Mold can sometimes be difficult to detect. Even if your air quality reports show everything is normal, that musty smell in a certain part of your facility is a sure indication something is wrong. But where is it coming from? Is there a better way to find the source than tearing into a wall or floor?
How about man’s best friend?
Specially trained dogs, with their heightened sense of smell, are increasingly being used to sniff out mold in both commercial and residential facilities. Businesses with clever names like The Nose Patrol, Pawsitive Mold Detection, and The Mold Mutts are popping up all over the country to assist building owners with mold detection.
While there is no standard certification for a “mold dog,” many mold-sniffing dogs’ owners report the dogs going through hundreds of hours of training to be able to identify and sniff out various types of mold.
These businesses are quick to point out that the mold isn’t hazardous to the dogs because they’d only be exposed for a few minutes. But the dividends for building owners could be huge in terms of time and money saved. Mold dogs are purported to sniff out mold 97 percent accurately, and much quicker than humans or even mechanical detectors. What’s more, it’s easier for a dog to pinpoint an exact location than it would be for alternative detection technologies. One mold dog company refers to a dog’s nose as “cutting-edge technology.” Mold dogs also work for treats, and the affection and approval of their owner, not profit – so they are 100 percent honest.
Greg Zimmerman is senior contributing editor for FacilitiesNet.com and Building Operating Management magazine.
