Sources Of Mold Growth In HVAC Systems

If you have a moldy HVAC system, part of the treatment solution should include finding the sources of mold growth. Here are some common reasons that HVAC systems can become moldy. 

Poorly Maintained Cooling Coil Systems

Your air conditioning cooling coils can cause big mold problems for your HVAC system if they're not taken care of properly. In an ideal system, the condensation that drips off of calling coils will fall into a drip pan, which then allows the water to exit the system. The process can go wrong when the drain pan is damaged or improperly sloped so that water gets stuck in the system. If the system isn't cleaned and maintained properly each year by an air conditioning contractor, this can also cause problems. 

Old Filters 

Air filters do a great job of providing ventilation for your HVAC system when they are maintained properly. Replacing the air filters each year is necessary for proper HVAC maintenance, and this can be a simple fix to a mold problem. When the air filters get too old, they can collect a large amount of dust that prevents air and moisture from following out of the system at will. Water can get trapped inside the ductwork, forming a great habitat for microbes. 

Unclean Ductwork

The ductwork itself can be prone to wetness that creates a good environment for mold. Still, there are a few things that an HVAC contractor can do to prevent major problems. The first is to do regular cleaning to remove dust and other debris. This helps to ensure that water isn't trapped on the lining of the ductwork. The HVAC contractor should also check for leaks and sources of low airflow that could be problematic in ventilating the system. 

If you have had any kind of excessive toil on your HVAC system recently, such as home renovations that led to dirt piling up in the ductwork, then this is an especially likely source of mold growth. It may require a deep cleaning of the ductwork to ensure that a moldy environment doesn't persist. 

In short, there are many potential ways that mold take take hold in an HVAC system. When you call an HVAC contractor, they should not only kill the mold using an industrial cleaning solution, but they should suggest the preventative measures you can take to ensure that you don't have any more costly mold problems in the future. Contact a company like High Tech Heating & Air Conditioning Inc for more information.


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