Thus, many homeowners, rental property owners, tenants, employers, and employees in Canada, USA, and worldwide want to know, and need to know, precise identities of various mold species infesting their moldy home, apartment, or workplace.

The accurate identification of mold species requires two steps: (1) physical collection of mold samples from moldy building; and (2) mold laboratory analysis of collected mold samples.

For first step, a property owner, manager, tenant, or employee usually hires a certified mold inspector, an industrial hygienist, or an environmental hygienist for mold inspection and collection of mold testing samples, at a typical cost of US $500 to $2,000 for a 2,000 square foot (186 square meters) home.

This inspection and testing fee usually includes mold laboratory analysis and mold species identification for a small number (3 to 10) of collected mold samples.

Alternatively, if available funds for mold testing and mold lab analysis are low, it is possible to achieve same accurate mold testing results for just $60 to $200 by using---

(1) inexpensive, transparent, sticky, adhesive tape (“lift tape sampling”), such as Scotch® brand tape, to collect mold samples; and

(2) a low-cost Asian mold analysis laboratory (e.g., $20 per sample for mold species identification and quantification, compared to usual $50 to $150 per sample in North America or Europe).

Lift tape sampling and testing is an easy, practically-free (except for cost of tape), and an effective way to collect mold test samples when you---

(1) Can see mold growing on a wall, ceiling, floor, carpeting, furniture, heating/cooling duct register, or other surface;

Pleural mesothelioma: A type of lung cancer which attacks pleura surrounding lungs, this is most common type of mesothelioma, affecting approximately two-thirds of all mesothelioma patients. Symptoms include horseness, fever, blood in sputum, swollen arms and face, coughing, loss of weight, difficulty breathing, chest pain, weak muscles, and reduced tactile sensitivity.

Peritoneal mesothelioma: A cancer of abdomen which attacks peritoneum lining abdominal cavity. This affects approximately one-third of all mesothelioma patients. Symptoms include abdominal bloating, impaired bowl function, fever, swollen feet, and nausea.

Pericardial mesothelioma: This form of mesothelioma which attacks pericardium surrounding heart is extremely rare. Symptoms include chest pain, dyspnea, cough, and palpitations.