A mold colony as small as a quarter-inch in diameter can consist of millions of organisms. And each mold organism has the potential to release millions of spores. That’s a lot of mold polluting your indoor air quality if you have mold in your central AC unit.
Some people think that mold isn’t a big deal, and in small amounts, it isn’t. But leaving it alone is the worst mistake you can make. Once mold gets inside of your central AC unit and into the ductwork, the spores will be distributed throughout your home.
Symptoms can range from allergies to headaches and memory loss! People with respiratory conditions such as asthma or bronchitis are especially susceptible to experiencing acute symptoms.
Chances are, you know the importance of handling mold issues. After all, you’re here to learn how to remove it. But to clean mold from a central AC unit for good you need more than a scrub brush and a magical solution. It’s important to know thy enemy to keep it away forever.
To achieve this, you need to understand the nature of mold and why it is so difficult to get rid of.
Getting to Know Mold
Mold is everywhere, but they are super small. A single mold spore is about as large as an individual speck of dust. It’s only when they land and multiply that we can recognize the familiar black spots on surfaces.
That means, that when we clean a large area of mold indoors, we are destroying a metropolis of organisms, but their children are still floating in our air. In order to properly mitigate a mold problem, we need to address three areas:
- Surfaces
- Conditions for growth
- Indoor air quality
Mold on Surfaces
If you’ve just noticed a mold issue on or around your AC system, you need to pull out the cleaning supplies. Grab a pair of gloves, a quality mask, your choice of scrubbing tool, and a mold killer.
There are a number of commercial products on the market that kill mold, but in a pinch, you can use bleach, hydrogen peroxide, or vinegar.
Now that it’s been scoured from your sight, it’s gone, right? Wrong! If the conditions for mold growth are good, they’ll be back.
Conditions for Mold Growth
To prevent mold from coming back, you must consider how it grows. For these microorganisms to thrive, they need:
- Food
- 60 to 85 Degrees Fahrenheit
- Moisture
Their food source is anything organic, even the smallest amount of dust. So eliminating their food sources is next to impossible.
And since we also thrive in similar temps, we can’t use temperature against mold.
But moisture! That is the ticket to controlling these tiny foreign invaders. Lower humidity levels in our home can greatly reduce their population and prevent the need to clean mold from a central AC unit ever again.
If there is too much moisture in your home, it can lead to condensation or “sweat” forming on surfaces such as your:
- AC unit
- Register
- Grilles
- Ducts
- Diffusers
This is commonly caused by an incorrectly sized unit, but can also be the product of poor insulation around ductwork or throughout the home. A properly sized central AC unit or additional dehumidifier unit may be necessary to balance the indoor humidity level sufficiently.
Indoor Air Quality
Now that you killed them on the surface and cut off their water source, it’s time to remove them from the air itself.
To cut down the mold floating in the air, your first defense is your air handler filter.
UV light is another popular choice in many homes, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to your air handler filter, a special UV light is placed inside your unit near the coils or in your ducts to sanitize the air before it blows through your vents.
This also helps to keep the area inside of your central AC unit clean and free from microorganisms including:
- Mold
- Bacteria
- Viruses
Central AC Unit Services Near Me?
You have a right to a healthy, mold-free home, and we can help! If you need to clean mold from a central AC unit, you deserve the assistance of Tampa Bay, Florida’s top air conditioning experts.
The professionals at Action Air Conditioning can assess the condition of your central AC unit, indoor air quality ( IAQ ), temperature, and indoor humidity level. After discussing our findings with you, together we will build a custom-tailored plan of action that suits your property and your budget.
For more information about our services, get in touch with us!