Mold in the HVAC system is a common complaint, and one that is easy to understand. Why? Because mold is present in all buildings and all it needs to proliferate is moisture and food. You can’t eradicate mold completely, but there are some steps you can take to minimize chances that it won’t get completely out of hand.
Preventive measures include checking the HVAC system for proper condensate drainage and that drip pans and condensate lines are not plugged. See that blowers, air-handlers and plenums are free of moisture. Your HVAC contractor should take of these items during your routine residential HVAC maintenance service call.
Moisture can build up in areas you can’t see and mold doesn’t take long (as little as 48 hours) to start flourishing. So, despite your best efforts you can still end up with a mold problem. If that happens here are some measures to take to bring the situation back under control. First, the HVAC system needs to be turned off and anyone working on the cleanup should be wearing at least an N-95 respirator.
- Replace porous materials – This includes any insulation or filters that have gotten wet. Bag wet materials in 6 mil. or thicker plastic and discard. Remove any standing water with a wet-vac.
- Clean non-porous surfaces – Use detergent and water to to clean vents, ducts and registers.
- Vacuum – Even dead mold spores, can make people sick, so that material must be removed after cleaning. Vacuuming with hepa filtration is the best method.
You can do these jobs yourself if the system is small and everything you need to clean is easy to get to, but you may need to call in professional assistance. More and more HVAC companies are hiring or training personnel to handle what can be a complex problem. Control the mold; don’t allow the mold to control you.
