Soot Testing Kits

Each MycoTest Soot Test Kit includes clear adhesive tape samples, sealable collection bags, and all required packaging for certified laboratory transport — plus a prepaid FedEx return label for overnight shipping. The tape lift method captures fine soot and combustion particulate from surfaces for professional accredited laboratory analysis.

Your sample is analyzed at an AIHA-accredited laboratory to determine whether soot and combustion residue are present on the surface you sampled. The analysis is qualitative — it identifies carbonaceous particles, incomplete combustion byproducts, and other fire-related residues and reports them as present or absent. It does not measure concentration. Results are emailed within 1–2 business days after the lab receives your sample. No portal login required.

Test after any fire or smoke event — even if visible damage appears minor. Common triggers include:

• House fires and structure fires
• Wildfires near your property
• Fireplace or chimney backdrafts
• HVAC or furnace failures
• Electrical fires or overheated appliances

Fine soot particles penetrate HVAC systems and settle on surfaces throughout the home, often far from the fire source. Testing before remediation documents whether combustion residue is present on the surfaces you sample.

Soot is not just visible black residue. Fine combustion particles — including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and other carcinogenic byproducts — settle on surfaces throughout the home. Testing confirms whether combustion residue is present on the surface sampled. The result is qualitative — presence or absence — and does not measure concentration or grade severity.

MycoTest Soot Test Kits are used by homeowners and renters after fire or smoke events, property managers and landlords following tenant incidents, and restoration contractors documenting conditions before and after remediation. Results provide written documentation that combustion residue was or was not detected on the surfaces sampled.

The soot kit analysis is a qualitative assessment designed to determine the presence or absence of combustion residue. It is a preliminary, cost-effective screening tool. It does not measure concentration and does not grade severity.

For a detailed assessment of concentration or level of severity, we encourage you to consult with a professional environmental assessor in your area.

In our experience, any presence of combustion residue — regardless of concentration — should prompt remediation and cleaning efforts to restore the property. If your report indicates soot is present, we recommend proceeding with remediation or consulting an environmental assessor.