There are several varieties of mold and if you think you have any type of mold including black mold in air ducts it s best to leave the examination to a mold tester.
White mold in air ducts.
Then evaluate the area to determine how best to address the mold issue.
Mold can be one of the negative effects of floods or can indicate a problem with your air conditioning system.
The ducts are hard to reach and certainly can t be cleaned thoroughly like rooms in the house.
Here are a few definitive signs of mold growth within home hvac systems.
White mold is a very common problem for houses in the northwest.
Removing black mold in air ducts.
Before cleaning white mold put on protective gloves eyewear and a respirator.
Then once mold infests the ducts mold spores can be circulated throughout the house when the ac runs which can cause mold problems in other areas as well as.
In this case you ll need extensive duct cleaning with mold remediation and you ll want to make sure to seal up the leaks in the ducts to prevent the problem from returning.
White mold can be hard to detect especially in the early stages of mold growth.
Keep the whole duct system dry and perform frequent checks for signs of moisture.
A strong mildew like or musty smell throughout the house or at least in a few adjacent rooms.
However when black mold starts growing in your air vents things get a little trickier.
The difference between the cold air in the ducts and warm air in the walls can cause moisture to condense on the ducts giving mold a perfect environment to grow.
Conduct mold testing to confirm an infestation.
It can be the cause of dangerous negative health effects and should be removed promptly.
Many people notice that there is a problem when they see visible mold growth in an area of their home when they smell mold or they may begin to experience the health affects of mold exposure.
Removing mold that has begun growing inside air vents can be a challenge.
If you suspect or find signs of contamination in your hvac system don t run it until you have the air ducts cleaned.
Your nose throat and eyes feel irritated when you switch on the air conditioning or step inside an air conditioned room.
Your air ducts are probably not contaminated.
Mold in air conditioning ducts adds a unique problem to an already bothersome issue.
What are the signs of mold in air ducts.
If they determine you have mold in your air ducts i ve been advised by industry professionals that it would be best to remove the components like the a c coils from the.
This will provide a constant influx of fresh air and lower the mold spore count while you investigate.
Some experts recommend using ozone but the cdc and other agencies have warned that this method of removing mold can be damaging to the respiratory system.
Also check for disconnected bath fan ducts and a lack of air sealing on the.
When black mold grows on walls floors carpets and so on it s relatively easy to spot.
Here s the checklist for smart homeowners to counter mold in air conditioning ducts.