Mold growth in your home can lead to a variety of short- and long-term health issues. Running an air conditioner can cause mold to grow in difficult-to-reach places. The cool air flowing through your ducts may cause water to condense onto the surfaces, making for a prime growing spot for various types of mold and bacteria. When spores get dislodged from the surface, they can become airborne and enter the air circulation in your home. If you’ve noticed a musty smell or can see dark bits of mold growing in your duct system, it’s important to get your home tested. If mold is detected, it’s important to know what type it is so you can use the appropriate treatment method.

How to remove mold from air ducts

Cleaning Using Household Products

If you’ve noticed that mold is growing in your ducts, you can use a variety of household cleaning products to get it cleaned off. Mixing either detergent or bleach with water is powerful enough to kill mold. When you’re getting ready to address an area of mold in your home, it’s important to put on protective gear. The cleaning chemicals can cause harm to your skin or eyes, and inhaling the mold spores is dangerous. Wearing rubber gloves, a face mask, and eye protection are all recommended for safety.

To clean the mold, apply the cleaner and scrub with a rag until it has all been removed. When you’re finished with a job, dispose of all of the used rags. Be sure to pay close attention to the area after the cleaning to make sure mold doesn’t start to grow there again.

Ozone Shock Treatment

A lot of mold growing in an AC duct system can’t be reached or cleaned using traditional methods. Exposing mold and bacteria to high concentrations of ozone for an extended period of time can kill it and keep it from spreading any further in your ducts. Using an ozone shock treatment can clean out the mold from all parts of your ducts so that you don’t have to worry about any hidden areas.

An ozone generation machine can be rented or purchased from a variety of sources. It is important that these units are appropriately sized for the volume of your ductwork system. Before starting treatment, all of the vents in a home need to be sealed off using plastic. Any other areas where air can escape from a duct system should also be closed in order to maximize the concentration of ozone in the system. The generator is hooked up to the intake of the air conditioning system and allowed to run for several hours, blowing ozone into the ducts.

When the treatment is finished, most machines will turn off automatically, and the generator should be unhooked. All of the plastic covers can come off of the vent to let the excess ozone exit the system. The air conditioning system should be run to help flush the ozone out and to bring fresh air into your ducts. If you’re bothered by the smell during this process, windows and doors should be opened.

Use a Professional

If you’re uncomfortable dealing with mold problems by yourself, it’s best to hire a professional. In fact, hiring an expert is usually the best route. Mold issues can be severe enough that normal solution methods won’t work. For situations where mold keeps returning in your home, it’s important to have a professional address the situation. At Fire 'n' Ice Heating & Cooling, Inc., we understand the importance of having good air quality in your Downers Grove home. That’s why we use advanced mold removal techniques to ensure that everything harmful all gets kills and removed from your duct system.

Your Trusted HVAC Specialists

At Fire 'n' Ice Heating & Cooling, Inc., we’re committed to offering outstanding heating and cooling repair, replacement, and tune-up services to the residents of Downers Grove. Our team is also highly experienced with indoor air quality systems, and we want people to be safe in their homes. We have NATE-certified technicians who receive ongoing training and stay current with the industry. Our focus on excellence has earned us an A+ rating from the BBB. We’re proud to be a Healthy Air Expert. Our locally owned and operated company has been serving the residents of the area for more than 40 years. Give us a call at Fire 'n' Ice Heating & Cooling, Inc. today!

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