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ermi testing - is one lab better than another?
- Thread starter dsdmom
- Start date
slayadragon
Senior Member
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- twitpic.com/photos/SlayaDragon
I asked this question myself recently, because I had never actually done the test myself before. Here are a couple of comments I got:
Person #1:
>When I ordered an ERMI kit from Mycometrics last December, they asked whether I had carpets or not. I didn't have carpeting, and they sent me a kit for non-carpeted floors. It is a special soft cloth that they instruct you to use to pick up dust from the floor --this is how I tested my apartment.
>Not sure if you wish to speak to someone at that company (maybe you're looking for someone not commercially invested) but I did call Mycometrics several times to ask a lot of questions before I did the test, and I found them very willing to spend time explaining things to me. Maybe they would be willing to point you to someone who could provide more info about the test...
Person #2:
>We have used Mycometrics many times over the years. Dr. Lin, the mycologist there, is very accessible and willing to provide some explanations. When a university our sons were attending used another provider, he even agreed to review those ERMI results. Yes, there does seem to be a difference in the way the tests are run. Since Dr. Lin was the first, I believe, to develop the commercial application of the EPA's QPCR mold testing resulting in the ERMI as we know it now: we have great faith in his results. That said, as important as the lab is the clinician on the other end who can interpret the potential health consequences of test results. ERMI is much more than a bottom line score, and we've found that as time goes by that number seems to mean less than the numbers within the panels. Yes, a Swiffer cloth can be used to collect samples. We have found this much easier, especially when going into public buildings. There is a specific protocol to using the Swiffers to prevent contamination of the samples, but in all the process is fairly simple.
Person #3:
Yes, Dr. Lin very helpful and informative. He will email you the instructions for swiffer. P.S.(He does have a strong accent and may be hard to understand though).
Person #1:
>When I ordered an ERMI kit from Mycometrics last December, they asked whether I had carpets or not. I didn't have carpeting, and they sent me a kit for non-carpeted floors. It is a special soft cloth that they instruct you to use to pick up dust from the floor --this is how I tested my apartment.
>Not sure if you wish to speak to someone at that company (maybe you're looking for someone not commercially invested) but I did call Mycometrics several times to ask a lot of questions before I did the test, and I found them very willing to spend time explaining things to me. Maybe they would be willing to point you to someone who could provide more info about the test...
Person #2:
>We have used Mycometrics many times over the years. Dr. Lin, the mycologist there, is very accessible and willing to provide some explanations. When a university our sons were attending used another provider, he even agreed to review those ERMI results. Yes, there does seem to be a difference in the way the tests are run. Since Dr. Lin was the first, I believe, to develop the commercial application of the EPA's QPCR mold testing resulting in the ERMI as we know it now: we have great faith in his results. That said, as important as the lab is the clinician on the other end who can interpret the potential health consequences of test results. ERMI is much more than a bottom line score, and we've found that as time goes by that number seems to mean less than the numbers within the panels. Yes, a Swiffer cloth can be used to collect samples. We have found this much easier, especially when going into public buildings. There is a specific protocol to using the Swiffers to prevent contamination of the samples, but in all the process is fairly simple.
Person #3:
Yes, Dr. Lin very helpful and informative. He will email you the instructions for swiffer. P.S.(He does have a strong accent and may be hard to understand though).
- Messages
- 1
- Location
- Fort Collins, Colorado
I was looking for an answer to the same question, and found a statement in an old newsletter of Dr. Shoemaker's from 2011 archived on the net. Looks like at least until we hear otherwise, we should go with Mycometrics.
From: <http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/829065/c1eb644e59/ARCHIVE>
"We are seeing a number of mycology labs performing ERMI with results that basically are impossible, with non-detects (ND) showing up repeatedly that are refuted by ERMI done by Mycometrics. Until we see confirmation of accuracy of the other labs, we can only recommend use of Mycometrics at this time (insert link). Note: there is no financial link between survivingmold.com or Dr. Shoemaker; or any conflict of interest problem regarding this recommendation to use Mycometrics. I am quite concerned at the absence of reliable results found when cut rate ERMI testing is done. "
From: <http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/829065/c1eb644e59/ARCHIVE>
"We are seeing a number of mycology labs performing ERMI with results that basically are impossible, with non-detects (ND) showing up repeatedly that are refuted by ERMI done by Mycometrics. Until we see confirmation of accuracy of the other labs, we can only recommend use of Mycometrics at this time (insert link). Note: there is no financial link between survivingmold.com or Dr. Shoemaker; or any conflict of interest problem regarding this recommendation to use Mycometrics. I am quite concerned at the absence of reliable results found when cut rate ERMI testing is done. "