Iodine starch test- Do you do it every time you mash?

Not quite reaching target gravity, volumes and efficiencies?  A.B.V. low? Two things can make or break you here.

    1. Volumes- know your kettles volumes.  Measure and mark by engraving. Know your pre boil and post boil volumes, and know your losses.
    2. Confirm starch conversion by Iodine testing (or other means)  before stopping mash. No residual starch is the goal.

  Recently my brews have been close to the numbers, but were still slightly off - e.g.  missed gravities, and lower than expected efficiencies. I used to do the iodine starch conversion test but lately have not, thinking that I don't need to anymore. I was option #3 above.

My last brew Saturday I decided to do the iodine starch test again. I found my mash needed over 15 minutes longer than what the recipe called for to fully convert all starch to sugars. My original gravity is now BETTER than beersmith calculates, and efficiencies and yield are great.
My conclusion-  it is essential to ALWAYS do the Iodine test to ensure complete conversion; especially if you question missing your gravities and volumes at all. For BIG BEERS- even more important!  Better Beer to everyone-CHEERS

I always do an iodine test before I mash out. It is usually fully converted, but when it isn't I'm glad I took a minute to test it.

The iodine test has shown full conversion over 99% of the time on my current system. I have questioned my self if I am doing it correctly! Dust from the grain bag sure turns black. Before switching to an electric system with continuous sparge through a HERMS coil I brewed outside. The iodine test was necessary on every brew. It was very difficult to regulate the mash temperatures due to ambient temperatures. Now I test half the time or when I have had the grain crushed for over a month. Not sure if that should be a reason to test or not.   

Thanks for your input guys

lazy?  maybe.  cheap?  possibly.  but i consistently hit my numbers, so this is one of those "if it ain't broke don't fix it" things for me.