One of the responsibilities you need to keep in mind is maintaining your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. This maintenance means ensuring it runs efficiently and doesn’t consume too much power, as well as checking for mold growth. Over time, molds can form in the HVAC air ducts due to the accumulation of dust, dead skin cells, pollen, and dirt. When moisture comes into contact with all these, it creates a conducive environment for molds to grow. It’s important to note that mold presence can become a source of health problems.
Of course, you can resort to using some home remedies regularly to minimize mold growth. However, if you leave the air ducts without frequent attendance, you may find yourself requiring HVAC emergency repair to do a deep cleaning and overall checkup for mold infestation in your system.
Signs Of Molds Infestation In Your HVAC System
As dust and dirt pass through the ducts, these get trapped in the moist areas, which may not be visible from outside. Therefore, you can’t perform a casual sweep and satisfy a mold inspection routine. To help you in checking for mold growth in your HVAC system, here are some signs you may encounter:
- Some or all members of your family may feel dizzy or nauseous when inside the house. If this goes away when they’re outside, you may need to look at your HVAC system. There may also be slight headaches while in the house and disappear when outdoors.
- The house has a strong, musty smell, which may be more pronounced when air conditioners are running.
- You can see mold growth on the outlet or intake vents of the HVAC system. Areas to check include visible air ducts and drip pans.
- Some family members may be experiencing mild irritation of the eyes, nose, or throat, especially when running the air conditioning. Symptoms may include runny nose or watery eyes.
How To Get Rid Of Molds In Your HVAC System
A point to note is that molds grow more during high humidity periods, as these are the times the vents get more moisture. Therefore, you may need to do regular HVAC system cleaning during this time. Some of the mold-removal agents you can use are bleach or vinegar. Generally, most people may prefer vinegar as it’s safer to use. An alternative is to use a solution composed of one cup of water, a tablespoon of baking powder, and half a tablespoon of detergent.
Apart from the above, you can also check your local store for a commercial mold removal solution. While performing mold removal, ensure to use a mask, safety goggles, coveralls, and industrial gloves. Once ready, follow these steps:
- Switch off the HVAC system to avoid risk of accidents or injury. This will also prevent the molds you scrape off from being blown to other parts of the system or house.
- Check the porous materials, like insulation or filters. If there are moist ones, throw them away and replace them. As mentioned earlier, moisture is quite attractive to molds.
- Spray the areas with the solution and leave them for a few minutes. The time to let it sit can depend on the type of solution you’re using or the depth of the mold.
- Scrub the moldy areas with a wet rag or a light brush. Using a double bag, dispose of the dirt, waste, and porous materials in thick trash bags.
- If you can get a wet vacuum cleaner, use this to suck any standing water within the HVAC system.
- Use a disinfectant to clean the other non-porous surfaces, like pans, coils, plenums, and ducts. The disinfectant helps kill mildew or molds on these surfaces.
- As part of the cleaning process, you can divide the ductwork and seal it off, thus, preventing the mold spores from spreading. As such, you’ll ensure that clean areas won’t get spores blown off toward them.
- You can use a commercial mechanical coil cleaner to remove any debris in the HVAC evaporator coils.
- To finish it off, ensure all the areas are dry.
Steps You Can Take To Prevent Mold In Your HVAC System
Once you’re through with the cleaning, you may want to consider the steps below to prevent or minimize molds from growing in your HVAC system:
- Change or replace your air filters regularly.
- Clean and dry the drip pans frequently. Doing so will keep moisture from forming on them.
- Use dehumidifiers or install ultraviolet lighting. These can help reduce moisture levels within the HVAC system, thus, eliminating one of mold’s growth ingredients.
- Check air intakes and ducts regularly as these can be the main areas where molds get into your HVAC system.
Conclusion
As molds can grow as quickly as within 48 hours, it’s crucial to inspect your HVAC system as regularly as possible. After a thorough cleaning process, you can take the above steps to help reduce the recurrence of mold growth in your HVAC system.
