How Do I Remove Air Conditioner Mold
Either replace or clean the air conditioning filter to remove air conditioner mold. Also, mold in air conditioning units can be removed by using a commercial grade cleaner made to get rid of mold growth. The way that you remove the mold depends largely on the type of air conditioning unit you have. You can do it yourself or hire a professional cleaning service to remove mold from the unit.
Removing air conditioner mold from a window unit involves practical care to ensure your safety. Make sure the unit is unplugged before you begin. You should also wear a mask while cleaning mold from the air conditioner. A mask protects you from breathing in mold spores and dust particles.
Often, cleaning or replacing the air conditioners filter removes mold from the unit. Moisture is the breeding ground for mold development, so you will want to do everything possible to eliminate areas of moisture which offer opportunities for mold growth. Frequent cleaning of filters is recommended for a window unit, especially if you live in a geographic location where high humidity is a constant issue.
Know When The Best Time To Clean Your Ac Is
You are most likely to find mold in your AC after it has gone unused for a while. Mold is most likely to develop over the winter when you are not using your air conditioner for several months on end. Therefore, you want to inspect your unit right before summer when you may turn it on again. You want to ensure it works properly because you do not want the system to blow mold particles throughout your home. This can lead to health complications, such as headaches, sore throats, and other respiratory issues.
Seven Ways To Remove Mold On Air Vents
If youve noticed mold on your air vents, lets get it dealt with right away. Well teach you how to get it away, how to prevent it but also talk through how to spot it.
Well also discuss whether its dangerous, why its there and what it looks like. By the end of this, youll be a mold on air vents expert, armed with the right knowledge to spot it, eliminate it and prevent it.
Remove Mold on Air Vents With Dawn Dish Soap
Turn off your AC unit. Remove the air vent grill and place it in a basin of warm soapy water for one hour. While it soaks, use a HEPA vacuum to clean the inside of the air vents. Use a rag soaked in soapy water to scrub the vent grill and air ducts clean. Allow everything to air dry thoroughly.
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Prevent Mold In Window Air Conditioner
If youre thinking youd rather put in the work to prevent mold in window air conditioner parts rather than break out the scrub brush and gloves each summer, were here to help.
- Remove dust from the unit to deprive mold of its food source. Use a vacuum to remove dust particles from the front portion of the unit.
- Use fan mode occasionally to dry out any exposed parts of the unit that may have become damp with condensation.
- Change or clean your filter as suggested by the user manual.
- Inspect the unit monthly while its being used to ensure mold isnt going undetected.
- Clean the unit thoroughly once the summer season is over.
- Protect the unit with a durable air conditioner cover while its stored away after the summer season.
How Does Mold Occur
Mold needs a damp, humid environment to breed. That means water is part of molds equation. Remove the water, and mold cant live. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , mold already exists in all homes, even in your Midland, Michigan home. But in most cases, it exists on such a small scale that its not noticeable or a health risk. Its when that damp, humid environment is introduced that mold grows.
This mold-ideal environment can be introduced because of an unknown or ignored leak somewhere in your home or high humidity. Air with over 70 percent humidity is a definite breeding ground for mold. Once the mold begins to grow, the spores can travel through your homes air causing allergen issues. A small leak in your HVAC system or ignored air conditioner drains and pans, evaporator coils, or air handlers could very well be an origin of mold.
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Scrub The Moldy Areas Of The Ac
You need to get a sponge, brush or cloth to soak up the solution and scrub down the affected areas of your AC. You also want to clean the front grille with the same solution. Even if you do not see any mold, it may still be a good idea to scrub down the area just to prevent mold from growing in the future. You should allow the solution to sit for at least 10 minutes. After this time, you need to rinse the AC down with a damp cloth and water. If you still see mold on the unit, you can repeat the scrubbing steps until it goes away.
How To Prevent Styrofoam Mold In Window Air Conditioners
- Use Fan Mode to Dry the Interior of the AC
Almost every air conditioner should have a fan mode that you must regularly to avoid moisture building up inside the AC units.
- Clean Your Window AC Once or Twice During the Cooling Season
If you keep your home clean at all times, you wont need to remove mold so often since you wont let it form in the first place.
Cleaning it once or twice during the cooling season should be enough.
- Remove Dust
Mold tends to feed on the dust inside the unit and uses water and humidity spots to grow even more.
Therefore, you should occasionally take some time to clean the unit of any potential contaminants. Go all the way back from the filter to the cover.
- HEPA filters
Every air conditioner has some filter but usually, a standard filter wont keep the mold from spreading in your home.
You can opt for HEPA filters on your unit, as they can hold back smaller particles as well.
- UV filters
For your home to be safe from mold, you might also want to invest in a UV filter. These filters can kill 99% of bacteria and viruses, which means that mold doesnt have a chance.
- Controlling your indoor air quality
Most of the mold from your AC is caused by the situation in your homes indoor and outdoor environment.
Solution?
Use a dehumidifier, as it picks up water from the air. Perhaps you can also clean the mold spots in your home with bleach .
- Run Your AC regularly
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Is Your Ac Is Growing Mold
You dont need to look inside to notice if a foul smell coming off the AC as you turn it on. People call this the dirty-sock syndrome. Simply put, it smells like youre in a room full of dirty socks! Also, its like that locker room odor it comes off from a locker room that hasnt been opened and cleaned for a very long time.
So thats the first thing youll notice when mold has infiltrated your air conditioner.
Eventually, you may start feeling the symptoms of respiratory issues that Ive listed above.
And with the right combination of summer heat, humidity, and precipitation, your AC will likely continue to breed mold.
So how will you prevent mold from wreaking havoc on your AC? Andyour personal health?
The Dangers Of Mold In Your Air Conditioner
If mold is growing in your house, it can release spores that can be easily inhaled. According to the CDC, molds can cause nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation, or, in some cases, skin irritation. People with mold allergies may have more severe reactions. Immune-compromised people and people with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may get serious infections in their lungs when they are exposed to mold.
Mold growing in an AC unit is not necessarily more dangerous than mold growing elsewhere in your house. However, the function of an air conditioner is to spread cool air throughout a room, and the purpose of the HVAC ducts is to distribute air throughout the house, which is what makes mold in HVAC systems so concerning. If they become contaminated with mold, they will efficiently distribute mold spores across an entire room or the entire house. If the concentration of mold spores is high enough, you will have a mold problem everywhere, rather than in just one location, and you will be inhaling mold spores in every room, even while you sleep.
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Allow The Ac Unit To Air Dry
Allow the AC enough time to air dry. This could take as long as 24 hours. Ensure that the unit, grille and filter are completely dry before using the system again.
During the 24 hours, you can seek other ways to cool your room, but do not use your air conditioning unit. Remember, moisture creates a good breeding ground for mold.
Supplies Youll Need For Getting Rid Of Mold In A Window Air Conditioner
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How Do You Get Rid Of Air Conditioning Mold
While some homeowners prefer to deal with a household mold problem on their own, the Environmental Protection Agency recommends calling in a professional if you have air conditioner mold. However, if you do choose to tackle air conditioner mold removal on your own, you can follow these steps.
Additional Reading:
Mold in HVAC – Additional information on what to do if you have mold in your heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems or duct work.
How To Clean Mold From Air Conditioner Coils 5 Easy Steps
An essential part of an ACs maintenance is keeping its coils clean, so you might want to know how to clean mold from air conditioner coils. Whats even important is keeping them from growing even more.
If the coils are not clean with grime and debris, the airflow passing through the coils will be limited. In such a case, the air conditioning system will have to work harder to cool the room.
In some cases, it will even burn itself after working that much. Debris, dust, and dirt are also the perfect breeding ground for mildew, mold, and bacteria to grow. This will cause health problems as it increases the spores of mold circulating through the air in your house.
Not only that, but it will also cause your electric bills to increase. A biofilm will start to develop on the coils if the air is limited and mold build-up. This will create a barrier inside the coils. As a result, the unit will not be exchanging heat as it normally does.
With that being said, it is important to clean up those mold from the coils.
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Get The Right Supplies
Before getting to work, you want to have everything you will need already on-hand. You do not want to be halfway through the job only to discover you need to rush to the store to grab something. The items you need include:
- Face mask
- Vacuum cleaner with attachments
- Screwdriver
Once you get everything, you need to make sure you clean your AC unit in an open space. You want good ventilation in the area, so open some nearby windows to get some air in the room.
How To Remove Mold From Your Air Conditioner
If you think there is mold from your air conditioner, we highly advise addressing the issue right away.
However, considering the risks involved in the job, its best to leave this work up to qualified and experienced HVAC contractors. These people have the necessary skills and expertise to correctly handle any air conditioner problems, including mold growth issues.
So, contact a qualified HVAC contractor to come, insect, clean, and maintain your air conditioner. The best part here is that they wont only remove mold but also prevent further infestation.
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How To Prevent Mold On Air Vents
Once your air ducts are nice and clean, how can you prevent mold in the future?
- Mold growth inhibitors: Look for an EPA registered mold growth inhibitor product to prevent mold regrowth in the air vents. Follow the manufacturer guidance on how to use the product properly.
- Replace filters: You should replace your HVAC filters regularly.
- Clean drip pans: Where the drip pans collect water, mold can grow quickly. You should clean your drip pans regularly to prevent this.
- Dehumidify: Keep moisture levels down in the house. You should invest in a good dehumidifier and keep it near places that are prone to mold growth.
- Regular inspections: You should hire a professional company to inspect your ventilation system regularly. This ensures there are no leaks, mold regrowth or other faults that could lead to mold and mildew. These companies can also maintain and clean the air vents to ensure theyre in tip top condition.
- Regular cleaning: Make sure youre regularly cleaning your air vents and ducts before mold appears. You can use the above methods to keep them clean so that they arent the ideal environment for mold.
- Clear path: Dont put objects or obstacles over your air vents. This limits good air circulation which can lead to mold growth.
- UV light or ionization air purifiers: These items kill mold, viruses and bacteria. Consider getting these installed within your HVAC system such as the coils or fan units to eliminate odors, mold and other nasties.
How To Prevent Mold In Air Conditioner
Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to prevent mold from developing in your air conditioner:
- Reduce moisture. The easiest way to avoid moisture build-up in an AC unit is back when you purchase it. Look for an AC unit with humidity control. Many modern units vent water vapour with air. If you have a unit that is designed to collect water in a reservoir, empty it regularly.
- Avoid organic debris. In addition to water and air, mold needs organic matter to breed. Clean or replace your air conditioners filter regularly, and vacuum the interior to clear out any dust and debris. Dont give mold any food to live on!
- Keep unit running while on vacation. Mold tends to build up when the air conditioner is not running and the air is still. Keep your unit running, even when on vacation. To reduce energy consumption, you can set the target temperature higher so it runs less often, but dont shut it off altogether.
Unfortunately, air conditioners represent a particular problem area for mold, since they push the air and mold spores through the house and into the air you breathe. The risk of black mold in particular makes it important to be vigilant about mold in air conditioners and nip problems in the bud.
It may feel intimidating, but dont feel discouraged. Knowledge is power, and knowing to keep an eye out for mold in your air conditioner will help you keep your home healthy and happy.
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