Tips to Prevent Mold in Your Air Duct System

01/26/2014 Back To Blog

The humid conditions of duct systems make the perfect breeding ground for pollutants including bacteria and mold. The contamination of your system with mold can have serious health consequences as the spores can spread reducing the indoor air quality home occupants are breathing.

Tips for Preventing Mold

While regular air duct cleaning can eliminate this problem, there are a number of things homeowners can do to prevent mold in their system.

• Maintain your system and address any aspect of air duct repair quickly to reduce the introduction of dirt or moisture

• Replace air duct filteror filters frequently to reduce debris and bacteria in the system.

• Check the system for any leaks and ensure they are repaired immediately

• Empty drain pans and check the surrounding coil area for signs of excessive moisture

• Check non air conditioned areas of the system such as attics for joint leaks. These can introduce dust and spores into the airflow.
Signs of Mold

You may not be aware of mold in your air duct system, but there are a number of signs which may indicate a problem. These include:

• Musty or stale smell throughout the home
• Indications of mold or mildew on vents
• Worsening of allergic reactions or asthma
• Headaches, irritability or difficulty sleeping.

These signs indicate a mold or other air quality issue which should be resolved as quickly as possible. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms in your home, you could undertake air quality testing to assess the level of contaminants in the atmosphere of your home. If mold is present, then air duct cleaning is the only way to eliminate the problem without spreading the spores. Specialist vacuum equipment can draw the mold and build-up of debris into the unit without contaminating the air supply further.