Specialty Testing
ERMI mold testing, DNA-based, EPA-referenced.
Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI) testing uses standardized DNA-based analysis of dust samples to quantify 36 indicator mold species. The result is a score relative to EPA reference data, useful for assessing the cumulative mold profile of an indoor environment in a way that air sampling cannot.
What is ERMI mold testing?
ERMI, the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index, is a dust DNA test that measures 36 specific mold species in a single settled-dust sample using quantitative PCR to detect the genetic signature of species characteristic of water-damaged buildings. The panel separates water-damage indicator species from common indoor species and combines them into a single index value. It is widely used in Shoemaker-protocol CIRS workups and integrative-medicine evaluations of environmental exposure. One distinction matters more than any other: ERMI is not an air test. DNA analysis detects genetic material whether the spores are alive or dead, so it describes whether indicator species have been growing in the building over time, even when nothing is currently visible, and it does not describe what is airborne right now. That present-state question belongs to a spore-trap air sample. The dust is collected under protocol and analyzed by an accredited laboratory.
What it covers
What's included?
- Dust collection from settled-dust locations on standard ERMI swab cartridge
- Lab DNA analysis (qPCR) for 36 indicator species
- ERMI score with EPA reference comparison
- Species-by-species breakdown
- Plain-English interpretation report
When you need it
When is this service the right fit?
- Cumulative-exposure assessment (vs. point-in-time air)
- Healthcare provider-referred environmental workup
- Comparison testing pre- and post-remediation
- Documentation for an environmentally sensitive client
How it works
How does the process work?
Consultation → ~30-min sampling visit → Lab analysis (typically 5-10 business days) → ERMI score report.
Service areas
Where we perform ERMI Mold Testing.
15 Florida counties from Central Florida to South Florida, the Tampa Bay area, and North Florida. Click the county nearest you for local context.
Honest answers
ERMI testing, answered.
Is ERMI an air test?
No. ERMI analyzes settled dust, not air. It detects genetic material whether the spores are alive or dead, which makes it a record of what has been growing in the building over time rather than a measure of what is airborne right now.
What does the ERMI score mean?
It is an index calculated from 36 species, separating water-damage indicators from common indoor species. The score describes the building's accumulated history. What it means for a person is a question for a treating clinician.
Should I run ERMI or HERTSMI-2?
ERMI covers 36 species and gives the fuller picture. HERTSMI-2 narrows the same method to five high-relevance species, which is faster to interpret. Where a treating provider has asked for one specifically, that generally settles it.
Central Florida coverage