Photo By Nataliya Hora at Shutterstock

With both residential and commercial HVAC systems, mold in the ducts is something to look out for. Whilst maintenance can go a long way in stopping it from developing altogether, calling an air conditioning repair service at the earliest sign of mold is always the best option. These are signs for you to look out for in your McKinney, TX, home or business to prevent the issue from getting severe.

1.  Odors 

If you’re noticing an unusual or musty odor, that may be a sign that there’s mold in the air ducts. In fact, it’s usually the first sign. To make sure, it’s best to test out if the smell disappears when you’re not using your heating or conditioning. That can help you to narrow down the exact source of the mold, which is always useful information to relay to a professional when they come for air conditioning repair.

The smell is distinct and easy to identify. It’s often wet, rotten or stale. If this has been a long-running issue in your McKinney, TX, home, you ought to have it checked out straight away.

2.  Visible Mold 

Apart from the smell, you can spot the mold visually. The places where you need to look for it are the AC vents, where it’s likeliest to grow. Drip pans are another place where you’ll need to take a good look at. When condenser coils, which pull moisture from the air into drip pans, get clogged, that creates a situation that’s conducive for the growth of mold.

You won’t be able to spot all the patches of mold right away since it spreads through pores that are naked to the invisible eye. By the time you’re able to spot the patches, chances are high that the problem is quite serious at that point. That’s when you’ll need an air conditioning repair service to ensure that you get rid of the mold, as well as preventing it from returning.

3.  Allergy Symptoms 

When the mold has had enough time to grow, it starts to spread through the air. Some obvious signs of it when it reaches this stage include people and pets in the home showing allergy signs. These can range from sneezing and itchy eyes to headaches, an irritated nose and nausea. At first sight of these signs, call an air conditioning repair service.

Causes of Mold Growth 

Mold tends to grow in ductwork as a result of two factors, namely warm temperatures and moisture. Those two create ideal conditions for mold to form. Poor ventilation, combined with a humid climate and anything that traps moisture and causes condensation, leads to mold ducts in your McKinney, TX, home.

Of course, the best way to know what the exact cause is in your situation and deal with it is to have a professional inspect your ducts and your entire system.

Here are other possible causes.

 1.  Oversized AC unit

If your AC unit is too big for the space you have, a problem you might experience is mold in the air ducts. A unit that’s too large tends to cool smaller spaces too quickly before switching off without dehumidifying the air, which is a recipe for excess moisture. This moisture will build up in both your ductwork and your rooms.

If mold starts to appear again even after an air conditioning repair, it might point to an AC unit that’s too big.

2.  Setting your AC on a temperature that’s too low 

When you set your AC on a temperature that’s too low can result in molds, particularly around the vents. This typically happens when cool air from the vents comes in contact with the warm air that’s in the rooms, at which point the temperature difference in the rooms causes the moisture in the air to condense.

When the moisture builds up and doesn’t get a chance to dry out, mold growth is a likely result. It’s known as the temperature differential, and it typically takes around 20 degrees of difference for the moisture to form. Given enough time, the moisture will make its way into the air ducts.

The result is generally the same when you have air ducts that have leaks which let in warm air. That’s why it’s important to call air conditioning repair service to fix any leaks.

Signs of mold mean you’ll need extensive duct cleaning, along with making sure that you seal up the leaks. Otherwise, the mold will probably return.

Reasons to Get a Professional to Eliminate Mold 

While it may appear that getting rid of the mold yourself is as good an option as any, that’s far from the case. For starters, using ordinary cleaners to clean the mold doesn’t work out very well. In fact, it hardly removes the mold. You might also use put your health at risk.

An air conditioning repair professional will have the proper equipment to remove the mold while protecting themselves, ensuring that there’s a minimal chance of it returning.

It’s also possible that trying to clean the mold without professional help may result in accidental damage to your HVAC system. Professionals will know what to look for, along with how to take care of the problem without causing further problems down the line.

If you want to get rid of mold in your McKinney, TX, home in a safe and effective way, call an air conditioning repair service.

Apart from that, it’s important that you regularly check the air ducts for mold, along with having a professional take a look during scheduled maintenance. In addition to calling an air conditioning repair service, you should also look into getting a good dehumidifier.

When you start to see and experience the signs of mold in your McKinney, TX, home, it may seem like a severe problem. While that may be the case, you’ll be surprised at how quickly and effectively it can be dealt with when you call K&S Heating and Air.