Mold Inspection and Testing in New York City: Certified, Fast Results

(332) 322-8790

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 stars on Google and Yelp

Certified mold inspectors serve all five boroughs. They do diagnostics only. You get lab results in one to two days.

Book at fastmoldtesting.com/new-york

What Fast Mold Testing Does

Fast Mold Testing checks for mold in your home or office. We take samples and send them to a certified lab. You will get a written report with what we found and what you should do next. We do not do any clean up work.

This is important. A company that sells mold clean-up has a reason to find more mold to make more money. Fast Mold Testing does not earn from how big the problem is. The report tells you what is found.

Services include:

• Air sampling indoors and outdoors for comparison

• Surface swab and tape-lift sampling

• Moisture mapping with handheld meters

• Infrared heat imaging to find hidden water

• Lab analysis and written report

Lab results come back in 24 to 48 hours. A complete written report will be sent to you in 2 to 5 days. A lot of mold testing companies take 7 to 14 days. If you are living in the building and building an HPD case, or if you are a buyer working with a closing date, waiting 12 extra days can be a big deal.

Read what is a mold inspection for a full breakdown of the process before you book.

Why New York City Buildings Grow More Mold

Most NYC mold issues start with homes built before World War II. A lot of Manhattan and North Brooklyn have buildings made before 1940. These were built before there were good moisture barriers, moisture-blocking drywall, and strict building rules set after the 1970s. The old building materials take in water, they don't stop it.

Radiator steam heating can make the problem with the building worse. Steam radiators warm up the air inside fast. But the brick walls on the outside of old buildings stay cold. When the warm air inside touches the cold walls, water forms inside the wall each year during the heating season.

Mold can grow inside walls even if they look dry and feel dry. There is not any clear sign that you can see in the apartment. The way to find mold is to use a moisture meter and take lab samples.

Shared walls between units mean that if one place has a plumbing leak, it can cause mold next door. In pre-war apartment buildings, walls that hold up the building often have pipes inside them from both sides. So, when the apartment beside you has a leak, water can easily come right into your home.

Rent-stabilized buildings often have repairs that have not been done for years. Small leaks may go on for months before someone comes to fix them. When the leak is finally stopped, mold can spread far from the first wet place.

What NYC Law Requires Your Landlord to Do

HPD Local Law 55 of 2018 is called the Asthma-Free Housing Act. It tells building owners what they must do about mold. Landlords who have three or more units need to check every unit once each year. If they find mold, they have to fix it. They also must repair where the water comes from that causes the mold. The landlord has to give a written notice to the people who live there about their rights. None of these rules are a choice.

In buildings that have 10 or more units, any mold work larger than 10 square feet has one more rule. The person who checks for mold and the person who cleans it up must come from two different licensed companies. The company that finds the mold cannot also be the company that gets rid of it. If someone breaks this rule, they can get fines that go up to $10,000 for each day.

New York State Labor Law Article 32 says that anyone who is paid to do mold assessment in New York must have an active state license. In HPD cases or in housing court, once a lab report is used, the other side will always check if the person who wrote the report has an Article 32 license. If the report is from someone without a license, the report will not count as legal proof.

Check common NYC mold hotspots to know where to look before you call.

What a Mold Inspection Costs in New York City

A basic NYC apartment checkup costs from $350 to $750. If you need an inspection for a townhouse, a co-op with many floors, or if the inspector needs to go to an attic or basement, the cost goes up to $750 to $1,500 or more. Prices in NYC are higher than the national average of $303 to $670. This is because in NYC, things like finding parking, waiting for elevators, talking with the building's superintendent, and checking older homes that take more work, all take more time. Fast Mold Testing starts at $250, and you know your price before you make a booking.

What the Inspection Covers, Step by Step

Every Fast Mold Testing inspection in New York City will look at the following things:

1. Initial interview. The inspector talks with you about any recent leaks, old water problems, any smell that stays, and any stains you can see. This helps the inspector know where to look.

2. Full walkthrough. Every room gets checked. The inspector looks at bathroom tile, grout lines, window frames, under-sink areas, behind things like appliances, and closets on outside walls where you might get some wet spots.

3. Moisture meter scan. A small meter is used to read how much water is in the walls, floors, and ceilings. There's no need to open up anything. This can show if there is still water even when everything looks dry.

4. Air and surface sampling. Any spot that might be a problem has samples taken. A test is also done outside at the same time. That helps the inspector see what is normal for the area.

5. Certified lab check. The samples are sent to a lab to find out what type of mold is there and to see how much mold is present.

6. Written report. You get a report in two to five days. This says what was found, what type of mold turned up in the samples, and what might be causing each wet problem.

A lab-verified written report is what sets apart a complaint from a case. Verbal claims about mold can be easy for people to argue about. A signed report with the mold name, how much of it there is, and where moisture comes from, can't be questioned as easily.

Boroughs and Neighborhoods We Serve

Fast Mold Testing serves all five boroughs.

Manhattan: Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Harlem, Washington Heights, Inwood, Midtown, Chelsea, Murray Hill, Hell's Kitchen, Lower East Side, Financial District.

Brooklyn: Park Slope, Crown Heights, Williamsburg, Bushwick, Bed-Stuy, Flatbush, Bay Ridge, Greenpoint, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, and Fort Greene. These places each have their own feel and people really like to spend time in them.

Queens: Astoria, Jackson Heights, Flushing, Jamaica, Forest Hills, Long Island City, Woodside, Elmhurst, Ridgewood.

Bronx: Fordham, Riverdale, Mott Haven, Pelham Bay, and Kingsbridge. These are some of the most well-known areas you can find in the Bronx.

Staten Island: These include St. George, Tottenville, New Dorp, Stapleton, and Annadale.

If you need proof for buying a home or for co-op board approval, check our guide to black mold inspection in NYC.

Customer Reviews

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Verified Google Reviewer, Manhattan

"He found wet air behind my bathroom sink that I never saw. To be honest, he was like a mold hunter. It was some good help. I really appreciate work of Fast Mold Testing, they did a great job and I am satisfied."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Verified Google Reviewer, New York

"I needed someone to check for mold in New York and I called Fast Mold Testing at the last minute. They got me in on the same day. All the people were nice and helpful. No one seemed mad or tried to hurry the job. The place had a good feel and I liked it."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Verified Google Reviewer, New York

"The name is accurate! Needed a mold test before some family came to stay with me and they were extremely quick to respond, sent out Rashid to do the inspection the same day and he was really knowledgeable and broke everything down for me. Will recommend them to my neighbors!"

Frequently Asked Questions: NYC Mold Inspection

Is Mold Inspection Required by Law in NYC?

Under HPD Local Law 55, owners of buildings with three or more units need to check each unit every year and fix any mold they find. This job is for the owner, not the renter. If you are a renter, your task is to make a record of the problem. A report from a licensed Article 32 person from an independent lab is taken much more seriously by HPD and the court than what the owner says about their own place.

What Are NYC Landlord Obligations for Mold?

Landlords have to check their properties every year. They need to fix any mold they find. They also must fix the water problem that caused the mold. Landlords have to give tenants a written list of their rights, too. If there are ten units or more in a building, and the mold problem is over ten square feet, the job needs a licensed person to look at it and a different licensed person to clean it. One company can't do both jobs for the same project. Fines will go up based on the kind of rule broken. The largest fines are $10,000 each day for the worst cases.

How Long Does a Mold Inspection Take in an NYC Apartment?

Most NYC apartments take about 1 to 2 hours. Bigger units that go from the front to the back, or townhouses, and co-ops with attic or basement usually need 2 to 4 hours. Things like parking, waiting for the elevator, and working with the building staff can sometimes make inspections take longer.

Do I Need Mold Testing Before Buying a Condo or Co-Op in NYC?

Yes. Co-op and condo boards do not have to tell you about mold history in the building. Seller forms do not show what is inside the walls or behind tile. Before you sign any papers, get an independent lab report. The lab person should not also be paid to clean up mold. A report from a company that wants the cleanup work can be easy for the other side to say is not fair.

What Is HPD Local Law 55 and Does It Apply to My Building?

Local Law 55 of 2018 is for every New York City place to live that has three or more units in any of the five boroughs. It also covers one- and two-family homes if at least one unit is rented. If landlords do not follow this law, they can get violations. These get worse as time goes on and may end up in housing court. A report from an independent lab helps a lot more in these cases than just a complaint from a renter without any proof.

How Fast Can I Get Mold Test Results in NYC?

Fast Mold Testing gives you lab results in 24 to 48 hours. You will get the full written report in 2 to 5 days. Most mold testing companies in New York will take 7 to 14 days. If you have to meet a real estate deadline or need to file something in court, getting your report in 3 days instead of 12 days can be the thing that allows you to have your papers ready when you need them.

Ready to Book?

Call (332) 322-8790 or book online with Fast Mold Testing.