Mold can develop in the heating and cooling ductwork of your house under the correct circumstances. Contrary to popular belief, mold in ductwork is a more frequent issue that can harm the quality of your indoor air and even be dangerous to your health.
Wheezing, nasal congestion, eye irritation, and skin irritability can all be brought on by mold exposure. Those who have persistent lung conditions may also become infested with mold inside the lungs.
In areas with humid weather, mold infestations are frequent. While mold cannot entirely be eliminated, mold infestations can be prevented and managed with the right precautions.
You definitely don’t want the musty, soiled “gym sock” stench that mold growth is known for emanating from your air ducts. Unfortunately, mold can grow in HVAC systems, especially if dust is allowed to accumulate in places that are susceptible to moisture.
Without an effective air conditioning system, summer can be challenging to endure. Our energy is depleted in a hot, muggy environment, which makes it difficult for us to perform correctly. However, because of HVAC systems, we can take advantage of this great season and start going.
However, higher humidity during the sweltering summer months can harm your HVAC system. Mold growth in air ducts can be caused by a warm, moist environment. Because of this, you must start exercising prudence.
How Do I Know If There is Mold in Air Ducts?
1. Smell of Mold
Mold in air ducts or air vents frequently manifests itself first by having an odd or musty odour. Often, you’ll detect it by smell before you do. If your heating and air conditioning share ducts and you notice a musty or moldy odour that disappears when the systems are not in operation, you can limit the problem down to mold in your HVAC system.
2. Mold Can be Seen Through Naked Eye
Keep an eye out for the earliest indications of mold in the ductwork, near AC vents, and in drip pans. Condenser coils draw moisture from the air and deposit it in drip pans; if these become clogged, mold can flourish there.
3. Early Signs
Mold in air ducts may be the reason why people or pets in your house start to experience symptoms whenever the air conditioner is on. Mold can spread into the air and cause allergy-like symptoms including headaches, nausea, sore throats, and itchy eyes if there is enough of it in or around the vents.
Reasons of Mold Growth
The evaporator coil is a component of your air conditioner’s indoor unit. Air is cooled by the evaporator coil, which also removes moisture from the cooled air. Furnaces with high efficiency also remove moisture from the air. Condensate drips into a drain pan and leaves your house through the condensate drain line when everything is operating as it should.
The moisture may, however, drain slowly if the condensate drain line becomes clogged with dirt and debris. As a result, your drain pan becomes soggy.
Mold can begin to grow in your drain pan and on other components of your indoor unit, including the blower wheel, if there is enough temperature and dust accumulation.
If there are leaks in the ductwork, mold may begin to grow inside your air ducts. Leaks can let in dust, heat, and moisture—the three elements mold requires to grow—as well as mold spores.
How to Prevent Mold Growth?
Here’s what you should do if your HVAC ducts aren’t currently infected with mold or if you’ve finished cleaning and are looking for strategies to ensure that it never happens again. Your air ducts should stay mold-free for a very long time if you incorporate these procedures into your monthly HVAC maintenance schedule
1. Keep Air Filters in Good Condition
In order to prevent dangerous particles from entering your rooms, air filters are essential. After 250 hours of use, or every two weeks, you should clean them. After every three months is the ideal time to change them.
2. Avoid Placing Furniture Near Vents
Make sure that none of your furniture is obstructing the air vent. Any obstruction could hinder the air conditioner from effectively moving air throughout your house.
Condensation can occur when there is stagnant air and low light levels. This might promote the growth of mold inside the ducts. For this reason, you should keep all furniture, including couches and draperies, away from your home’s vents.
3. The Ductwork Should be Always Cleaned
Mold won’t grow if the HVAC ducts are cleaned often. If the ducts aren’t cleaned frequently, mold or other materials could accumulate and have a severe impact on the interior air quality of your home.
A professional specialist should clean your ducts because doing so to get rid of mold and stop it from growing involves a lot of knowledge and experience.
4. Keep Indoor Humidity Levels Consistent
Maintaining the humidity levels in your home is very important because moisture is the key factor in the growth of mold. In order to prevent the growth of mold, it is advised to keep the relative humidity below 50%. To reduce the humidity, you can use a dehumidifier.
Conclusion
Mold is challenging to deal with on your own because of the many different types and various similarities. Talking to a professional before beginning to clean your air ducts is always a smart decision.
The majority of the time, typical preventative maintenance does not include duct cleaning. If you find mold in your air ducts, you’ll definitely need to have them cleaned, but you should also think about getting them cleaned on a regular basis, especially if you live in a humid area or have issues with mold that keeps coming back.
