Removing Mold From Air Conditioner Ducts
If you are going to go about cleaning the mold from your ductwork on your own, your choice of cleaning solution will be critical to your success. After all, what you decide to use and how you decide to clean the HVAC system can either contribute to enhanced growth or remove the unwanted infestation completely. You can concoct a cleaning solution made from common household items:
- One tablespoon of household detergent
- One-half tablespoon of baking soda
- One cup of water
When working with non-porous surfaces, you can also use one-part bleach to 16-parts water. There are commercial-grade solutions as well that have been approved for mold removal by the EPA.
Whether you use these products or your household solution, you need to have the right protective equipment on. Have a pair of thick industrial-grade plastic or work gloves, wear a pair of coveralls or a splash apron, and have safety goggles. Because of the respiratory and other health conditions causes by inhaling mold spores and the cleaning products being used, you should also wear an N-95 mask when cleaning the ductwork or working around mold. Always make sure to remove gear before leaving the infected area and entering other parts of the home.
How To Treat Black Mold In Your Air Ducts
If you suspect that you have a black mold infestation in your home, you need to call a mold remediation professional to inspect your home. The professional will take the steps to test for mold throughout your home. The inspection will verify if your home does have black mold, but if your home does not have black mold, it is also good to do because you can check to see if the mold concentration in your home is too high.
If the professional has verified the presence of black mold in your home, then they will tell you the steps to remove it. For the most thorough cleaning, the professional will have to remove the right components from the air ducts to ensure complete cleaning. The reason is to be sure that the black mold has not touched any other part of your air duct and remove the risk of cross contaminating other parts of your home.
Black mold needs to be cleaned thoroughly by a trained remediation professional because most conventional cleaning agents will not work. Remediation professionals are trained to use the most high-powered cleaning vacuums and motorized brushes to remove black mold from your home.
For example, COIT has the largest and most powerful cleaning equipment on the market we use high-efficiency particulate air vacuums and eco-friendly products to remove mold from your air ducts. Also, COIT finishes the job using air scrubbers to ensure and sustain the availability of high air quality.
Signs Of Black Mold In Air Vents
In addition to the health symptoms, there are other signs that AC ducts have become infested. Are you experiencing any of the following signs in your home? You might have black mold in air ducts.
- A strong moldy or musty smell in the house. It could be stronger in certain rooms. Also, you could notice the smell more when you turn on the AC.
- You can visibly see mold growing in air vents, ducts, or drip pans. Where this is some, there is probably more.
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Can Mold Get In Air Ducts
Unfortunately, mold can infiltrate your HVAC air ducts and lead to poor indoor air quality.
Risks associated with moldy ducts include:
- Increased allergy symptoms
- Health problems such as headaches, irritated nose and throat, nausea, respiratory illness, skin rashes, and itchy eyes
- Rotten, stale, or musty odors in the home
A single mold spore can, in time, wreak havoc on your HVAC system. Once a spore finds the right, humid conditions, it can grow rapidly. This makes it vital that homeowners understand their HVAC system and have it inspected and cleaned regularly to prevent mold in air ducts.
S You Can Take To Prevent Mold In The Air Ducts
It is critical to eliminate mold in air ducts once youve found the mold problem. Its also essential to make sure it doesnt happen again after everything is taken care of. Getting an HVAC Preventative Maintenance Plan is an effective method to keep an eye on mold and keep your HVAC system healthy. It can assist in preventing the causes of mold by ensuring there are no problems that can allow moisture leaks. Regular maintenance prevents breakdowns and keeps your cooling mechanism operating smoothly.
Another thing you may do to look after your HVAC is to get periodic air duct cleanings. Duct cleaning isnt generally part of regular preventative maintenance in most cases. Youll undoubtedly want duct cleaning if mold appears in the air ducts, but bear in mind that if you live in a humid environment or have trouble with mold that keeps recurring, you may benefit from having it done regularly.
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Why Do You Want To Clean Your Ducts
If your family members get sick regularly, you suspect mold is growing in your duct or you simply believe the dust in your house is coming from your air duct, you may be tempted to contact an air duct cleaning service.
Ultimately what you truly want is cleaner air in your home. But will air duct cleaning truly give you cleaner air? Or is duct cleaning a waste of money?
We’ll tell you why we don’t offer duct cleaning services and don’t recommend it to our customers either.
Hvac Mold Removal What To Do
· Updated 01/17/2020
When mold invades your property, it will spread by dispersing its spores throughout the home or building to affect other areas. But if it has developed in your HVAC system, the process of it spreading is accelerated because the air flow is helping to push the spores to affect new surfaces.
In addition, there are many health risks associated with mold as its spores trigger a number of allergic reactions and respiratory issues, including coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, itchy eyes, runny nose, and a variety of other health problems.
Also Check: How To Clean Mold Off Of Bathroom Ceiling
S To Prevent Mold Problems In Your Hvac System And Air Ducts:
There are times when home remedies are not enough, and you need to resort to more drastic methods. Mold infestations can be quite stubborn, and not tending to them can lead to more significant expenses. If you have had recurring mold problems in the past couple of years, you should consider the following prevention measures:
Your Air Conditioner Already Has A Built In Cleaning System
Air conditioning systems are already designed with a built in cleaning system called an air filter. It is the job of the air filter to remove particles from the air that flows through your HVAC system.
man changing air filter
Air filters do not always filter out every single particle of dust, but is this really a problem? In most cases any dust that makes it through your air filter and into your duct system is minimal and hasn’t been proven to cause any measurable decrease in air quality.
As the EPA study suggests, most of the dust will adhere to the surface of your duct and will not continue to blow into your home. Any dust that does blow out of your duct into your home should be caught by the air filter during its next cycle.
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How Do I Prevent Mold From Growing In My Air Conditioner
Controlling moisture is the key to preventing mold in air conditioners. Unfortunately, air conditioners can also be a source of moisture. Here are some steps you can take to control moisture when using an air conditioner.
Mold growing in an AC unit or in your homes HVAC system is a serious problem, because it allows mold spores to be spread throughout the house. Cleaning up an HVAC mold problem is a difficult and possibly expensive task. The best way to deal with mold in an air conditioner is to control moisture and prevent it from happening at all.
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How Do You Know There Is Mold In Your Air Ducts
Most of the time molds are visible. When they are invisible, however, youll get their odor in the air or have people or pets in the house show certain symptoms.
The odor is often the first sign of mold in air ducts or air vents you mostly smell it before you see it. So, if you begin to perceive a musty or moldy wet smell whenever you are not using your air conditioning or heating , know that mold is growing in your HVAC system.
The visible mold will turn up around AC vents, in the ducts, and in the drip pans look out for them! Because condenser coils pull moisture out of the air and into drip pans, they become the perfect environment for mold to grow, especially if clogged.
Finally, when people or pets in the house start exhibiting symptoms like headaches, nausea, irritated nose and throat, and itchy eyes whenever the AC is on, one possible cause is mold in air ducts.
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How To Prevent Mold In My Ductwork
By the time you notice visible mold on your walls, ceilings, or other mold-prone areas of your home, the spores have already invaded air quality and reproduced.
Here are some tips that either help prevent mold in air ducts, or maintain them after a completed mold removal project.
- Add a HEPA filter to your AC unit and replace it regularly.
- An annual inspection by a professional HVAC service company.
- Use a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture from the air.
- Clean your home frequently to reduce dust. Use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
- Insulate ducts to prevent condensation.
- Clean the AC unit drip pans often.
- Inspect the coils, vents, drip pans, and ducts of your AC unit for mold growth. Where there is some, there is probably more. In this case, contact ATH for a free assessment.
Also, cover your vents with plastic whenever you take on a remodeling or renovation project that creates a lot of dust.
If you suspect mold in air ducts or your AC unit, contact ATH for a free consultation.
Types Of Mold In Air Duct
Following 9 types of molds can be found in your air ducts-
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The Importance Of Removing Mold From Air Ducts
The importance of removing mold from the air ducts is enormous. Molds are generally the cause of the different types of health problems, such as headaches, nausea, and fatigue. Molds also create a terrible smell in your living room. Your roomâs air may not be too friendly than outside if you see molds grow in your air ducts. Ideally, to keep yourself safe from different health problems, you should give extra care to remove mold from your air ducts.
Removing Mold From Air Conditioning Vents
Removing mold from A/C vents is a pretty simple process. Follow these steps to complete the task easily:
Some people may suggest cleaning the grill without removing it. We dont recommend this due to the dangers of the vents sharp metal that can easily cut your fingers when you cant fully see it.
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Prevent Mold In Your Air Ducts With Regular Hvac Maintenance From Aire Serv
If you have mold in your ductwork, its crucial to find out why its developing so the problem can be prevented from occurring again. Your local Aire Serv can identify the root cause and stop mold from re-infiltrating your HVAC air ducts with tools like .
Our service professionals are dedicated to keeping your homes air healthy and your HVAC working its best with air duct cleaning, installation, and repair services you can rely on.
Servmold Of Dallas Your Air Duct Mold Removal Company In North Texas
Long-Standing Experience
For 15 years, we have been offering HVAC and Air Duct Mold Removal services in North Texas. Our experience dealing with the HVAC system and air duct cleaning is unrivaled with other mold removal companies. We perfectly understand all the different HVAC and ductwork systems and are equipped with the tools and skills required to ensure successful mold removal around these areas.
Bonded and Insured
Servemold of Dallas is bonded and insured, so there are no risk of long your heating and cooling systems.
Free Estimates
We offer free estimates to our customers, and well always respond to you within 24 hours. We have a team of trained field operators who will ensure professional service delivery and quality of work using our high-end mold removal tools.
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Why Do You Need A Professional To Remove Mold From Air Conditioner Duct
Some people frown at the suggestion of getting a mold remediation company to remove mold from their houses. Their reason is usually because of the high cost.
Doing it yourself is not the solution, however, because:
- Scrubbing mold off the air conditioner duct with cleaners wont make it go away. You would only be leaving behind enough mold to grow back again.
- You could accidentally damage your HVAC system if you try to remove mold yourself from the air conditioner duct.
You need professionals because they have the proper equipment to protect themselves and your home or business from both the mold and the chemicals that they use to clean it.
Also, professionals have HVAC training. They are familiar with your system and know how to clean it without damaging it. Besides, they know how to correct mold growth inhibitor products to prevent it from coming back.
Air Quality Express is the professional you want to contact once you notice that mold has taken residence in the air conditioner duct of your Houston, TX house. You can call them today at 937-7692 to get quality mold remediation service at an affordable price.
Mold In Your Hvac Ducts How To Get Rid Of It And How To Prevent It
As a homeowner you have a lot of responsibilities and keeping a perfect house isnt easy. One thing that may slip your mind is your HVAC system. Just like anything else in your home if you dont maintain your HVAC system, problems may arise. One of the most common problems/complaints is having mold in your HVAC ducts.
Mold is easy to miss because it can grow and reproduce easily. Mold in your HVAC system can cause you and your family to be sick and will decrease your indoor air quality. The EPA recommends checking your HVAC ducts for mold and moisture regularly. If there is moisture back up in your ducts or other parts of your HVAC system it will be easy for mold to begin growing. Lets discuss how you can get rid of mold and what you can do to prevent it.
How to Get Rid of Mold in your HVAC Ducts
Mold is a pesky, but common issue that occurs in HVAC systems. When moisture gets trapped in the system it can cause mold to grow, it can take as little as 48 hours for this process to begin. If youve found mold in your system, the best option is to contact an HVAC professional to come out and help you clean the system. However, here are some general steps to follow in order to remove the mold.
How to Prevent the Mold from Coming Back
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