When it comes to air duct cleaning in Des Moines and the surrounding metro area, a percentage of the calls we receive pertain to the question of if we can tell the homeowner if they have mold in their ductwork. Our answer is yes. But before we go any further, the answer would be yes, no matter what. Here’s why…
Every house has mold in it at all times, in the form of spores, unless it is hermetically sealed. Those individual spores are not dangerous alone though. Only when they begin to colonize do they become dangerous to your health.
The important thing is to understand how mold spores colonize and how to identify when it happens. Here’s the lowdown.
How Mold Enters the Home
You can’t see mold spores because they are microscopic. They can enter the home through open windows, doors, the bathroom vents, air intake vent, basically any vent. They also enter the house through cracks and/or seams.
Don’t panic about the house being able to “breathe” a little. It’s better to have that than to have it completely air tight. Like I mentioned earlier, without colonization, they don’t do harm. Let’s discuss how the mold spores colonize.
Ideal Growing Conditions for Mold in The HVAC System
Mold requires some type of organic matter, humidity and oxygen. Basically, the summer season is ideal as this is the time the air conditioner operates. The house has humidity within and the air conditioner’s job is to remove the humidity. In that process, cold air meets warm, moist air and thus, water forms.
Because of the moisture formation, the “A-Coil” has a drip pan with a drain tube that runs to
some type of floor drain to remove that water. If there is any dust or debris along that path, mold can form.
It’s common to see mold form where the drain tube lets the water out at the floor drain. It’s also common to see mold form at the supply vent covers where the cold air enters the individual rooms. If the air conditioner is too powerful for the size of the house and shuts off quickly before the humidity can be removed, you can get a buildup of mold at the supply vent covers.
How To Prevent Mold Growth in the HVAC System
Since you now know mold requires some dust, moisture and heat in order to grow, it makes sense to eliminate as much of the ingredients as possible. Make sure to keep the air ducts and the “A-Coil” drip pan and tube clean. Make sure the HVAC system is the right size, not too powerful. Also make sure to keep the area around the floor drain clean.
Mold can cause serious health issues so keep an eye on your air HVAC system and keep the ductwork and vent lines clean. If you are looking for air duct cleaning in Des Moines, call Supreme Air Duct Cleaning.
How to Get Rid of Mold
If you do have mold around the vents or in the A-Coil area, use a non-toxic solution designed specifically for eliminating mold. We like to use Micro Balance EC3 Mold Solution Concentrate – All Natural, Botanical. You can get it on Amazon. It is good at removing mold spores, bacteria and musty smells. Again, it is non-toxic.
At Supreme Air Duct Cleaning, we take the time to demonstrate to the homeowner that mold is typically just around the supply vents and/or the A-Coil. We then clean those areas with our Mold Solution Concentrate and it’s good to go.
Call us if you need air duct cleaning or dryer vent cleaning services.