Troubling Black Mold in Air Ducts? Here Is How To Deal With It

It turns out that black mold does grow almost everywhere, as long as it is humid and mixed with leaking water. Besides the bathroom sinks, kitchen dishwashers, drywall, and some other areas, it also grows in air ducts. No wonder, thanks to it, your house becomes a “sick house” because the existence of the mold can make the residents fall sick easily too.

Before we carry on, perhaps you feel a little bit skeptical with this fact. Can black mold or mold in general really grow in air ducts? How do we deal with that?

Can Mold Grow in Air Ducts?

The answer to the question above is yes, it is possible. Mold can grow in air ducts when the ductwork has moisture in it. On hot days, cool air that flows through the vents will cause the moisture in the air to condense inside the vent. Because of its presence, then mold starts to grow.

Mold spores can be spread through the air, so it is no wonder that some can also grow and get stuck in air ducts. As long as the environment is warm and moist, then this condition is always a possibility.

How can we tell whether the mold exists in air ducts or not?

Mold in Air Ducts and Its Signs

Black mold everywhere, even in air ducts, is the most visible among the other types of mold. How do we notice the signs, so we can do something more and faster about it?

Some types of mildew and mold can be seen because of their discoloration and smell. If your nose is sensitive, you will smell it right away. It is musty and earthy, like a mixture of rotting leaves and dirt.

In some cases, the mold does not leave any specific odour. This is why you are often late to find out until you get sick for no clear reasons. Before you start sneezing or coughing, but you have no idea why, check out the air conditioning ducts. If there is a slight change in the colour of the AC’s ducts, then perhaps the colony of mold has already invested that area.

Of course, once you have discovered the signs of the black mold in air ducts, then it is time to do some seriously major cleaning up. Because if you do not, then be ready for the side effects of black mold in air ducts.

Side Effects of Mold in Air Ducts

So, what are the side effects of black mold in air ducts? The side effects of this can get really bad if you live in tropical areas. The level of humidity is much higher than the areas with four seasons. The side effects for the residents of the house may include:

• Headaches
• Watery eyes
• Nausea
• Skin disorders
• Fatigue

In the long run, one, some, or all of the symptoms above can lead to depression. This is why getting rid of black mold in air ducts is not about getting your house as clean as possible. This is about maintaining your overall health and the quality of your life. Nobody wants to get sick all the time because of this, so why don’t you start looking after your house more regularly?

Another side effect of black mold in air ducts is making the air become less cool and more humid. The mold infesting the system can gradually reduce the quality of how the AC works. This is also why regular maintenance on the air conditioner is very important. You do not have to do that every day.

How To Get Rid of Mold In Air Ducts?

Once you are aware of the signs and the side effects, now how do we get rid of black mold in air ducts? The methods are varied because air ducts are the complex and closed system. It takes some serious skills to maneuver equipment through them. Either to clean up or locate the affected area inside the air ducts, not many can do this.

If you are no expert or you have never really tried getting rid of any kind of mold in air ducts, it is better that you let the professionals or experts handle this matter. Most of them usually rely on shop vacs and motorized brushes. However, these tools may take time to get rid of the caked dirt and mold inside the air ducts.

Other experts in cleaning air ducts from caked dirt and mold may also use fiber optic camera feeds they can insert. These tools help them better to locate the dirt and the mold, but there is a much bigger price to pay for this type of service. Once again, it is up to you as a customer.

Cleaning some caked dirt and black mold in air ducts is not an easy job, but it is much harder if you get sick all the time. This is something that you must do or at least have to have done.