HVAC systems in the home are designed to meet several requirements. Even with these requirements met dangerous mold can infest your home and air duct systems. Studies show that homeowners and their families spend anywhere from 60 to 90% of their time at home, and if you have a mold problem in your home it can cause some serious health issues for you and your family.
Here are some of the telltale signs that you may have mold issues in your air ducts and how having them cleaned can help.
What are the Causes of Mold Infestation in Homes?
Any areas near ducts with high moisture content are more prone to mold infestation than others. When mold colonizes the ducts and cooler air passes through those ducts, it makes a suitable environment for mold to start and unfortunately to spread. Water droplets in the ducts do not evaporate, giving optimal conditions for mold colonies which then gain nutrients from dust, pollen, dead skin cells, and animal dander that collects over months and years in the duct system if not regularly cleaned.
What are the Signs of Mold in Air Ducts?
One of the most prominent signs of mold in your air ducts is a moldy and mildew smell that you can smell throughout the house or in a few adjacent rooms of the house. Other symptoms are allergy like such as a runny nose, watering eyes or rashes, or your nose, throat, or eyes feel irritated on a regular basis.
Other symptoms that occur typically only when you are in your home may be nausea, dizziness or fatigue, nose bleeds, vomiting, chronic and persistent headaches, and unusual and regular chronic fatigue. One clear sign of mold in your air duct systems is if you can see it growing on the vents or after peering inside your vents. If the mold located in your vents is black mold, it is very dangerous to your health.
Another sign to add would be black dust around the home, this dust is actually the spores of the mold being spread via the ventilation system and is a sign that it is spreading to other areas. Air Conditioning units such as central air systems are a breeding ground for black mold as well as other types and may be where the issue started.
How to Treat Mold in Your Air Ducts
To take care of this serious issue, you need to contact a mold remediation professional as soon as possible if you suspect you have a mold infestation in your air ducts and your home. Having them professionally cleaned is the next step.
Professionals in the remediation line of work will give your home and vents a thorough inspection to find the mold if it is there as well as putting a plan together to fix the issue. Issues with mold and in particular black mold, must be cleaned by a professional air duct cleaning service, as normal household cleaning agents alone will not fix the issue.
A professional air duct service will also disassemble the air duct units and your air conditioning unit if present to ensure that it has not spread to other critical parts of your HVAC system, which would cause the mold to return and recolonize throughout your home. DIY solutions are only suitable for very minor mold issues, and is still not recommended for homeowners, as even if you only see a small amount, the problem can still be widespread and unknown to homeowners, and spread throughout areas that are not visible unless inspected by a professional.
Conclusion
Mold is a serious issue to the health of you and your family. If you have any of the symptoms listed in this article or see any of the signs, it’s time to immediately seek out professional help to remedy the issue before the mold can spread and colonize in other areas of the home. Starting with having your air ducts cleaned is a safe start.
Questions about mold and the quality of air in your home? Unique Air Duct Cleaning can help!
Our company has the specific knowledge, qualifications, and experience to ensure that the air ducts in your home are properly cleaned. We use the most advanced air whip cleaning system available and have been at it for over 25 years. Call us today for a Free Estimate!