In this blog entry, our professional Denver air duct cleaning and ductwork sanitization team will describe the main signs of the presence of mold within air ducts, and the best ways that you can remove mold from your ductwork.
What exactly is mold?
Mold is a type of fungus that is often found on walls in basements or bathrooms. It thrives on surfaces in damp areas. It travels through the air and can make home on a damp surface where it quickly multiplies. There’s many different kinds of mold, in many colors, that can all travel by creping to the edge of any surface they live on.
What are the most common types of mold?
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Acremonium– This powdery mold comes in white, pink, orange, and gray. It often grows in homes due to drain pans, HVAC cooling coils, and humidifiers.
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Chaetomium– This mold often grows in homes with water damage due to leaking pipes, roofs, or sinks.
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Alternaria– This mold is often dark green or brown and thrives in leaky pipes and damp areas. It spreads very quickly and needs to be quickly remediated in order to avoid health problems and property damages.
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Stachybotrys– This toxic black mold is seriously dangerous, and can cause allergy attacks, coughs, fevers, nose bleeds, and headaches.
What are some symptoms that there is mold in air ducts?
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Bad smell when HVAC systems are activated
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Visibly present mold on grilles or air vents
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Irritation of your respiratory system like lungs, throat, and nose
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Sneezing
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Water eyes
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Fever
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Nausea
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Insomnia
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Headache
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And more
Removing Mold from AIr Ducts
It can be tricky to remove mold from ductwork because it’s not as simple as switching off the hVAC system and visibly scrubbing the area with a wet brush or a rag. Even if you do this a few times and get rid of the dirty water and the cleaning rag, the mold will still likely reappear after some time. It’s not possible to remove mold with household cleaners and DIY methods. You can only really remove mold and all of its spores with professional HVAC mold clean-up and remediation. Contact Air Improvement Denver today for professional HVAC cleaning Service.
How can I prevent mold in the future in my air ducts?
Try to keep your home as dry as possible. Repair water leaks as soon as possible to prevent mold growth. Fix leaking water as soon as possible. Regularly check your HVAC systems. Consider investing in ultraviolet lighting to prevent mold and microorganism growth in your HVAC systems. Lastly, have your HVAC system and ductwork professionally sanitized at least once a year.