ERMI (ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIVE MOULDINESS INDEX) - DUST ANALYSIS FOR MOULD SPECIES INCLUDING FREE HERTSMI 2

Ideal for baseline assessments and pre/post remediation checks

The ERMI (Environmental Relative Mouldiness Index) is our most established and widely recognised dust-based mould assessment. It provides a clear, science-driven overview of your indoor environment by analysing settled dust — a reliable long-term indicator of mould exposure that air sampling often misses.

This test identifies 26 water-damage indicator and toxigenic moulds plus 10 common environmental species, giving you a detailed understanding of the microbial load in your home or workplace. ERMI is particularly useful for establishing a baseline before remediation or confirming that remediation has been successful.

A FREE HERTSMI-2 score is included, offering additional insight for individuals with mould-related illnesses such as CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome) by focusing on the five species most strongly associated with inflammatory responses.

Species - As listed below:

Water Damage Moulds: Aspergillus Flavus/Oryzae, Aspergillus Fumigatus, Aspergillus Niger, Aspergillus Ochraceus, Aspergillus Penicilliodes, Aspergillus Restrictus, Aspergillus Sclerotiorum, Aspergillus Sydowii, Aspergillus Unguis, Aspergillus Versicolor, Aureobasidium Pullulans, Chaetomium Globosum, Cladosporium Sphaerospermum, Eurotium (Asp) Amstelodami, Paecilomyces Variotii, Penicillium Variotii, Penicillium Brevicompactum, Penicillium Corylophilum, Penicillium Crustosum, Penicillium Purpurogenum, Penicillium Spinulosum, Penicillium Variabile, Scopulariopsis Brevicaulis/Fusca, Scopulariopsis Chartarum, Strachybotrys Chartarum, Trichoderma Viride, Wallemia Sebi

Common Indoor Moulds: Alternia Alternata, Acremonium Strictum, Aspergillus Ustus, Cladosporium Cladosporoides1, Cladosporium Cladosporoides2, Cladosporium Herbarum, Epicoccum Nigrum, Mucor Amphibiorum, Penicillium Chrysogenum, Rhizopus Stolonifer

HERTSMI-2: Aspergillus Penicillioides, Aspergillus Versicolor, Chaetomium Globosum, Strachybotrys Chartarum, Wallemia Sebi

• Swiffer (for taking the dust sample)
• Ziplock bag
• Instructions for the test, Gloves, and a Chain of Custody (which needs to be completed for our Laboratories)

The kit includes one Swiffer cloth. This counts as one test.

Do not cut the Swiffer — cutting it creates multiple samples, which would be charged as additional tests by the lab, and may delay sending your sample until you confirm whether you want to proceed with multiple tests.

For best accuracy, use one Swiffer per room, but we understand this isn’t always practical or necessary if your goal is simply to confirm whether there is a problem within the property. You can use a single Swiffer across multiple rooms, but please note that the result will only indicate whether one of those rooms has an issue — it will not show which one.

Prioritise rooms that:

• Have known or suspected water damage
• Cause worsening symptoms when occupied
• Are frequently used (e.g., bedrooms, living rooms)

If you’re unsure which rooms to test, consider starting with air sampling to identify higher-risk areas.

For best results, we recommend cleaning the property first and then collecting dust after 6–8 weeks of fresh accumulation.
However, this step is not essential and depends on your goals. If you want to check for historical contamination, need urgent results, or are investigating a specific event, testing existing dust can still be appropriate and informative.

On receipt of your sample, Mould Lab will send it on to the necessary lab via FEDEX Express Delivery (1-3 business days).

Once your sample is with the lab, you have the option of a 1 or 3 day turn around.