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Residential Mold Inspection & Testing | Greater Boston
Musty smell when the system runs?
617 HVAC provides independent mold inspection and testing for homeowners across Greater Boston and surrounding Eastern Massachusetts communities. We sample the air and surfaces, send everything to an accredited third-party lab and never sell remediation. You receive lab-verified findings and pricing in writing.
Independent Testing Only
Accredited Third-Party Lab
Air and Surface Sampling
HVAC and Duct Focus
No Remediation Upsell
What Mold Testing Is
Mold inspection and mold testing are two different steps. Inspection is the visual and moisture assessment that locates the water source. Testing is the lab sampling that identifies mold species and spore counts. Most homes start with inspection and testing follows when a specific question needs an answer.
01
A visual inspection checks for staining, growth and the moisture source behind it. Mold needs water, so we trace the leak, condensation or humidity first. The inspection often answers the question before any sampling is needed.
02
Air sampling uses spore traps compared against an outdoor baseline. Surface sampling uses swabs and tape lifts on suspect growth. Sampling measures what a visual check cannot confirm on its own and it goes to the lab.
03
An accredited third-party laboratory identifies the mold species and counts the spores. The written report explains what the samples contain and what the numbers mean. Results return in three to five business days.
Inspection finds the moisture source. Testing answers a specific question the inspection raised. The two work together and one does not replace the other.
When Testing Helps
The EPA and Massachusetts DPH agree that visible mold usually does not need testing. When mold is visible and the moisture source is clear, the answer is repair the water and remove the mold. Testing earns its cost when a specific question remains open.
Testing is worth it when mold is suspected but not visible, when symptoms continue after cleanup, for post-remediation verification or for a documentation record. Each is a specific question sampling answers.
Visible mold with an obvious water source rarely needs a test. Massachusetts DPH does not recommend routine mold testing, because no state limits exist to compare the results against. Fix the moisture, remove the mold.
The water source comes first. Mold testing answers a specific question and it is not a default step.
How We Work
Mold testing at 617 HVAC moves through inspection, sampling, accredited lab analysis and written findings. Independent mold testing is $225 and the scope reaches you in writing before samples are collected.
01
Describe the symptoms: a musty smell when the system runs, black dust at the vents or allergy symptoms that worsen indoors. We respond within 24 hours and explain the visit before we arrive.
02
A trained technician inspects for growth and traces the moisture source. A borescope video inspection documents hidden conditions inside the ductwork when a closer look is needed.
03
We collect spore-trap air samples and compare them against an outdoor baseline. Surface swabs and tape lifts capture material from suspect growth. The outdoor sample is what makes an indoor number mean something.
04
Samples travel under chain of custody to an accredited third-party laboratory. The lab identifies the mold species and counts the spores. No analysis happens in-house, so the findings stay independent.
Inspection is the visual and moisture assessment that finds the water source. Testing is the lab sampling that identifies mold species and spore counts. Inspection comes first and testing answers a question it raises.
Usually no. The EPA states that visible mold rarely needs sampling. When mold is visible and the moisture source is clear, the plan is to repair the water and remove the mold.
A musty smell that intensifies when the system runs can point to mold in the ductwork or on HVAC components. Mold releases odor compounds that can spread through the vents each time the system cycles.
Black dust at the registers can be mold or it can be ordinary duct debris. A surface sample confirms which one before anyone cleans or remediates. Testing settles it either way.
Swipe to explore
617 HVAC tests independently, uses an accredited lab and puts the findings in writing. Request an estimate or call to schedule.
© 2026 617 HVAC. All rights reserved.
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The written report returns in three to five business days. It explains the species present, the spore counts and the limits of what those counts prove. You read the findings, not a sales pitch.
06
If remediation is warranted, we refer you to a qualified independent remediation contractor. If HVAC cleaning is the answer, the duct cleaning path applies. We test; we do not remediate.
Complete Transparency
The Baseline
Indoor air samples measured against an outdoor control reading.
The Lab Report
Species identification and spore counts from an accredited laboratory.
The Referral
An independent next step, with no remediation sold by us.
The outdoor baseline, the accredited lab and the written report are what separate a real mold test from a guess.
The report and the pricing arrive in writing, with spore counts explained in plain language.
Massachusetts does not license mold inspectors or remediators, so anyone can claim the title. We test independently, use an accredited lab and send remediation elsewhere, which keeps every finding honest.
Evidence From the Field
These images show visible conditions that may justify closer inspection or laboratory sampling. An image alone cannot confirm mold; accredited laboratory analysis provides that answer.
A close camera view records dust and material along surfaces otherwise hidden from the room.
Visible material may justify closer inspection or laboratory sampling, but an image alone cannot confirm mold.
Matching interior angles make surface condition and accumulated material easier to evaluate.
Related Services
Testing identifies the problem. Inspection, cleaning and indoor air quality solutions handle what the findings call for next.
01
Borescope documentation of duct interiors before any testing decisions get made. Video Inspection is $498 all-in.
View Inspection →02
Whole-system source removal when testing confirms mold inside the ducts.
View Cleaning →03
Filtration, humidity control and ventilation that help keep spore counts down.
View IAQ →04
Readings and review during scheduled visits can catch moisture before mold grows.
View Wellness Standard →Settle-plate kits have no outdoor baseline and no air-volume measurement. Mold spores exist everywhere, so a dish can grow something without establishing whether a meaningful indoor problem exists.
Results return in three to five business days. Samples travel under chain of custody to an accredited third-party laboratory for species identification and spore counts.
No. 617 HVAC performs testing only. When remediation is warranted, we refer you to a qualified independent remediation contractor, which keeps our findings free of any incentive to find mold.
No. Massachusetts has no state license for mold inspectors or remediators, so anyone can use the title. We rely on an accredited laboratory and independent testing to keep results honest.
Yes. HVAC and duct mold is our focus. Our technicians sample air and surfaces around coils, drain pans, plenums and registers, where condensation and dust can support mold growth.
Independent mold testing is $225. The scope and price are provided in writing before samples are collected.
Mold spores exist outdoors everywhere, so an indoor count means little on its own. The outdoor baseline sets the normal level for the area and the indoor sample is read against it.
Common species include Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium and Stachybotrys. The report identifies what the samples contain and counts the spores, then explains the limits of what those counts prove.
No. Spore counts identify and quantify mold; they do not diagnose health effects. No standards link a specific count to symptoms. A physician handles health questions; the lab handles what is present.
Both can apply. Testing before confirms the problem and its scope. Post-remediation verification confirms the cleanup worked and it carries more weight when a different, independent party performs it.
You decide the next step from documented findings. If cleaning is the answer, the duct cleaning path applies. If remediation is warranted, we refer you to a qualified independent contractor. The choice stays yours.
