IN SHORT
- A tape-lift collects material from a surface for laboratory analysis.
- Colour alone can't identify a mould. A laboratory can.
- Results help a professional tell actual growth from settled spores.
- Identification guides the plan. Physical removal is still the goal.
What it is
A tape-lift is a form of surface sampling. A professional presses clear tape onto the surface to collect a small amount of material, which is sent to a qualified laboratory for analysis.
Why it helps
Mould comes in many colours and textures, and you can't tell what it is by looking. A black patch could be Cladosporium or Stachybotrys, for example. A tape-lift helps an Indoor Environmental Professional (IEP), the specialist who assesses the fungal ecology of a building, understand what's there.
- Identification: the laboratory identifies the mould present, which helps guide the right approach.
- Growth or settled spores: results help show whether a surface has actual growth (Condition 3) or mainly spores that have settled from growth elsewhere (Condition 2).
What it means for remediation
Knowing whether you're dealing with growth or settled spores helps a professional plan the work. Either way, the principle is the same: physically remove the contamination rather than just killing it, and deal with the moisture so it has less reason to return.
WHERE DRYSAFE FITS
Our assessment is visual, with moisture and humidity readings. Our process is built on physical removal: a HEPA vacuum on affected vertical surfaces, a TGA-listed antimicrobial and a written works report.