Mold on air vents is not something you want to keep around. Especially when people in your household can be sensitive to it, exposure to mold can trigger plenty of health issues.
That’s why you must learn how to check for it and eliminate it as soon as possible. As your air duct professionals near Glendale, Arizona, we’ll share with you tips on how to do that. We’ll also share with you four ways to eliminate it completely.
Mold should never be in your home, but it can grow if the conditions allow it. Typically, it shows up in places that are cool and damp. This is why mold in AC vents can be common if the right measures aren’t taken to prevent it.
To find out more about finding out if you have mold in air ducts and how to eliminate it fast, keep reading.
What are the signs of mold in your air ducts?
If you want to prevent something like black mold in air vents, it’s important to know the signs. Let’s take a look at the following so you know what to keep an eye (or nose) out for:
Visible mold
Any visible signs of mold on air vents should be one of the top things to look out for. With enough time and the right conditions, mold spores will usually settle inside the vents and appear as spots in different colors.
Some of them will be white, black, or green, and just because you can’t see it on the outside of your vents doesn’t mean growth may not exist on the other end.
That’s why you should make sure to properly check for mold on air vents by removing the cover from the vents and looking inside. Mold in AC vents can’t be easily visible unless you remove the cover and shine a light inside.
Mold inside the AC or furnace
Continuing on, you’ll have to look inside the AC or furnace for any mold. If the inside is damp and dark, that’s ground zero for almost any type of mold growth. Also, we highly suggest checking out the evaporator coils and drain pans since you may be able to find potential mold in your AC vents in those places as well.
Besides common locations like these, it’s possible to find mold growth even in unexpected places. If you find any, that’s when you should enlist the help of a mold remediation expert, regardless of whether the growth is severe or not.
Musty odor when HVAC is running
If you are running your HVAC and smell a musty odor, the potential for mold in the vents is high. Mold has an odor that is considered to be earthy or musty. The odor won’t be good on the nose, but it’s one of the more recognizable signs that mold growth is present and can be detected easily.
If the mold is growing in the ducts, the smell might even spread throughout rooms that are near the source of the growth. Any strange smells similar to that of mold in your rooms means you should check nearby vents immediately, as it could be a telltale sign you have mold in the air ducts.
Allergy symptoms or illness occurs
As mentioned before, if you are allergic to mold, your symptoms will emerge. It can also cause other symptoms.
Allergy symptoms you may suffer from can include sneezing, coughing, watery and itchy eyes, and breathing difficulties. However, you might suffer more troublesome conditions apart from these, such as severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue.
For these reasons, it is important to stop using the HVAC system if any of these symptoms occur. If any mold growth is discovered, do not activate your system until it is free of any mold.
Ways to eliminate mold from HVAC system
Find the mold source
Finding the mold source can be a challenge. Most of the time, the source can be usually associated with water leaks. Find any leak spots that may be close to your air ducts or the HVAC system itself.
Once found, you’ll want to fix the issue with the help of a professional. Speaking of which, let’s move on to the next step.
Hire a professional to test for mold
Although you can test the mold yourself, DIY mold testing kits aren’t always fully reliable and thorough enough to ensure you don’t have mold in your vents. If you must, enlist the help of a professional to test and eliminate mold inside your air ducts.
Contact your local mold removal services if needed
If the test for mold is positive, then mold you’ll need removal or water damage restoration services. Please make sure the HVAC system remains off until this process. This will greatly reduce any risk of the mold spreading.
Mold removal services will follow the right steps and protocols to remove mold safely and effectively, and they have the proper tools and attire to get the job done. This makes it easy to remove mold safely without any added risk to you or your household.
Take preventative measures
While mold removal may not be a DIY task, preventative measures can definitely be put in place beforehand. This includes cleaning the drip pans regularly, checking for leaks throughout your entire piping system and in areas where condensation usually occurs.
You may want to seal these areas if needed. Furthermore, you’ll want to consider purchasing a dehumidifier. Run it in areas that can be susceptible to regular mold growth. Lastly, you can invest in regular air duct cleaning, which you can get done professionally.
Keep in mind that air duct cleaning doesn’t come cheap. You’ll be looking at spending anywhere from $300 to $500 for a visit.
But an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as they always say, and the same goes for preventing future mold growth in your home. Be sure to take the right preventative measures and things will be fine.
American Home Water & Air is your air duct specialist in Phoenix, Arizona that will make sure you and your household are safe. Especially when it comes to the threat of mold growing inside your home. When it grows inside the HVAC system, that’s a recipe for disaster.
Don’t take yours and your family’s health to chance. Be sure to check your air ducts for mold growth. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, we’ll be happy to help you out. Contact us at 602-993-0083 and we’ll make sure you get the help you need for all your air duct and HVAC needs.
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