Mold in Your HVAC Ducts – How Does it Start and How Do I Get Rid of It?
Concerned about mold in your HVAC ducts and what to do? CLEAR Restoration breaks down everything you need to know about mold growing in your HVAC ducts.
CLEAR Restoration offers air duct cleaning services as a professional mold remediation company. We know how to properly treat the delicate framework of your HVAC ducts while ensuring complete mold removal. Contact us today at 225-245-3575 for professional mold removal for your HVAC ducts.
How Mold Starts Growing in HVAC Ducts
It’s not uncommon for mold to grow in air ducts. Due to the nature of air ducts as a highway for circulating air, dust is always present in them. Add moisture in the air from high humidity and warm temperatures from the heat of summer or your furnace, and you have the perfect recipe for mold.
Mold in your HVAC ducts is even more likely if:
- You have an oversized AC unit that cools too quickly before dehumidifying the air
- You set your AC temperature too low, causing condensation
- You have leaks in your ducts, causing condensation
While it’s likely to find mold in your HVAC ducts, it’s not normal. If you see visible mold growing in your HVAC ducts or on your register covers, you need to call a professional mold remediation company.
[Related: 3 Big Reasons to Get Your Air Ducts Cleaned]
How Can You Tell if There’s Mold in Your HVAC Ducts?
Sight
The most obvious way to tell if there is mold in your HVAC ducts is if you visibly see it. Whether you notice mold growing on your registers leading into your room or you notice it in the actual ducts, visibly seeing mold in your HVAC ducts is the best way to confirm you have mold. You can also check your drip pans. If you see visible mold growth, it’s already an infestation as mold spores are tiny. If mold is in your air ducts, it is also being blown everywhere in your home.
Smell
Mold often comes with a musty smell. If you smell an unpleasant odor and can’t find the source, it might be time to check your HVAC ducts for mold. Once again, mold spores are tiny, so you may smell mold before you see it visibly growing.
If you notice a persistent odor with no other explanation, it might be good to get a mold inspection performed on your property.
Symptoms
If you’re allergic to mold or people in your home are experiencing increased allergy symptoms, you might have mold in your HVAC ducts. Every time the air kicks on, it will spread mold spores throughout your home, causing increased symptoms such as headaches, nausea, irritated eyes, nose, and throat.
[Related: Can Duct Cleaning Damage Ducts?]
Preventing HVAC Mold
Preventing mold growth in your HVAC ducts is the best way to avoid problems. To prevent mold in your HVAC ducts, you can perform regular maintenance and control the causes of the growth – mainly moisture and debris build-up in the ducts.
To control moisture, you can take a few measures. First, make sure you have the right sized air conditioner. Having a unit that is too large for your house is actually a problem. If the unit cools your home quickly without running enough to pull moisture out of the air, you’ll cause condensation in your HVAC ducts and cause mold growth.
If you have the correct HVAC size for your home, but moisture levels are still higher than 50% on a regular basis, you might want to invest in a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier will remove moisture from the air so you have less risk of mold growing in your HVAC ducts.
Controlling dust build-up in your HVAC ducts will also help prevent mold growth. Make sure you regularly change your air filter to keep dust out of the ducts but realize that dust will eventually accumulate in your ducts over time. Duct cleaning can help you control dust levels in your ducts. If you see a lot of dust in your ducts, if you’re experiencing allergies, or you see visible mold, then duct cleaning is a must. For preventative measures, duct cleaning every two to three years is recommended.
Also, check your HVAC unit and ducts yearly for any leaks or problems. Fixing issues right when they happen will help prevent condensation build-up and mold growth.
[Related: Cleaning Your Air Ducts in the Summer]
Cleaning HVAC Mold
If you already see mold in your HVAC ducts, you will need professional duct cleaning. When disturbed, mold releases microscopic spores, which can be dangerous to breathe in, and they will attach to other areas of your home and cause more damage. Doing a DIY duct cleaning is not an option when mold growth is already occurring.
CLEAR Restoration, a professional mold remediation company specializing in duct cleaning, will ensure there is no cross-contamination while eliminating the mold from your HVAC ducts. Trust the professionals to ensure your home is safe again with mold removal for HVAC ducts.
Contact CLEAR Restoration if You Have Mold in Your HVAC Ducts
If you suspect you have mold in your HVAC ducts, then call CLEAR Restoration today at 225-245-3575. We’ll ensure your home is safe again with duct cleaning services.
