Environmental Science and Research to evaluate her Netherlands-made Check4Meth DIY testing kits, and after a ninemonth wait she expects to get the official pass next week.
Federation of Property Investors executive director Andrew King said landlords had been crying out for officiallysanctioned DIY test kits.
They needed a simple and reliable ‘‘yes/no’’ testing kit. A positive result for meth would prompt a landlord to bring in a professional meth tester.
Landlords needed to be able to generate meth-testing evidence that would be acceptable to insurers, and as findings to evict drug-using tenants.
‘‘Without that, we wouldn’t be able to meet the standard for evidence of the Tenancy Tribunal,’’ King said.
The ESR testing was too expensive, and too slow.
‘‘We want as many landlords to do as many tests as possible, so we want to make it easy, and cheap to do reliable tests.’’