There’s no room for debate – if you live in Florida’s heat, you need a fully functional AC unit. But when this AC unit comes with air ducts that form a breeding ground for all sorts of nasty mold, what are you meant to do about it? Can this mold be harmful?
Let us shed some light on the microbial growth that makes its home in the darkness of your air ducts, and look at the benefits of air duct cleaning.
Mold is a non-scientific term for several types of fungi. There are thousands of species of mold which can be found indoors and outdoors, all requiring moisture to grow.
There are three principle types of mold:
Allergenic molds are the least dangerous and most troublesome type of mold, especially if you’ve been diagnosed with a mold allergy. The most common type of mold, called Alternaria, is an allergenic mold. This affects the nose, mouth, and upper respiratory tract, causing irritating allergic reactions, including:
This type of mold usually only affects you if you are sick already, or if you have a weakened immune system, such as those with HIV, those who have undergone a transplant, or those currently undergoing cancer treatment.
Also called “toxic” molds, these are the most dangerous type of mold. They produce mycotoxins, which can cause mycotoxicosis. However, the real danger caused by mycotoxins result from eating moldy food, as opposed to inhaling the spores.
All types of mold have one thing in common – they love warm, damp spaces. The number one area in your home where mold will form is in your air ducts. Tricky to detect, it means that mold spores will be circulating through the air in your home.
Not only does mold damage cost more than half a trillion U.S. dollars each year, it is unsightly, smelly, and can pose some health risks.
Long term mold exposure is unhealthy for anyone and should be avoided as much as you are able to.
The people most at risk of suffering from mold exposure are:
After knowing the dangers of not cleaning your ducts, homeowners sometimes feel like they need to have their ducts cleaned weekly, or daily. We are here to assure you this is not necessary! In fact, the EPA says air ducts should be cleaned only when necessary.
To stay on the safe side, we recommend having routine cleaning to keep an eye on things, and spot cleaning when certain issues pop-up.
Having your air ducts cleaned routinely has no downside and can make you aware of any problems that might have developed. We recommend they be cleaned every three to five years; or more frequently if any of the following factors come into play:
Situations where your ducts require spot cleaning include:
The best way to prevent any side effects caused by mold exposure is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Large amounts of mold need to be removed with specialized removal techniques by professionals wearing personal protective equipment. Art Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electric will clean every part of your AC unit’s ducts, minimizing the chances of re-contamination and keeping mold exposure at bay. Let’s clear the air—contact us today at 1-800-475-1504!