All HVAC systems suffer from a common problem – mold and mildew growth. This issue is prevalentbecause mold and mildew thrive in damp and low-light environments. And when it comes to your HVAC system, your air ducts provide this ideal environment for mold to thrive.Additionally, without proper humidity control, your air duct becomes the perfect breeding ground for mold to grow and spread all over your home.
An excellent way to counteract this is through better air duct design. HVAC installation services should be able to cut down on mold and mildew growth in your air ducts significantly by incorporating proper humidity control and ensuring that condensate drains appropriately.
Modern Air Duct Design to Prevent Mold Growth
Two things come into playdesigning a modern air duct system.
Controlling Humidity
HVAC contractors can factor in the humidity of the air in your home and ventilation across all rooms to design better air ducts. By controlling humidity, they’ll ensure that your home’s moisture levels are low enough to act as a deterrent to mold growth without causing discomfort to the inhabitants.Furthermore, the contractors should use heavy-duty material for your air ducts to make sure they don’t end up with leaks that will draw in humid air.
Controlling Condensate and Additional Moisture
Air ducts, and by extension AC units, should have proper measures in place to quickly dispose of drainage and condensate before it gets a chance to stagnate and promote mold growth.
Considering these two significant aspects for modern air duct services as an effective solution to prevent mold growth.
Adverse Effects of Mold in Ductwork
The most common health issues homeowners end up facing due to mildew growth include –
- Nasal congestion – a general uneasiness and nasal congestion as a result of long-term exposure to moldy air
- Sneezing, coughing, and wheezing
- Escalation of breathing problems in people who have asthma – if left untreated, the issue quickly escalates into something more severe with prolonged exposure.
- If anyone in your home has allergies, they’ll have more frequent allergic reactions
- Prolonged exposure will lead to lung diseases
If you’re worried about your family’s health because of mold-related issues, you should get in touch with medical professionals.
Air Duct Design, Maintenance, and Mold – Frequently Asked Questions
What is mold/mildew?
A mold is a fungus that comes from dead material. Our HVAC systems and air ducts offer them the ideal environment to grow – dampness, moisture, warm air, feeding materialsincluding dead skin, hair, stagnant water, and dead skin cells.
What kind of mold do you commonly find in an air conditioning system’s ductwork?
Black mold is the typical type you’ll find in air conditioning ductwork. It’s a type of toxic mold that creates mycotoxins.
Is there a way to permanently get rid of mold?
Yes, through adequate ventilation and cleaning. If you clean your air ducts often, you’ll be able to prevent mold growth. Mold thrives in high moisture environments, and so, if you can control the moisture levels in your building or home, you should have a better chance of preventing any mold-related issues.
Why is mold such a big problem?
Mold and mildew growth is bad for people in your home – they’ll have trouble breathing and be uncomfortable in general.
What other parts of the HVAC system does mildew usually grow?
Apart from your air duct system, other parts of your HVAC system can also serve as the perfect place for mold to breed. Commonly affected areas include –
- In and around your condenser or evaporator coil
- Your piping – namely the drain pans the move condensate from your condenser to an external drain
- Areas with leaks as a result of rodent or pest damage
Removing Mold and Mildew from Your Air Ducts
To remove mold from your system, you’ll need to hire HVAC professionals to identify the root cause of moisture build-up and patch things up before removing the mold from your air ducts. These are the common problems HVAC maintenance workers will look out for –
- Poor dehumidification of air in your system – with less humid air circulating your system, you’ll remove the perfect environment for mold growth
- Leaks in your air ducts will draw in the humid air. And so, condensation will increase drastically, thereby leading to a much higher likelihood that you’ll end up with mold growth
- Poor draining from your condenser will cause the water to stagnate, eventually leading to water damage and mold growth
To address these common issues, your local HVAC maintenance service company will –
- Seal off any leaks
- Ensure proper drainage for condensate
- Reduce humidity within your home by improving ventilation across different rooms in your home
Conclusion
Condensation build-up and humidity are the key factors that promote mold growth in your air conditioner’s ductwork. Therefore, as your system draws in humid air and the cooling effect produces condensation, you should start worrying about moisture build-up, which will eventually lead to mold growth. From the, your air conditioner will disperse mold spores around your home, thereby contaminating most of your living space. If you end up with mold in your system, air duct cleaning services will get you out of the messy situation. And with proper air duct design, you can avoid the problem altogether.
